Food has always been a source of comfort for me, especially during a challenging period in my life marked by an unhealthy romantic relationship. Living with my then-boyfriend, we both struggled with…
The hardest area to target when you’re a woman trying to lose weight and get in shape are the hips and thighs. It seems like no matter what…
Get more from Tone and Tighten by following on Twitter! "How do I know what weight should I use?" "What's a good starting weight for _______?" "Am I using too much weight?" Most of my absolute favorite posts here on Tone and Tighten actually come from reader questions. Today's is no different! Plenty of you have emailed me over the last little while wondering at what resistance you should perform these exercises at. Well wonder no more as I share with you the answer in today's post! Interested? Good - keep reading... The easiest way to determine the best weight to use actually comes in a surprising way - failure! If you can get through an entire workout without ever failing on any given set then you're not using enough weight. I'm pointing my finger at you, Mr/Mrs/Ms "3 sets of 20+ reps"! However - (you knew there would be a however) I don't necessarily want you to fail every set (now I'm looking your way Mr/Mrs/Ms 3 sets of 5). However, before I get too mad at either extreme let me give each of you a little vindication... 1. The high repper: 3 sets of 20 is not a horrible thing. In fact, as far as toning is concerned it's actually a really good thing. The way you build muscle endurance and also burn calories (and therefore fat) is doing many, many reps at a lower intensity. Low weight + high reps = lean and slender (for the most part). 2. The high weighter: 3 sets of 5 is also not a bad thing. Lifting low reps, high sets, at a higher weight is perfect for increasing strength and putting on size. This causes massive muscle failure and therefore increased rebuilding. High weight + low reps = big and strong (again, for the most part). So seriously, how much weight should I use?? I refer to the perfect weight as the "Goldilocks Principle". Meaning not to high, not too low, but juuuust right. The answer actually lies in the majority of most workouts I put on this site. Drumroll please.... 3 sets of 10 and then FAILURE. You should be able to get to that 29th and 30th rep, but it had better be a battle to do so!!! This targets the "sweet spot" - that perfect area between training lean endurance muscle and big strength muscle. This is the target area for what the majority of us are after - muscle growth. This is the quickest way to get bigger and smaller all at once! Bigger meaning more muscle (who doesn't love definition?? You come here to get Toned and Tightened, right??) and smaller meaning you will actually burn more calories at rest as you raise your metabolism. Here's your take home message... If you're doing 3 sets of 20+ you should probably reach for a higher resistance (unless we're going for some aerobic cardio!) If you're only getting in 3-4 sets of 3-5 reps you've probably got a little too much (unless you're focusing on bulking and strength) The best way to achieve muscle growth is shooting for 3 sets of 10-12 reps, but again - I want reps 28-30 to be near failure!! Adjust your resistance according to the above recommendations and watch your results take off! Did you find this info useful? Share it with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest! See the social icons below for easy social sharing! Looking for some great workouts to try out your new knowledge? Here are a few of my favorite weight routines that you can totally knock out of the park now!! 30 Minute Total Body Gym Workout Total Body Strength Workout Top 5 Barbell Leg Exercises 15 Minute At-Home Arm Workout Thank you for your comments and messages! As always, I can be reached at ToneandTigthenFitness{at}gmail.com Make it happen, Jared By Jared Beckstrand
Weight loss feels like extreme drudgery. It is all toil and labor, while the actual result is insignificant, and an alarming number of...
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Who doesn’t want a perfectly shaped gravity-defying butt? These exercises will target – tone & firm up your glutes & thighs fast. Want a firm bum? Look no further! Lose the flopping booty and get a perfectly toned posterior with this 10-minute firm butt workout. These exercises will help you to strengthen your buttocks, thighs, back and get you a […]
For a woman, beautifully toned arms and tight breasts make a huge impact on her self-confidence. Because these are the two body parts that we, as women, are very cautious about. Mere dieting cannot contribute to this.
Beachbody’s Sure Thing is designed for building lean, toned muscle as well as efficiently burning fat, and guys, I’m here for it.
Here we have the perfect booty sculpting article, with only 8 exercises that can be varied into one workout, or split between your usual leg day! But, let’s be real, no one wants to do endless repetitions of basic, up-and-down squats. The secret to real results lies in switching things up. This programme will get your rear in gear for […]
Best Exercise for Weight Loss in 2024, we‘ll explore the best exercise for weight loss which is actionable and effective to help you
Preparing your body for a pageant is a delicate balance between cardio and resistance training. For some women, losing fat is the main priority while for others gaining muscle tone is their focus. According to trainer Jackie Caroe, you don’t need to lift crazy weights to get into pageant shape, but everyone’s body is different. …
Want stronger and more toned glutes? These 5 butt exercises will work every muscle in your butt and legs. You can do them at home.
Try these 9 standing ab exercises if you're sick of getting down on the nasty gym floor to do crunches and leg lifts! They are great for toning and burning belly fat!
If you're working on your core strength, you'll need moves and advice from the experts—no fruitless crunching over here. Click through to Women's Health for the latest scientifically-backed stats and workout moves.
These are the 3 Best Exercises to Get a Firm, Round, Lifted Butt! Perform these moves a few times per week, for a perfectly-shaped, bikini-ready booty!
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