Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I think you have to "juice " to look like that. or have some freaky genetics . Besides it would take a long time to build that kind of muscle . If you join a gym , they can help you get started. If you plan to work out at home. You can buy used equipment and get good results. ( that s what I did )
There are an infinte number of ways for a woman to tone and not look like a frog. I am a woman in her mid 30s who does just that. I've tried many different methods to accomplish this: personal trainers, gyms, equipment, no equipment, and working out at home. The best method I've found by far is some cardio mixed with strength training and working out at home using used equipment alternating with exercise DVDs. Women often make the mistake of doing only cardio, neglecting strength training, believing they will bulk up. Some strength training is invaluable. It increases your metabolism, tones your muscles, and improves the efficiency of your cardio workouts.
I have an exercise bike, a treadmill, kettlebells, and hand weights (2-10 pounds) at home, along with DVDs. Running is the best way to improve cardio fitness and burn calories if your body can handle high impact. I run about 30 minutes, and alternate with cardio DVDs, Jilian Michaels mostly. Every other day, I do strength training using DVDs Jackie Warner or Jillian Michaels using hand weights or kettlebells. I use the bike when I'm injured or just to switch up my cardio routine. I purchased the weights and kettlebells at Academy and ebay and the equipment used on Craigslist. I don't like gyms. I don't like spending the money on memberships. I don't like the ick factor. I don't like waiting on the equipment. I don't like anything about them. This routine works for me and keeps me lean without making me look like a she male. Good luck
Not without serious, determined, and planned effort. Many women are averse to heavy weights because they don't want to "bulk up" or "look like a dude". However, most women will never get as bulky as guys because they lack sufficient testosterone. Because of the differences in hormone production, women's bodies are more predisposed to store more fat, meaning that it is fairly difficult to achieve the same look men are capable of. Women who compete in figure and bodybuilding competitions are professional athletes that purposely manipulate their diets and lifting routines, and may supplement with hormones to achieve that particular look.
Will doing high reps of lighter weights help me get toned?
Firstly, being "toned" is not a valid concept. Muscle tone is the amount of tension a muscle maintains when it's at rest. What most people mean when they say "toned" is certain level of muscular definition. Being "toned" is simply a matter of having enough muscle mass and low enough body fat.
Additionally, working high repetitions of exercises at low weights will increase muscular endurance more than anything else. If your goal is strength, you should be working high weight for low repetitions. If you goal is size and definition, you should be working medium weights for medium repetitions.
Not without serious, determined, and planned effort. Many women are averse to heavy weights because they don't want to "bulk up" or "look like a dude". However, most women will never get as bulky as guys because they lack sufficient testosterone. Because of the differences in hormone production, women's bodies are more predisposed to store more fat, meaning that it is fairly difficult to achieve the same look men are capable of. Women who compete in figure and bodybuilding competitions are professional athletes that purposely manipulate their diets and lifting routines, and may supplement with hormones to achieve that particular look.
Will doing high reps of lighter weights help me get toned?
Firstly, being "toned" is not a valid concept. Muscle tone is the amount of tension a muscle maintains when it's at rest. What most people mean when they say "toned" is certain level of muscular definition. Being "toned" is simply a matter of having enough muscle mass and low enough body fat.
Additionally, working high repetitions of exercises at low weights will increase muscular endurance more than anything else. If your goal is strength, you should be working high weight for low repetitions. If you goal is size and definition, you should be working medium weights for medium repetitions.
I agree with most of your post. I believe most people are not referring to a scientific definition of "toning." They simply mean the appearance of smaller, more defined muscles, lower fat, but without the bulkiness of high amounts of muscle in hard core bodybuilders. A picture is worth 1000 words when referring to "toning." The adage is high reps, low weights, but I'm a lazy woman and I can get away with low reps, high weights and still get that toned appearance without developing bulk. I'm sure you're right about it being the female factor, but it's also because I've slipped somewhat on eating clean and I recalled lately that dry white wine and I are old buddies Thus, the efficacy of exercise is greatly reduced. Eating clean is 80% of losing weight and developing a hot looking body.
Don't worry about it. That appearance is highly unlikely without an extreme program, genetics and illegal substances. Even then it does not happen overnight and you could back off long before your appearance became grotesque.
As others stated; you are not going to bulk up unless you purposely went out of your way to do so. There are numerous men even who spend years training who do not get bulked up just because their diet and training is not sufficient to do so.
Not aimed at you OP; I do not know why there is still this perception that it is so easy to bulk up, I hear is more often than I should from people "I do not lift heavy because I do not want to bulk up", as if bulking up is some event that happens after a few months of training.
It is in fact, difficult to get the bulked up look, and even more difficult to get the body builder bulk look; it is just not going to happen to a person unless that is their goal to do so, and they learn specifically the way to do it through exercise and diet. I assure you, you will never come across and bulked up person and they will say "I have no idea how I got this way" or "it was an accident".
Oh yes, to answer the questions about "what exercises";
"and gain muscle"
Gain muscle, as in hypertrophy? Or as in strength?
"and be fit"
This is a generic, subjective statement, but I think fit is having a good cardio and strength base. First thing I think you should do is see where exactly you are now, as in what is your mile time, how many push ups, burpees, body weight squats (or barbell squats), etc, that way you know where you are, and where you want to go. Difficult to measure progress if you have no idea what the progress is (besides looking in the mirror).
Are you into group type stuff? Would Crossfit be something you are interested in? How about kickboxing? Jiu jitsu? All of those are structured and will get you in shape, if that is what you think you need, some people just cannot do things on their own.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Thus, the efficacy of exercise is greatly reduced. Eating clean is 80% of losing weight and developing a hot looking body.
