Almost everyone I know wants nice firm and toned arms. They want to be able to see muscle definition and be free of that wobbly tuck shop lady feeling.
However, most people don’t know how to do it.
Want firm arms? Here’s how to tone up!
It seems to me that a lot of people are going after toned arms in a really poor fashion. For example, there is the old myth that low weight and high reps somehow magically tones your muscles so that they appear firmer and with greater definition.
Not true.
You see muscle toning is all about losing the fat that is covering the muscles. It is not about toning the muscles themselves but about burning the adipose cells that are stopping your muscles from showing their natural tone. You see everyone has toned muscles but not everyone is lean.
So how do I tone my arms?
Now that you know that you need to lose weight to tone your arms you need to do a few things.
1. Weight train to gain muscle
Here is the part where most people get confused. If you want to tone your arms you need to pack on some muscle because the more muscle you have the easier it will be to “tone” them. Once the fat starts to melt away you will have more to “reveal” and this is very important.
Also, weight training increases your metabolism and helps you burn fat a lot faster. So weight training and muscle toning should go together - it just shouldn’t be a “high reps” affair.
2. Eat healthy
If you want to be super toned you need to make sure your diet is super awesome! I am talking about fresh fruit and vegetables and other foods that are not man made. If you get healthy you will get lean and this weight loss is not the kind that only lasts a few weeks.
3. Cardio hard
Start doing cardio workouts that really challenge your body. High intensity is much better for burning fat and it will help get your whole body toned in a much shorter amount of time.
Conclusion on toning your arms
Toning your muscles is not about high reps and low weight. It is about losing the fat that is covering your muscles so that they take on the appearance of being more toned. Don’t let fancy gimmicks fool you. This is the bare essential facts.
October 19th, 2007 at 5:50 am
Another good article. Well done. If people read this hopefully they will get over the false comman thought that you can turn fat into muscle!
October 19th, 2007 at 8:01 am
Mark - turning fat into muscle has got to be the number one most confused metaphor in human history.
Thanks for the comment.
RT
February 23rd, 2008 at 10:06 pm
try circuit training
May 21st, 2008 at 3:09 pm
I think the word “toning” is probably the most misused word in the gym. Most people use the word as an excuse not to work hard. If you want to “tone” you have to serious about your weight training and diet, just like you said.
Most people think it means “let’s curl 5 pound pink dumbbells 100 times” then go ride the stationary bike at 2mph for 15 minutes. Then they ask for advice, so you tell them to try the 10 pound dumbbells, and their immediate response is, “but, I don’t want to bulk up”.
May 21st, 2008 at 8:31 pm
Yeah bender you are right - it is a massive misconception that we really need to clear up. Thanks for stopping by.
RT