Health: Does toning down mean muscling up?

Helius D'Souza talks on 'does toning down mean muscling up?'

Helius D'Souza

The fitness industry has always been swarming with different ideas and concepts on fitness, to an extent where everyone is trying to be unique. Hence, it ends up complicating things even further for the masses that are misled by the baseless information provided online.

Fitness has always been simple, and to the point: simply select the type of workout that is basic and efficient in terms of reaching your goal.

What is efficiency, when it comes to fitness? It simply is doing a type of workout that delivers the best results in the simplest, and the safest way. Unfortunately, with the ongoing rat race many myths and misconceptions add up to this simple industry.

"Ready to get toned, without bulking up" is one such article I read in a magazine that talks about how one can get "toned " and "tighten" their body without bulking up.

What is so misleading about this article?

Well to start off with, it fails to mention what the word "toning" means, and what do you mean by a toned body. A toned body simply means a person who carries minimal body fat and a good amount of lean muscle. The opposite of toned, would mean bulk where a person is huge. A bulky person simply is a person who carries a lot of body fat as compared to the lean muscle mass he or she is carrying. So my question is, if someone's goal was to get toned, shouldn't they be talking about nutrition? What does changing the type of workout have to do with toning? To tone up you need to exercise and follow a fat loss diet.

The article talks about how men and women have a negative attitude towards weight training on a day-to-day basis, fearing the fact that they would put on muscle. To me this sounds like a person telling me, he is afraid of driving his car every day, because he is afraid of becoming a pro race car driver. The whole concept fails to realize the struggle, the discipline, and dedication it takes to build lean muscle and the amount of time it takes, especially in the case of women. The key to anti aging or slowing down the aging process is to build as much lean muscle as possible, since aging reduces lean muscle.

Here are some of the half-truths that are misleading the public into following less efficient methods of training and hence reducing intensity levels and defeating the purpose of calorie burn:

Rule #1 Combine muscles together
The article talks about integrated movements to burn calories, for e.g. a bicep curl along with a squat. This is a fairly less efficient way of working out. While doing a squat you should only be squatting and putting all your effort into it, and reap its functional benefits. And bicep curls are to be done separately. Combining both exercises together reduces the workload, and intensity of the exercise, and it also compromises on the calorie burn.

What should be done?
Focusing on compound movements for calorie burn and building more lean muscle is not only more efficient, but also does not compromise the workload of the exercise.

What you should not be doing?
Following any random advice or article written in newspapers without a consultation from a certified and qualified fitness professional.

Rule #2 Do combination workouts
"A trainer ensures that you do combination workouts that further ensure you do not build up too much muscle mass. However, if you are not keen on visiting a gym, pick up a DVD, that teaches you how to tone your body at home, by performing various strength training exercises."

What should you be doing?
Any trainer that designs a workout where he ensures you to not build "too much muscle does not realise the efforts it takes to build a "little muscle". Let alone the idea of too much muscle, never hire a trainer who does not understand that in order to get toned you need to build muscle.

What you should not be doing?
Buying a DVD that teaches you how to get toned, and perform strength training at home. Neither of these can be done from home. Period.

Rule 3# Work up all muscles in your body
There is a little truth in this statement. You must plan on doing a full body workout but a full body workout cannot be done every day. Especially when you move from beginner to intermediate levels.

What should you be doing?
If you are an experienced gym goer, divide your workout. Do different body parts on different days. Preferably, combine all pushing movements to one day, and pulling movements to another.

What you should not be doing?
Perform combination workouts if you have an opportunity to divide your workouts in a proper manner if you have time on your hands.

"Toning exercises that will help you get a leaner and fitter body"

There are no special "toning" exercises and special non-toning exercises. An exercise is an exercise, and an exercise should be done to make you functionally fit, strong, and more efficient in your day-to-day activities, while doing compound movements. If you want to get toned my truthful advise to you is to eat in such a manner that promotes fat loss. Nutrition is key to changing the body composition. Let your exercise do what its meant to do, and that is work on improving your functional efficiency.