muscle toning secrets for women

September 19, 2019

muscle toning secrets for women

If you are regularly doing our strength circuit using our strength machines, there are actually two little-known secrets to getting stronger and more toned.

Muscles don’t actually get stronger and more toned while you are strength training on the Healthy Inspirations circuit.

Your muscles actually get stronger and more toned AFTER you have done the strength circuit, and only as an adaptive response to the effort you made on each exercise. This happens in the 24 to 72 hours after the workout.

The effort creates an overload response that stimulates your muscles to adapt and get stronger. (NO they won’t get bigger.) And so if you just go at a comfortable pace and don’t make an effort, there is very little adaptive response.

Your muscles need three after-workout ingredients:

  1. Rest (not total bed rest!)
  2. Nutrition (maintain adequate protein)
  3. Sleep

And so what’s the big secret – counting – all about?

There’s a concept in strength training called “progressive overload”. This describes the process of constantly adding a bit more resistance or asking your muscles to go a little quicker or do a few more reps in the allotted time.

Count your reps, on at least one lower body machine (like the Leg Press) and one upper body machine (like the Chest Press).

Every time you do the circuit aim for a PB (Personal Best) on these machines. If you did 10 reps one week, aim for 11 reps the next week.

You are not competing with anyone else except yourself. By doing this, and making the extra effort, don’t be surprised if you feel stronger and look more toned.

Finally… inside your arms and thighs are bones, muscles and body fat. Strength training helps strengthen bones and muscles, but you can’t tone or locally burn fat. To reduce body fat the best exercise is to get out your Daily Planner and make sure you’re sticking to your eating plan.

If you need some help or accountability, please just ask.