The Myth of Toning

If there was one word I could eliminate it would be *toning*.  I absolutely hate this word, the mere mention of it makes me want to pull my hair out by the roots.

Most of the time, it is spoken about by females, asking how they can *tone* their bodies.  "I want *toned* arms" or "I want a *toned* stomach" - aaaarrrrggggghhhhh!

The problem is, this myth of *toning* ones body is still being perpetuated by gym instructors all over the world.  Women are advised to stay away from big heavy weights and instead, pick up the little pink dumbbells and do endless repetitions in order to *tone* their muscles.

How the ruddy flip do you *tone* a muscle?  A muscle can grow, it can shrink or it can stay the same.  It cannot be toned.  Muscles are in a permanent state of tone, which means they are in a constant state of partial contraction, ready to be used.

What most women want when they talk of wanting to look *toned* is a lean body with nice muscle definition, as demonstrated by the picture below:

Another common thing women say when looking to *tone* their body is "I don't want to lose weight, just tone up". It's no surprise that most women who want to *tone* are skinny fat - slim women with a high percentage of body fat. If they were to lose body fat without first building some decent muscle mass, they're going to end up looking scrawny.

The first thing you would need to work on to achieve such a look is the diet.  If you are eating crap (crisps, chocolate, biscuits, cakes, refined carbs, convenience foods and alcohol) you will never achieve that look unless you have been blessed genetically.  You aren't going to get that *toned* look without first removing that layer of fat that is covering your muscles!

I know I might come across as preachy at times but why on earth would anyone choose to eat a diet of convenience foods that have been chemically enhanced when there is such a wide range of delicious food that we can get from nature?

Base your meals around the following and you will not go far wrong:

Complex Carbs: Oats, quinoa, brown rice, sweet potatoes, wholewheat pasta and wholemeal seeded bread

Lean Protein: Chicken, turkey, lean ground beef, white fish, prawns, venison, kangaroo, ostrich, tuna, egg whites & good quality whey

Healthy Fats: Raw nuts and seeds, extra virgin olive oil, virgin coconut oil, flax oil, fish oil, eggs, avocado, natural nut butters

Fruits & Veggies: As wide a range as possible, making sure you get plenty of fibrous veg such as cabbage, broccoli, sprouts, carrots, spinach, kale and peppers.  Try and make sure you get your 5 a day, preferably with most coming from veggies.

So what exercise should you do when wanting to achieve a *toned* body?

A good weights programme using big compound movements such as squats, deadlifts, lunges and bench press with relatively heavy weights, a good fat loss cardio workout such as HIIT and a nutritious diet is all you need.  I can bet that the woman in the picture above did not achieve that body by doing hundreds of repetitions holding a can of baked beans!

If you are a member of a gym, ask the instructor to devise you a workout plan but steer clear of any of the following terms:

Toning, sculpting, shaping and slimming

and instead use the following terms:

Strength, training and muscle building

That way, it will ensure your instructor knows what you are hoping to achieve. If he/she tries to fob you off with a zillion reps or tells you that squatting will give you legs like a rugby player (I've had that advice myself from a qualified gym "instructor") then put in a complaint to his/her manager and ask for a different trainer!

On a final note, have a read of this fabulous article from ExRx:

Performing lighter weight with more repetitions (15-20 reps, 20-30 reps, or 20-50 reps) does not burn more fat or tone (simultaneous decrease of fat and increase muscle) better than a heaver weight with moderate repetitions (8-12 reps). Weight training utilizes carbohydrates after the initial ATP and CP stores have been exhausted after the first few seconds of intense muscular contraction. Typically a set's duration is 20 to 30 seconds. For the average fit person, it requires 20 to 30 minutes of continuous aerobic activity with large muscle groups (e.g. Gluteus Maximus and Quadriceps) to burn even 50% fat; fat requires oxygen to burn. Performing a few extra repetitions on a weight training exercise is not significant enough to burn extra fat and may in effect burn less fat. If intensity is compromised, less fat may be burned when light weight is used with high repetitions. The burning sensation associated with high repetition training seems to be the primary deterrent for achieving higher intensities.

