Looking to tone arms...

[Nikki Sahagin]

So i've started using weights at home...

 

What's a good weight to start on and how many reps should I do a day?

 

I'm 5'5 and 8 stone with dainty arms. I just want to tone and build some upper body strength.

 

Advice appreciated

[tman666]

What most people refer to as a "toned" look is simply a combination of two factors: moderate muscle mass and lower bodyfat percentage.

 

The look that you likely have in mind (speculating here) can be achieved mostly through refining your diet. Training the muscles is a must as well, but you will never see your hard earned muscle gains without achieving a level of low bodyfat that permits the showing of your muscle definition. This is the same reason that doing a ton of direct ab work won't lead to one getting a six pack-the results (toned shoulders/arms, six pack abs, etc.) are only visible if they are coupled with low bodyfat.

 

That said, your weights may or may not be worth much depending on how heavy they are. I'm sorry to say that chances are good that the 5 lb pink dumbbells that so many women get suckered into buying will likely not provide a level of training stimulus needed for muscles to grow, especially beyond the time frame of a few weeks. If you did purchase a set of these ultralight weights, the best use for them will most likely be for higher rep lateral deltoid raises and during

Using your own bodyweight as resistance (push ups, pull ups, squats, lunges, sprints, burpees, mountain climbers, etc. - the possibilities are limitless) can be an extremely effective training tool, especially if your goal is the "toned" look. I use bodyweight training extensively in my own training, despite having different goals than you. My opinion is that nearly everyone should be incorporating some form of bodyweight work into the scope of their broader training programs.

 

Good luck with your goals! Remember that there are no substitutes for hard training and a regulated diet.

[tman666]

Also, my apologies for not actually answering your question...

 

In general, if your goal is hypertrophy (muscle growth), you'll want to use a weight that allows you to get anywhere from around 6 to 15 reps (again, these numbers are very general). Choose weights that are as heavy as possible while permitting you to stay in the desired rep range with good to perfect form.

 

For increasing strength, use lower reps and heavier weights (1 to 5 reps). Again, the goal is progressive overload of your abilities. There are various ways to do this: increase the amount of weight used (intensity), increase the amount of reps completed (volume), and increase how often you train the muscle (frequency). Manipulating those three variables will allow you to customize your training to suit your goals.

 

If we assume that the weights you have access to are light, you will likely have to do plenty of reps (volume) in order to make up for the lack of intensity in the form of heavy weight. I'd start with doing at least 50-60 total reps (broken down into 4-5 sets) on each muscle group you're working. Again, if the load is light, you will be able to recover more quickly from your workouts than you would lifting heavier weights. As far as how often you work each muscle group, I'd shoot for hitting each muscle group twice per week to start out.

 

If I were in your shoes, I would try splitting my training into upper body and lower body days, something like the schedule below:

 

Day 1: Upper body: push up with dumbbell rows (5 sets of 10-12)

 

Day 2: Lower body: bodyweight squats (5 sets of 20)

 

Day 3: Rest day-Perform Non Exercise Physical Activity (NEPA) such as a long walk, a hike, playing tennis, etc.

 

Day 4: Upper body: dumbbell overhead press (3 x 15)

lateral/front delt raises (3 x 15)

bent over reverse flyes (3 x 15)

 

Day 5: Lower body: reverse lunges (5 x 12)

single leg romanian deadlift (5 x 15)

 

Day 6: NEPA

 

Day 7: NEPA

 

The above is simply one example of how you could set your training up. There's a ton of different ways you could set up your training-the key factors being that training should focus on compound movements (exercises that involve more than one muscle, such as squats, push ups, pull ups, deadlifts, pressing, rows, etc.) over isolation movements (concentration biceps curls for example), should be set up to allow for progressive increases in your performance, should incorporate enough down time to allow your muscles/joints/central nervous system to recover, and should train all muscle groups in the body.

[FitChick]

You can buy DVDs and follow along. I don't know who in the UK is good for that, though. Tracy Anderson might sell her stuff there and is popular.

[Emilia]

So i've started using weights at home...

 

What's a good weight to start on and how many reps should I do a day?

 

I'm 5'5 and 8 stone with dainty arms. I just want to tone and build some upper body strength.

 

Advice appreciated

 

tman's advice sounds pretty good. Don't be afraid of heavy weights OP or a lot of reps if they aren't that heavy. Women don't bulk up like men do.

[Nikki Sahagin]

What most people refer to as a "toned" look is simply a combination of two factors: moderate muscle mass and lower bodyfat percentage.

 

The look that you likely have in mind (speculating here) can be achieved mostly through refining your diet. Training the muscles is a must as well, but you will never see your hard earned muscle gains without achieving a level of low bodyfat that permits the showing of your muscle definition. This is the same reason that doing a ton of direct ab work won't lead to one getting a six pack-the results (toned shoulders/arms, six pack abs, etc.) are only visible if they are coupled with low bodyfat.

 

That said, your weights may or may not be worth much depending on how heavy they are. I'm sorry to say that chances are good that the 5 lb pink dumbbells that so many women get suckered into buying will likely not provide a level of training stimulus needed for muscles to grow, especially beyond the time frame of a few weeks. If you did purchase a set of these ultralight weights, the best use for them will most likely be for higher rep lateral deltoid raises and during

Using your own bodyweight as resistance (push ups, pull ups, squats, lunges, sprints, burpees, mountain climbers, etc. - the possibilities are limitless) can be an extremely effective training tool, especially if your goal is the "toned" look. I use bodyweight training extensively in my own training, despite having different goals than you. My opinion is that nearly everyone should be incorporating some form of bodyweight work into the scope of their broader training programs.

 

Good luck with your goals! Remember that there are no substitutes for hard training and a regulated diet.

 

Hey t-man, thanks for the response!

My diets pretty good - i'm trying to be healthy as I noticed I was feeling very tired and lethargic a lot. When I get a little muscle it does tend to show, so I'm guessing this means my body fat percentage is low. I'm also using my dads weights so no little girly ones Thanks very much for the advice. I'll try those exercises.

[Nikki Sahagin]

PS does building muscle too quickly cause stretch marks? Or is my miniscule effort slight enough to avoid causing that?

[Emilia]

PS does building muscle too quickly cause stretch marks? Or is my miniscule effort slight enough to avoid causing that?

 

I don't think your muscles grow fast enough and get big enough to cause stretch marks

[fucpcg]

PS does building muscle too quickly cause stretch marks? Or is my miniscule effort slight enough to avoid causing that?

 

The guys who get stretch marks from rapid muscle development are all on bodybuilding drugs. You don't have to worry bout stretch marks.

[tman666]

Never in my life have I met a woman who had stretch marks from muscle growth. They simply do not produce enough natural testosterone to get the massive "female bodybuilding" look that seems to scare many women away from touching heavy weights.

 

I have stretch marks on my shoulders, upper back, chest, upper legs, and arms from back when I first started training hard. I was also 18 years old and had access to unlimited, great tasting dorm food. The level of natural testosterone that my body was producing was off the chain.

 

As a female, you do not have to worry about such things.

[Nikki Sahagin]

Awesome Bring on the weights then XD

[threebyfate]

Push ups are pretty good for toning arms and building upper body strength.

[zengirl]

Push ups. Lunges with bicep curls (w/ free weights). Squat & press, with free weights, etc. Yoga and pilates also tone arms, as well as all over. I don't do any heavy weight work, and my arms are very well-toned, just from routines that include the above.