I am trying to tone up- I am 5'7" 121 pounds- slender looking in clothes, but not "ripped" arms that I want and also not a firm bum at all- will just using this light amount of weight help? I seem to be so weak- I can only do 10 girl pushups but can run marathons and do cardio all day and night- the only way to change the shape of my body I think is with weights and squats, etc...any advice? I am looking for a routine I can do at home as I have 3 small kids- any advice would be appreciated!
7 lb weights wont do anything at all
nothing at all? Even though I am so weak and just really need to tone? What pound weight then?
Toning is a myth, it comes from low body fat and muscular development and nothing else. I suggest finding a weight you can do 8 repetitions with and progress 2.5-5 lbs a week from there. Also go on a good clean diet with very little added sugar, a decent amount of protein and lots of fiber. If you want to burn extra calories and get especially lean and toned do squats and deadlifts and benchpresses, you wont get bulky at all because females dont have the right hormones to develop masculine tissue but using all your big muscles at once will burn tons of calories and bodyfat
7 lbs will do something but the question is how much.
My experience has been different. Years back I wasnt lifting any weights but I was playing volleyball for fun 4 nights a week and I watched my arms get very toned with the repetition of reaching up hitting a 1/2 lb volleyball. My arms certainly had definiton although not what I would call musclar necessarily but they were shapely and I could make a muscle you could see. Granted we d play 2-3 hours but no weight really. Guess it depends on how muscular your looking for. Being able to do push ups is another story though so I will let someone else address the 7lbs for you.
Can push ups alone help tone my arms- just want nice tone arms not bulky- seeing as I can do ZERO real push ups now- if I try and do them and work my way up, will that give me definition in my arms?
lol the only reason your arms looked better was because you leaned out from all that volley ball
Your arms wont get bulky no matter what , if it was that easy to get big arms why dont you see tons of teenagers who lift with nothing but their arms and chest with huge arms?
not worried about being bulky at all I am on the slim side- just wondering if push ups alone will give me tone arms?
I think whatever weight you use is WAY better than none at all. Bodyweight is good, but since you're probably up and around, busy with your kids, I think dumbells are convenient. I'll sometimes do some curls and presses what witing for a pot to boil on the stove!
Hmm. I'm in a similar situation, actually. I've been doing weight exercises using an 8 lb weight for about a month solid now, and I am definitely seeing results. Nothing bulky, just leaner arms that can form the shape of a muscle (finally). It's slow going, but it is possible!
Hope that helped!
Im sure there are limitations with smaller weights but I also know that it wasnt just because my arms were lean - they had been that way previously but I never could make a muscle prior with definition you could see and have the toned arms either. You can always pump up the weight if you want bigger results.
I use 10lb dumb bells for squats, lunges and dead lifts and it's making a difference. I'm not looking to get bulky either, just toned up a bit.
Yoga has improved my upper body strength and my back. Try holding a plank pose for 1-2 minutes!
Yes body weight exercises can get you tonned up. Actually ripped if you do it enough and know how to switch them up. Dont have to spend a dime on a peice of metal to lift if you cant afford it and want to be ripped.
If you're looking for something to do at home, pick up a fitness magazine such as Shape or something like it. They always have full body workouts or they break them down into exercises that target certain areas that you can do with your own body weight, dumbbells, resistance bands, whatever. They're easy to do at home.
And yes, depending on how strong you are, 7 lbs can make a difference. Just make sure you're challenging yourself - it shouldn't be easy. I even use 5-lb weights sometimes on smaller muscles but I also do about 30 reps in a set. Don't be afraid to pick up heavier weights.
Oh, and...
"Toning is a myth, it comes from low body fat and muscular development and nothing else"
Uh, yeah, that's what toning is. Less fat more muscle. Its not a myth. You just definted it.
Try bands. For about 6 months the dr. told me not to lift weights (unless very light 5-8lbs) due to a neck issue. During physical therapy I used bands and to my suprise I started to see "tone". Some of the excersises were similiar to pilate moves. (Ohh would love be cut like Madonna in her "jump" video)
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