It is a myth that one must lift more weight to bulk up. If you're regular and patient with lighter weights, you can achieve similar results. It all comes down to two factors: the number of reps, and the way you perform them in order to achieve muscle fatigue.
While there is some truth to the idea that lifting lighter weights for more reps does a better job of increasing the muscular endurance, lighter weights will not help you "tone" better than heavy weights.
Yes, you can use light weights and still get sculpted from head to toe. With the popularity of CrossFit and hard-core HIIT workouts, it may seem like maxing out with heavy barbells is critical to getting stronger. But, if you're not into heavy lifting, it's not necessarily a problem.
To tone your arm muscles, consider starting with 2- to 3-pound dumbbells, all the way up to 5- to 10-pound dumbbells for women and 10- to 20-pound dumbbells for men. Once you can do 12 to 15 repetitions with little effort, it's time to increase the weights.
The answer: Depending on how often you exercise and the intensity of your workouts, give it between four to eight weeks for your muscles to get ripped, says Kawamoto.
Depending on the intensity and the consistency of your workout, it will take 4 to 8 weeks for your muscles to get toned.
In general, exercises that use heavier weights at low repetitions result in increased muscle bulk and power. Conversely, exercises performed with lighter weights and higher reps lead to muscle toning and muscular endurance.
Lifting for pure strength is best partnered with heavy weights. "If you're trying for strength, or your max force output, the heavier the weight, the more strength gains you'll have, along with size gains," Tuminello says. It's also super time efficient.
Generally, exercises with higher reps are used to improve muscular endurance, while higher weights with fewer reps are used to increase muscle size and strength.
Do more with less – adopt a routine of more reps with lighter weights. You don't need to work with very heavy weights to develop lean, toned muscle. For example, two sets of bicep curls with a 5 or 8 pound weight will help you tone without bulking up.
You're doing too much cardio:
Cardio is an essential part of weight loss routine and is very important for your heart health, but doing only cardio or too much cardio can the reason your body is not ready to tone. You need a proper exercise and diet plan to make sure you tone your body right.
Lifting weights requires more supervision and instruction for maximum benefit and avoidance of injuries than cardio exercise. Using weights alone without cardio, you will most likely develop bulk instead of a toned and streamlined body.
Yes, it's possible to build muscles without weights through your workouts. That's because bodyweight training, a form of resistance training and strength training, is well-known to increase muscle mass.
If you are new to exercise and looking to improve your current level of fitness, doing 12 to 15 reps should be sufficient. Improving your fitness and strengthening your muscles will help you burn calories, which can lead to weight loss.
You Don't Have Enough Training Volume
The more volume in your training (more sets and reps) the greater the hypertrophy response you will get (up to a point of course). If you like to stick to powerlifting specific programming this may very well be the reason you aren't seeing much progress in terms of muscle growth.
"However, sets of eight to 12 repetitions are generally considered a good range that helps people to build a combination of strength and muscle size," he adds. So, for most people, the heaviest weight you can lift for eight to 12 reps of an exercise can be considered lifting "heavy."
When you bulk up, you use heavier weights than you would for simply health benefits. The heavier weights with higher protein and higher calorie intake create that muscle growth that bodybuilders want. Toning does not have the same nutritional limitations that bulking up has.
I recommend starting with 5-pound weights. Halfway through the month, do a check-in with your body to see if they feel too light. If so, you can move up to 7.5- or 8-pound weights. If you notice you are building muscle too quickly, or bulking instead of toning, I recommend staying lighter with your weights.
Key Takeaway: It is possible to build muscle with light weights as long as you're doing an adequate amount of volume. This means doing sets of at least 10 reps, though sets of 15 or more are more effective at building muscle with light weights.
You want to do each of the following three things consistently: Resistance training to tone the muscles. Regular cardiovascular exercise for overall health, but also fat loss. Maintain a healthy diet to reduce body fat and reveal those lovely muscles!
Can flabby inner thighs be toned? While it isn't possible to spot reduce fat, you can target specific areas of the body with the right exercises. If the inner thighs are one of those areas you'd like to see some change, there are exercises that will strengthen the area, increasing muscle tone and slimming the leg.
The American Council on Exercise says a 1 percent body fat loss per month is safe and achievable. Given that math, it could take a woman with average body fat about 20 to 26 months to achieve the appropriate amount of fat loss for six-pack abs. The average man would need about 15 to 21 months.
Heavy weights.
Lifting weights is a great way to build muscle strength, but when you're over 50 there is no reason to push yourself too hard. Try a slightly lighter weight that you can safely do 10 to 12 reps with.
Bodyweight training is commonly referred to as calisthenics. This type of exercise targets large muscle groups using minimal equipment. Running, push-ups, chin-ups, and lunges are a few examples of calisthenic exercises. Bodyweight strength training can increase strength and muscle mass.