You’re not going to get bulky, I promise.
Those reasons are for a different post entirely, so we’ll focus on toning up!
One of the more common goals I hear from potential clients (men and women alike) is the desire to “Get toned!”
Start with my 4 Secrets to Toning Up
and you’ll be on your way in no time!
1. PRIORITIZE COMPOUND MOVEMENTS
Classified as a movement that uses more than one “joint action” these can include:
-Squat
-Hip Thrust
-Lunge to Lateral Raise
-Dumbbell Curl to Overhead Press
They can typically move the heaviest resistance/weight, helping build muscle to create tone. Aim for 3-4 sets of 8-15 reps of these exercises.
2. EAT A HIGH PROTEIN DIET
Protein is the building block of muscles. Resistance training breaks down the muscle tissue, so maintaining a high protein diet (~1-1.2g per kg of weight) will help re-fuel your muscles to get bigger and stronger!
3. FOCUS ON SLEEP/RECOVERY
Often overlooked by a “I’ll sleep more when I’m dead” mentality by a lot of people, one thing we can all do is take sleep/recovery a little more seriously. Clearing a foggy brain, providing more energy, and giving your body the time it needs to properly rest and re-build the muscle used during that days training session is vital to help get you toned in no time. Shoot for 7-9hrs per night! And reminder, you can’t make up for lost sleep, be consistent, get consistent results!
4. SLOW AND CONTROLLED TEMPO
It’s great that you’re hitting compound movements and starting to feel good, but if you want to speed up the process, it’s time to slow down the reps. Each rep should aim for a 2 second contraction and 2 second extension at minimum. During the movement, the muscle shortens and lengthens, breaking down with micro tears on each rep. Slowing down the movement forces harder work (more micro tears), so when the muscles rebuild thanks to protein and the rest/recovery, they’ll be stronger and more toned/defined!
That’s it!
To get toned, you have to have muscle to show off. Follow those 4 steps and you’ll be leaps and bounds ahead of the game to building your ideal body.
Which “secret” are you going to work on today?