How do i tone my muscles?!


Question: How do i tone my muscles?
i go to the gym 3 times a week and do rep/sets weight training and 40 minutes of treadmill altogether, gets me bigger and stronger but it doesnt tone my muscles, what are some good ways to get toned muscles, arms in particular.

Answers:

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Do these exercises three to four times a week and within a month
you'll start to see ripples you never knew you had.
Warm-Up: Do three minutes of cardio before your arm routine to
increase your heart rate, loosen your muscles, and help avoid injury.
Jumping rope, climbing stairs, and walking on a treadmill are great
options. Once your torso begins generating a little heat, do two sets
of 24 small (about five inches in diameter) arm circles to warm up
your biceps, triceps, and shoulder muscles. Move your arms forward for
the first set, backward for the second set.
Tip: If you don't have hand weights, use cans of food or water
bottles filled with sand or uncooked rice.

Push-Pull Kickback
How to Do It: Stand in a squat position, legs shoulder-width apart,
knees bent at about 45 degrees, and chest leaning slightly forward.
Hold a light dumbbell (three to five pounds is a good starting point
for all these exercises) in each hand, palms facing your thighs.
Bending your arms, bring your fists up toward your torso, in front of
your armpits. Push the dumbbells straight out in front of you, fully
extending your arms, knuckles up. Bending your arms, pull them toward
your armpits and extend them back behind you until they're straight
(shown). During this part of the exercise, pretend your upper arms are
glued to your sides to better isolate the triceps. Do three sets of 12
repetitions.

What It Does: Works your chest and triceps. You'll see results along
the backs of your arms and in the area where your shoulders meet your
chest.

Shadowboxing
How to Do It: Stand upright, legs spaced slightly wider than your
shoulders, hands in front of your face (like a boxer getting ready for
a bout), with a light dumbbell in each hand. Extend your right fist as
if you were hitting someone in the face, angling the punch toward the
opponent's opposite ear. As you pull your arm back, imagine that
you're ducking an incoming punch and bend your knees into a squat.
Stand and repeat with the other arm. For the next punch, move your
fist in a rapid upward motion, as if hitting someone just under the
chin. Squat, stand, and repeat with the other arm. For the last punch,
extend your arm as if punching someone on the side of the jaw with
your knuckles (shown). Squat, stand, and repeat with the other arm. Do
two to three sets of punches, 10 seconds for each set.

What It Does: Works your biceps, triceps, shoulders, and upper back
-- the whole package. The squats will develop your glutes and
quadriceps. The rapid and dynamic moves will give your heart a
workout, too.

Double Biceps Curl
How to Do It: Stand upright, feet close together, knees relaxed. Hold
a dumbbell in each hand, pressing your elbows close to your sides,
palms facing forward. Bend your arms so your forearms form 90-degree
angles in front of you. Squeezing your biceps, slowly lift the weights
up toward your shoulders. Lower your arms to the starting position.
Palms facing up, slowly curl your arms back up, this time to the
outsides of your shoulders (shown). Again, remember to press your
upper arms tightly against your sides to really work the biceps. Do
three sets of 12 reps.

What It Does: Works the very centers of the biceps from multiple
directions, creating chiseled definition.


Standing Push-Up
How to Do It: Stand facing a desk or a sturdy ledge. Place your hands
shoulder-width apart on the surface in a push-up position and place
your body at a 45-degree angle with the floor. Pull your navel inward
and balance your weight on the balls of your feet (shown). With elbows
close to your sides, bend your arms and bring your chest toward the
desk as low as you can, inhaling as you descend. Slowly push yourself
back up to the starting position, exhaling as you rise. Do two to
three sets of 8 to 10 reps. To increase the challenge, do half the
sets underhanded, gripping the desk or the ledge from below. This
focuses the benefits on the lower triceps, which most women have a
particularly hard time firming up. As you improve, intensify the
exercise by moving your hands closer together.

What It Does: Strengthens your triceps as well as your abdominals and
shoulders, which can improve overall posture.

Cooldown: Stretch the muscles you just worked to reduce soreness and
maximize flexibility. Sit in a chair, extend your arms in front of
you, one over the other, and clasp your hands to stretch out your
biceps. Switch arms and repeat. Then bend forward and clasp your hands
behind your back. Lift them gently for a deep stretch in the triceps.



1-5 reps range=strength
6-9 reps range=strength with moderate definition
10-20 reps range= Definition

Eat 4-5 smaller meals instead of 3 large meals
Drink 6-8 cups of water a day
30-1hr of cardio 3 to 4 days a week

Been working out consistently since aug 2008




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