Comments on: Heavy Weights – Improved Muscle Tone?

By: Fitness Tip – Improving Your Muscle Tone! « Ageless Fitness & Tanning

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 22:48:56 +0000

[...] only way to increase your lean muscle mass is to put added resistance on your muscles. You have to make them lift something they are not used to lifting. By strength [...]

By: Building Muscle with Little or No Weight…. — Zen to Fitness Building Muscle with Little or No Weight…. : Zen to Fitness

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 07:01:04 +0000

[...] that you need to lift heavy to gain size. Light weights simply won’t cut it right? I have written about this in the past, there is even research showing that muscle tone comes with heavy [...]

By: Hudson

Hudson — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:13:42 +0000

I agree with Kara, to add, there is no such thing as “toning”. Muscles become smaller, larger or stay the same size.

I agree with Glenn, he stated it correctly, no such thing as toning, it has to do with reducing bodyfat.

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 01:37:29 +0000

Chris,
I’m a big believer in heavy lifting as well. To me, just as important as the number of reps is whether you train to failure or not. I find that my muscles get a lot denser and tighter when I train with heavy weights for low reps, one rep shy of fatigue. When I’ve trained to fatigue in the past, I’ve gotten the softer, but slightly bigger, look. Great article, thanks!
Dave

By: Matt

Matt — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 19:12:27 +0000

Great information. We should all know intuitively that a 2 pound dumbbell curl can’t possibly ‘tone’ us. I would like to say, though: do not assume that a lat pulldown is equivalent to a chinup/pullup. I know people who can pulldown more than their bodyweight for reps, yet can’t manage a single chin. Instead of encouraging pulldowns, work towards that unassisted pullup! My best day in the gym ever was the first time (after 2+ months of work) my chin went over that darn bar.

@ Matt: Great comment. The old school knowledge on toning or conventional wisdom is pretty silly really. Tone comes with strength and size along with a lowish level of body fat. And as for chin-ups they are amazing, I totally agree on dropping pulldowns in favour of some sort of chins.

By: Body building - Arizona Strongman Contest 2007- Women - Women

Body building - Arizona Strongman Contest 2007- Women - Women — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 23:26:08 +0000

[...] Heavy Weights – Improved Muscle Tone? | Zen to Fitness [...]

By: Muscle stress, does it mean my muscles are growing?

Muscle stress, does it mean my muscles are growing? — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 01:33:03 +0000

[...] Heavy Weights – Improved Muscle Tone? | Zen to Fitness [...]

By: Curt

Curt — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 00:55:11 +0000

@Hans

Unloading weeks are important but I think every 3 or 4 weeks isn’t necessary unless you’re an advanced trainee training really hard (up to 2x a day). Otherwise people probably only need to really back off every 8-12 weeks to see a benefit from the unloading week.

Curt

By: Hans Hageman

Hans Hageman — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 15:35:29 +0000

Good post. Heavier weights equal an increase in intensity. This means an increase in recruitment of the different types of muscle fibers and a greater release of growth hormone. I echo the need for a “deload” week every month or month-and-a-half.” Finally, to parpaphrase Dan John, “everything works, but nothing works for ever.”

@ Hans: Great quote! It is certainly true and the best results are always for those who change their routine at the right time, once it stops working but has had a chance.

By: Curt

Curt — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:20:44 +0000

Great article! Sets with moderate-heavy weights should be added to everyone’s workout. This is easily done by alternating the sets/reps done at each workout. I list an example below for upper body workotus.

Monday (Upper Body)
heavy day
5 sets of 5 reps for 4-5 exercises

Friday (Upper Body)
moderate-light day
3 sets of 10 reps for 4-5 exercise

You can also ‘periodize’ heavy and light workotus over a period of weeks. One way is to train with increasing heavy weights for 4-6 reps for 3-4 weeks followed by less heavy training doing 10-12 reps for 3-4 weeks.

Bottom line. If you want to look your best, get stronger, etc. you must lift heavy some of the time. The notion that high reps is good for toning is a fallacy.

Curt