muscle toning

[CJL 10+ year member]

If you do cardio for too long, yes muscles will start to deteriorate. However since you dont have any carbs in your system, something has to burn. If you do short/hard sessions of cardio 3-4x a week say 15-20min (including warmup & cooldown) usually fat takes the biggest hit with little to no loss of muscle.
What I do now (on the threadmill that is) is warmup 5min, then keep sprint (7-10mph) for 20sec, and back to 2mph for 10sec, and repeat until 8-10 sprints of 20+ seconds have been competed. Cool down for 5min when im done. This is usually with a 3-4degree incline as well, its **** hard lol (I'll try to dig up the link)

Everyone has different genetics, personally though thats how it seems to work with me. Thats why I like to actually run on the **** threadmill rather then walk. Even though I hate it, it leaves me feeling better through the day and its considerably less boring then walking for 30-60min.

What I do is a variation of HIIT (High intensity interval training //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif ). It works quite well and mentally is a lot easier to put up with then walking/jogging. However it usually requires those who try it to have some balls & not quit. Ive dropped about 10lbs in the last 3weeks. If it wasnt for all those burritos I probably would have dropped more //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

You'd be amazed at how much good info you could find over at the conditioning section of sherdog.

O I C. Ive always wanted to try HIIT but im scared i might die l0lz, Smoking FTL //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif bdawson told me the same thing last night.......i willllllll i still got lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots..........but me sleepy and watching batman returns on tbs.......and did i mention i was sleepy

Cant wait. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/drool.gif.b5e863e893038027711d4402f340dad0.gif

 

[azbass 5,000+ posts]

talk to a trainer. dont listen to fools on here.

 

[bizflawless 5,000+ posts]

ive done some HIIT, when i first started felt like i was gonna die

 

[HitManSE 10+ year member]

talk to a trainer. dont listen to fools on here.

You're more right then wrong.

O I C. Ive always wanted to try HIIT but im scared i might die l0lz, Smoking FTL //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif

If you're still smoking, yeah at the very least you'd vomit over yourself //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/suicide.gif.a649d21efc0d1fd4890a6428166586c1.gif It'll either force you to quite smoking or you'd just die in the process. Have fun //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

 

[CJL 10+ year member]

interesting...

 

[Flipx99 5,000+ posts]

Me and a friend started jogging in the evening for one mile. I walk to his house and then we jog. At first I couldn't make it the whole way without stopping, but now I only stop once to walk and catch my breath.

 

[sk8erboyla2004 10+ year member]

if you go to cagedanimal.net you'll find everything right there for all youranswers

 

[sqhertz 5,000+ posts]

me = teh skinny.

i cant gain weight for the life of me.

 

[PollyCranopolis 10+ year member]

hehe...i used to be the same way..couldnt gain weight for the life of me. Was 6', 160 for years. I turned 26 a few months back, and all the sudden I'm up to 180, which I attribute mostly to age, sitting at a desk all day, and bad diet. Went out and jogged about 3/4 of a mile last night for the first time in years, and thought I was literally gonna die. Breathed hard for 20 minutes afterwards and was severly winded, and sweated profusely. Went home and ate some chicken breast. Ima try to get back into some sort of routine. Gona walk and jog a little tonight to warm up, then do some light weight training. I'm also cutting back on smoking...down to 1 in the morning and one before bed to keep me sane. I figure if I stick with this, I'll probably actually lose some weight if I'm not mistaken..take off some of the extra 20 I've gained from being lazy?

 

[sqhertz 5,000+ posts]

meh.

i can eat a horse and i wouldnt gain more than 3 lbs. if i dont eat one the next day id loose that 3 lbs.

i was lifting weights for a month or two , went up 5lbs in muscle and that was it. im 5' 7-8" ~135lbs. id like to get up to 150 but //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

 

[Diesel_29 10+ year member]

Wow at some of these replies...here you go:

First off, there is no such thing as "toned." However, you can be cut and defined. You do this by cardio...I would recommend HIIT...or High Intensity Interval Training. Meaning something like, sprint 20 secs, jog 10, sprint 20, etc...something along those lines.

Also, high reps-less weight is a myth...that will do nothing but build muscular endurance. Depending on your goals, you should keep the rep range between 2-10 reps....if you need some routines just ask me.

Other than that, just start eating cleaner and you will notice a difference.

Best of luck.

 

[donpisto 5,000+ posts]

Yeah, cardio will do an awesome job. My bro runs cross country and track, doesnt lift weights at all, eats pretty healthy and is cut and defined as Diesel puts it.

