Effective Toning Up Ideas
Achieve a Red Carpet Body While Working 9-5
Mar 18, 2009 Matthew Cotterill
Ask a Personal Trainer what most potential clients ask for when discussing their goals and more often than not the answer will be “a lean, toned body”. Sure, they get their body builders coming to them every now and again but lean and toned is – for most people – the physique of choice.
It's no surprise how this trend came about, with the likes of Brad Pitt in 'Fight Club' and the various super hero movies out and each actor/actress sporting washboard abs and slim hour glass figures. Not too mention the bombardment of magazines showing slim and toned bodies, air brushed to perfection. But how many people do you actually see walking down the street showing off a super hero like physique? Probably not many.
So why is it this ideal, desirable, perfect body type is so hard to achieve without the celebrity personal trainers? The answer is – it's not.
The problem most people seem to face when setting out on this quest for a toned body is that they struggle to find time to work out. Which is fair enough – during a 9-5 working day, plus other commitments such as kids, friends and food shopping, it seems impossible to find the time to get down the gym.
However, it's a common misconception that for a Hollywood worthy physique you have to spend hours in the gym. A few decades ago, people were competing in the Olympics as well as holding down a full time job or two. The problem is not finding the time, it's how best to utilize the time you do have – even if it's just half an hour each day.
Toning Principles
To get this toned body, you will need two things – a reasonable amount of muscle mass and a low body fat percentage. Now while these things are often hard to achieve simultaneously, it can be done, especially if you're relatively new to exercise.
With that in mind, here are some key principles to follow to help you achieve a red carpet body in no time at all.
Use the 80/20 Rule
The 80/20 rule states that 80% of output is produced by by 20% of input. If that rule is used when talking about exercise then 80% of your results are produced by 20% of the exercises you do.
Based on that, it's important to work out which exercises are giving you the most return. More than likely, this will be the big compound exercises you're doing, or at least, should be doing such as back squats, dead lifts, pull ups/lat pull downs etc. To be even more specific, using big compound exercises that target your weakest areas will produce even greater results.
Do the Opposite
If you're one of those people who lifts light weights for lots of reps, try doing the opposite and lifting heavier weights for fewer reps and vice versa. If you've used only one method for a significant amount of time then doing the complete opposite for a while will shock your body with an entirely new stimulus.
If you're just starting out, then make sure you switch your programme around every few weeks so your body doesn't adapt to the same workout.
Do Cardio & Weights at the Same Time
If you're stuck for time, as many people are, then try doing circuit training. Grab a pair of dumbbells and decide on 4-6 exercises working on different body parts, set yourself a time or go for a certain amount of reps on each exercise and do them all without resting in between. Do this circuit 3-4 times for a quick workout.
Work Hard
A lot of the time, failed body transformations happen because people sell themselves short with how much work their body can actually take. That's not to say you should be throwing up at the end of each session but making sure you push yourself and you leave the gym feeling you've accomplished something is important. All too often people will stop short of inducing the necessary stress their body requires to make physiological transformations.
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