Need Help Toning

**buriedlies** · 10-25-2010 12:14 PM

Im just wondering which is ideal for getting toned muscles. I don't want them much bigger, I just want them to look good and toned in a lean way.

Kind of like ottermode I suppose?

Here's my little muscle right now:
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/j...X/0889c70e.jpg

See how plain it looks? It doesn't have that lovely little line below the muscle that makes it look so toned.. Maybe that means I should work my shoulder muscles, or?

Basically, I want it to be more toned and defined. Also, what foods should I eat to help with this? I'm not a very healthy eater..

I also have a question about my abdominals. I do numerous amounts of crunches (and leg lifts, along with oblique training) a day.. I just can't get them to look like real ABS. Any tips to help with that? Maybe it's because Im a chick? .. But I've seen plenty of chicks with some well good abs.

http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/j...X/2cc766bc.jpg

See? My problem is the lines.. I need the tonedness, helpp pleasee! Thank you so much.

**mwwo** · 10-26-2010 08:40 AM

Hi,

If you want to tone, focus your workouts on resistance training - training with weights. Start with multi joint movements (squats, lunges, bench dips, shouler press, rows etc) and finish with isolation exercises (bicep curls, abs etc). Work with 15 - 25 reps for maximum tone. Do 3-4 sets of each. Also, use a weight that challenges you for those reps. If you can do 25 reps of a bicep curl easily, increase the weight that you are using. Make sense?

Core training is also often done incorrectly. The 'abs' respond much better to weighted work than endless reps of crunches. This is due to the types of fibres your abdominal muscles are made of. If you can do 20 crunches, it's time to add some weight! Hold a weight on your chest or put your arms back behind your head and then try it! Swiss balls are also useful as they increase the range of motion of your abs - another secret of a good core workout!

The key principle here is to challenge your muscles by trying new exercises or increasing the weight you are using. If your body isn't challenged, it's not going to change...

Hope that helps!

Pete

**sourpuss** · 10-27-2010 08:26 AM

You are pretty toned. Unfortunately, being women, we never get that real cut look that guys get so easily. We're built to have babies, which means a layer of fat all over. booo
Having a six pack and being super toned is pretty hard for women to maintain. Your body is great right now and you've obviously got some strength so seems like your fitness is there.

mwwo has good advice. The only thing I can add is that once the muscles are there (and you're doing ok in that dept) then you have to shed some body fat to be able to see them.

**_redhot_** · 11-04-2010 04:17 PM

Girl....you have the muscle you just need to get it poking through.....and I by no means think you are fat but you need to burn that last little layer that is covering up them. You are fairly toned to begin with so I don't know how much muscles definition you would see with it but maybe try P90X. A LOT of the people that use that have good luck with it. you are obviously used to working out you might not have as hard of a go with it as most. Hip Hop Abs might be good for you to. But you are concerned about your arms too. SO then I go back to the X. I am currently doing that and its awesome. You can send me a message or go to my workout page to look at it some more but honestly you look fantastic....