Higher volume weight training (i.e. 3 sets versus 1 set of each exercise) with short rest periods of approximately 1 minutes can stimulate a greater acute growth hormone release (Kraemer 1991, 1993; Mulligan 1996). Growth hormone is lipolytic in adults. It is hypothesized that maximal effort is necessary for optimizing exercise induced secretion of growth hormone. Growth hormone release is related to the magnitude of exertion (Pyka 1992) and is attenuated with greater lactic acidosis (Gordon 1994).

Intense weight training utilizing multiple large muscles with longer rest between sets may also accentuate body lipid deficit by increasing post training epinephrine. Intramuscular triacylgycerol is thought to be an important energy substrate following repeated 30 second maximal exercise with 4 minute recovery intervals (McCartney 1996, Tremblay 1994). Rest periods lasting approximately 4 minutes between maximal exercise exercise of very short duration is required for almost complete creatine phosphate recovery required for repeated maximal bouts (McCartney 1986). Insufficient recovery may compromise the intensity of the exercise and in turn, possibly decrease intramuscular triacylgycerol utilization following anaerobic exercise with significantly shorter rest periods.

For individuals attempting to achieve fat loss for aesthetics, the intensity of weight training can be a double edge sword. When beginning an exercise program, muscle mass increases may out pace fat losses, resulting in a small initial weight gain. Significant fat loss requires a certain intensity, duration, and frequency that novice exercisers may not be able to achieve until they develop greater tolerance to exercise. If an exercise and nutrition program is not adequate for significant fat loss, a lighter weight with higher repetitions may be recommended to minimize any bulking effects, although less fat may be utilized hours later. If an aerobic exercise and nutrition program is sufficient enough to lose fat, a moderate repetition range with a progressively heavier weight will accelerate fat loss with a toning effect. If a muscle group ever outpaces fat loss, the slight bulking effect is only temporary. For a toning effect, fat can be lost later when aerobic exercise can be significantly increased or the weight training exercise(s) for that particular muscle can be ceased altogether. The muscle will atrophy to a pre-exercise girth within months. Higher repetitions training may be later implemented and assessed.

It still may be recommended to perform high repetitions (e.g. 20-30) for abdominal and oblique training. It has been theorized muscular endurance may be more beneficial for lower back health than for muscular strength. Furthermore, moderate repetitions with a greater resistance can increase muscular girth under the subcutaneous fat, particularly in men, who have greater potential for muscular hypertrophy. Increasing the thickness around the waist with existing abdominal fat may further increase bulk, particularly in men who typically have greater intra-abdominal and subcutaneous fat in this area. The abdominal musculature is composed of relatively small muscle mass as compared to the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, chest, and upper back. Performing high reps with a lighter resistance should not compromise metabolism or muscle increases, as would performing high reps with light resistance on other, larger muscle groups. See Spot Reduction Myth above.

It is plausible that the high repetition myth was originated and later propagated by bodybuilders that used calorie restrictive diets to shed fat before a contest. Because of their weakened state from dieting, they were unable to use their usual heavier weights. When asked about their use of lighter weights, they explained they were "cutting up" for a contest. This is merely a theory, but it is easy to see how it may have been misunderstood that the lighter weight was used to reduce fat instead of actually being a result of their dietary regime.

Typically with weight training alone, the fat loss is equal to the muscle gain, give or take a few pounds. Certain dietary modification can have much greater impact on fat loss than with weight training alone. The ideal program for fat loss would include the combination of proper diet, weight training, and cardio exercise. Also see study summaries: Weight Training and Diet and Endurance and Weight Training.

If you want something that is easier to read and in layman's terms, the following links may help:



Can You Really Tone Your Body?

Why Your Toning Workout is a Myth

Muscle Toning Myths