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‘Toning’ and/or Building Muscle

Clients usually specify a goal when they meet with a fitness trainer. One question I usually ask is whether he or she wants to “tone” or to “build” muscle. Usually, but not always, women want to “tone,” while men want to “build.”

Toning IS building muscle. In most common use, the term “toned” pertains to the appearance of the muscle under the skin. A toned body implies a lean, firm body, low in body fat and showing muscle definition. ‘Building’ muscle usually means, the (eek!) bodybuilder’s look.

Perception is funny, isn’t it? The same basic process is necessary whether you want to tone or build muscle or whether you want to shape particular body parts or increase strength. All of these goals involve progressive resistance training.

Progressive Resistance Training = Lifting!

Progressive resistance training utilizes resistance (free weights, machines, cables, bands, bodyweight) until the muscle or group of muscles are fatigued. Each training session, the intensity should be increased slightly by decreasing the rest time between sets, or by increasing the resistance. Gradually your muscles adapt and grow thereby becoming stronger. This process is vital for your workout program to be effective.

Progressive resistance training methods have been successfully used over the decades by bodybuilders, weightlifters, and athletes. These are tried and true training methods that have produced steady gains in muscle size and strength, all while lowering the risk of injury. Most personal fitness trainers use this training method. They will start you off with resistance commensurate to your current fitness level and most know just how much more to add to the workouts with each session, based upon your performance.

Weight Training = Progressive Resistance Training

Since almost all resistance training involves weights, it is also called weight training. It is also commonly known as ‘anaerobic’ exercise. (The muscle movement doesn’t rely on oxygen for fuel.) Weight training is used not only for toning and bodybuilding, is also used for sport-specific training, and for injury rehab. Each of these applications utilizes weight training in a different way.

Overload = Stress Adaptation

Muscle growth, also referred to as hypertrophy, occurs when the muscle is forced to move weight that’s greater than the muscle is normally accustomed to moving. Usually called “overloading” the muscle, the muscle responds by getting bigger and stronger to handle the new load. This is “stress adaptation”.

When all or most of the muscle fibers are worn out, the muscle is unable to continue moving the resistance. This is called muscle fatigue or muscular failure. Good personal trainers make sure that clients at intermediate and advanced levels achieve the right amount of muscle fatigue… even working beyond muscular failure, if the the timing is appropriate when training.

Basic Reps and Sets

All exercises are done in a series of repetitions, or “reps.” Every time a movement is completed a rep is in the bank! A number of repetitions done in continual motion is called a “set.” More sets = harder workout.

Muscle Contractions = Iso-what?

In addition to concentric (positive) and eccentric (negative) movements the other types of muscle contractions are isometric, isotonic, and isokinetic. Let’s keep this simple:

- Isometric is a static (no movement, but holding) contraction.

- Isotonic contraction occurs when resistance is constant, but speed varies during exercise performance.

- Isokinetic is contraction where speed is constant and the resistance changes.

Genetics - Don’t Hate The Messenger!

Let’s also point out that we’re all born with a genetic blueprint that determines what we’ll look like for the most part. Including the skeletal and muscular structure as well as our ability to lose or retain body fat. Looking at your family will give you alot of information! Some people gain muscle very easily Others struggle hard to add a centimeter to their biceps and vice versa.

We can’t change basic genetic makeup. But we can work hard to utilize it’s full potential. In fact it’s your duty to explore and develop your full potential. You will get out of a weight training program EXACTLY what you put into it. A personal fitness trainer is there to point you in the right direction and give you the knowledge you need to achieve your goals.

Benefits of Weight Training ROCK!

In addition to the aesthetic changes to your body, confidence in your new-found strength, weight training has many other benefits like: increased bone density, improved endurance for sports performance, strengthening of ligaments and tendons, more efficient metabolism, lowered risk of injury and improved functional ability that spills over into many other areas of your life.

The bottom line is there’s no reason NOT to strength train. Now get to it!