While each person wakes up and looks in the mirror, self-confidence and self-image reflects something different for different people. Whether you want to see a flat stomach or defined abs makes all the difference. If you’re looking to sculpt your body, here are some tips you may want to consider.
There is a difference between being toned and bulking up. While you might want a flat stomach, you may not want to have abs of steel. And while some find joy in protruding biceps, others simply want to be toned and tight. Here is the difference between muscle tone and muscle mass.
To tone up your body simply means to become leaner. To be toned, you want to be tight, which inevitably means you must lose fat and add muscle. However, the amount of muscle mass added makes the difference between being toned and bulking up. Toning up is the end result of exercising and dieting. You combine losing fat and building muscle to end up with a toned, tight body.
Bulking up, however, is much different. Have you ever seen the Hulk? Hulk Hogan or the superhero, your choice. Both are examples of men, or action heroes, who have bulked up. This means that past the toned stage, once you’ve lost the necessary amount of fat and have a tight body, you continue to build muscle. If you’re looking for more examples of the two, consider football players as those who have bulked up and aerobics instructors as those who are toned.
When exercising, it’s important to have a goal in mind. The way you want to look in the long run will determine how you will look in the long run. A long standing myth of toning is to do a couple of sets of many repetitions. However, using lighter weights is not better than heavy weights. No, you won’t become a Hulk overnight, but using heavier weights and doing fewer repetitions until you’re fatigued helps you to build the strength of your muscles, increase your metabolism, and burn fat.
If, however, you think that lifting light weights is ineffective, you might be surprised to learn that light weights can add muscle to your body. Time is a huge factor in using light weights. If you have plenty of time to spare, the way to gain muscle with light weights is to complete as many repetitions as possible until you reach fatigue. You can accomplish the same goal with heavier weights and fewer repetitions, though. So you can choose your method of muscle gain.
It’s important to find a strength-training plan that challenges you without hurting you. Men and women are genetically built differently, but that doesn’t mean that women should suffice for five pound weights. Lifting heavier weights does not mean you will end up with a bodybuilder shape. Find a strength-training plan and enjoy your time in the gym. Whether you’re looking to tone up or bulk up, focus on good technique and balance.
