I forgot it was Vday! Here is your Valentine!!!!
And now for the post that probably should have been about Valentine's Day, but it's NOT!
Let me just say 2 things...
Why?
To get the "toned" look you want, (Sorry I keep putting "toned" in quotation marks. I just hate that word.) you must develop your muscles and remove fat around the muscle so they are more visible. You do that through purposeful training, which requires heavy weights to develop your muscles. Your muscles will not develop if you stick with 5lb dumbbells.
Why?
Unless you are taking steroids, you do not have enough testosterone in your body to get HUGE. And if you aren't eating 3000+ calories a day, you will not have enough fuel to pack on all the muscle.
If you want to develop muscles (aka: "tone") in your arms, nix the isolation exercises. Do big, compound movements that target many muscle groups including your back, chest, and shoulders! Forget bicep curls. If you want ripped arms, try push ups, pull ups, rows, and bench press.
1. You will be less prone to injury.
2. Strength training stops, prevents and reverses muscle loss.
3. It prevents diseases like osteoporosis.
4. Strength training will give you confidence.
5. You will run faster.
Those are some great reasons to strength train, and they have nothing to do with how it's going to make you look!
If you want to strength train but don't know where to start, I wrote a post here that will help you get an idea where to begin. I knew nothing about lifting when I first started, so I know the feeling!
Also, the following articles are EXCELLENT. Especially the second one about fitness marketing.
34 Training Tips for Women
I Don't Want To Get Big and Bulky: Fitness Marketing and its Effects on Women
Myth Busters! 6 Female Strength Training Myths That Won't Die! - Busted!
Do you strength train?
If so, what are the major benefits you have seen? Do you design your own workout or do you get it from somewhere else?
I always forget about working on my arms. I am always so focused on my lower body! I must remember this! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteLower body is definitely important too. It's just I can already hear people talking about toning their arms for summer hehe.
DeleteI can't wait until you have your certification and start a movement to take the 5lb dumbbells away from women :) Not many other women come to my little gym but the ones who do are always doing 500 reps with the 5lb dumbbells. I don't judge people based on how much weight they lift as long as it's over 5lbs. Just like I don't want people to judge me for my 12 minute miles ... but if I was telling people I ran 20 minute miles, well that's judge-worthy :)
ReplyDeleteSooo true! When I say heavy, I mean heavy for the individual. I don't think 5lbs is heavy for many people. :)
DeleteI run because it's my therapy. I lift because it's my anger management. I have been lifting 4-5 days a week for two plus years and I definitely am nowhere near Hulk status. I see so many women in the gym doing 30 million reps with 2lb dumbbells. It's not for me to judge, but I really want to go have a conversation with them.
ReplyDeleteI know! It has taken me a loooooong time and loooots of weight to get the *little* muscle I have. If women could blow up, I'd be blown by now haha!
DeleteAhhh I love this and you are so right! Some women are scared about getting bulky and honestly I think some are intimidated. Baby steps though...bigger weights are better because, like you said, "toning" is all about muscle mass. Great post!
ReplyDeleteYup. I didn't start shedding fat until I started lifting. Shed fat + develop muscle = "toning" haha. But I hate that work because it makes it sound so easy- and it's NOT. I go to the gym to LIFT. I don't TONE. hehe.
DeleteYes!! This is so true. I try to steer away from "toned" and now say "defined", and I'm FINALLY getting that I need to do the tough stuff to get better muscle definition.
ReplyDeleteWell the good part is you won't have to do 30 reps of the tough weights. :)
DeleteGreat post! I used to think I'd get 'ripped' if I touched anything larger than 12lbs...lol. Got to go "tone" my arms...JK.
ReplyDeleteI wish it were that easy! Pick up a 12.5 pounder and totally BUST out of your shirt!
DeleteI have no upper body strength whatsoever...I of course am one of those ignorant people who thought that doing reps with 5 lb weights actually helped (trust me, with the lack of muscle I have in my arms, they probably do!), but I'll admit, I'm TERRIFIED of using heavyweights!
ReplyDeleteWhy are you scared? When I started, "heavy" was 10lb! I remember sometimes I would do 12.5 and it was so hard! So don't think you will have to pick up a pair of 25lb dumbbells right away. You work your way up!
DeleteHaha because anything over 5 lbs is heavy to me! No upper body strength!
DeleteThen start with 5s and then when you feel comfortable doing the exercises, grab the 7s! I used to have no upper body strength. I joked that I'd never have to fight off someone because I could always run away. :)
DeleteWhat a great post. I love strength training but sometimes women don't see the benefits and are scared to "bulk up" which we both know that is unlikely.
ReplyDeleteYah. I actually wish it was easier to get bigger!
DeleteWhen I first started working out I would only run. I hated strength training or any other exercise....now I know how important is, especially for runners! My husband is a bodybuilder and I get lectured all the time about bodybuilding and women :) He would definitely agree with your points here! One of our sayings in our household is "lift big or go home!"
ReplyDeleteOoh I like that saying! My husband is not a bodybuilder but he weight trained long before I started. Sadly, I didn't start weight training until after he was unable (due to illness). I wish I had started sooner and he and I could have gone to the gym together.
DeleteAgree, agree, especially about how strength training supports running. I am not a natural runner, but it wasn't until after I spent a year training for my powerlifting competition that I noticed running was less difficult. Because my legs actually had muscle to power through. And I will say that while my arms got bigger from bench pressing and deadlifts, it was only because there was zero muscle there before.
ReplyDeleteMe too! I have definitely added muscle. I had zero and now have the right amount for my frame, I think. I would like them to get bigger but I think I would have to eat more to see big improvements. And I feel like I already eat a lot!
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