 

[azimuth 5,000+ posts]

Wow at some of these replies...here you go:
First off, there is no such thing as "toned." However, you can be cut and defined. You do this by cardio...I would recommend HIIT...or High Intensity Interval Training. Meaning something like, sprint 20 secs, jog 10, sprint 20, etc...something along those lines.

Also, high reps-less weight is a myth...that will do nothing but build muscular endurance. Depending on your goals, you should keep the rep range between 2-10 reps....if you need some routines just ask me.

Other than that, just start eating cleaner and you will notice a difference.

Best of luck.

arnold schwarzeneiger used to use the term "toning up". it's just another term for cut and defined. high reps less weight is not a total myth, but can be over emphasized. i've never heard of any effective workout that utilizes 2 reps. the only time enough weight should be used to the point that a person can only lift it twice is to find their max.

 

[Diesel_29 10+ year member]

arnold schwarzeneiger used to use the term "toning up". it's just another term for cut and defined. high reps less weight is not a total myth, but can be over emphasized. i've never heard of any effective workout that utilizes 2 reps. the only time enough weight should be used to the point that a person can only lift it twice is to find their max.

First off, how long ago was Arnie lifting...years. Say toning up to a serious weight-lifter now and you'll get laughed at...seriously. I've never heard him say that anyhow, however I don't keep up w/ him that much so I wouldn't know. Yes, high reps, less weight is traditionally a total myth...high reps are used either for a shocker routine or an endurance routine.

Yes, 2 reps is effective. Powerlifting routines normally are in the 1-5 rep range. Many do 10 sets of singles....it is a general assumption that the 1-5 rep range is for strength, 6-10 is used for hypertrophy a.k.a mass, and anything above 10 is used for endurance.

I've been around the block several times, and I'm just about to get certified as a personal trainer...I think I know what I'm doing.//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fro.gif.c695f1f814b01c4ad99fe7f8cccadd29.gif

Best of luck and god bless to the OP...and everybody else.

 

[aaronmiiller 10+ year member]

Ive lost over 50 lbs in a month and 2 weeks dieting and doing some serious working out. Dudes i feel so good now, i have always played basketball, now i can get up so much higher its unreal. Ive had to buy all new clothes, everything i used to wear looks HUGE on me. I play basketball like for 2 hours like at least 2 times a week hardcore, then i go home and every night i do like 40-60 reps on my bench, like 40 situps, and then lately ive done like 20 pushups a night. Its helping me so much, ive got alot more muscle in my arms thats for sure. I basically only drink diet sodas and eat like one meal a day and then like an apple at night, it works so well guys. My beer belly is gone and all i like is some work on my chest and im good to go! I was at like 280, as of today im sitting at 225 pounds.

 

[twisztdauthorit 10+ year member]

meh.i can eat a horse and i wouldnt gain more than 3 lbs. if i dont eat one the next day id loose that 3 lbs.

i was lifting weights for a month or two , went up 5lbs in muscle and that was it. im 5' 7-8" ~135lbs. id like to get up to 150 but //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

dude.. your as tiny as my girlfriend haha

 

[cpierce 5,000+ posts]

Ive lost over 50 lbs in a month and 2 weeks dieting and doing some serious working out. Dudes i feel so good now, i have always played basketball, now i can get up so much higher its unreal. Ive had to buy all new clothes, everything i used to wear looks HUGE on me. I play basketball like for 2 hours like at least 2 times a week hardcore, then i go home and every night i do like 40-60 reps on my bench, like 40 situps, and then lately ive done like 20 pushups a night. Its helping me so much, ive got alot more muscle in my arms thats for sure. I basically only drink diet sodas and eat like one meal a day and then like an apple at night, it works so well guys. My beer belly is gone and all i like is some work on my chest and im good to go! I was at like 280, as of today im sitting at 225 pounds.

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/word.gif.64b12e39f936af3b4fff38a1c0bd0244.gif

 

[Captain_Ahab 5,000+ posts]

For toning..Cardio all the way! But keep up the weight-lifting also..

 

[tapout 5,000+ posts]

I no nothing about working out, but I think you should do cardio. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[Kfra315 10+ year member]

To the OP. PLEASE get yourself acquainted to a regular cardio routine and build up some endurance before you start doing HIIT training. That **** can make you puke and it can possibly hurt you really ****ing bad if you dont know what your doing. And BTW more reps of light weights DONT equal toning. Less bodyfat on top of muscle equals more toned look. So start with ya diet and get some consistent cardio going and watch the pounds of fat, not muscle, slide right off.