Strength and Tone Workout
One of the top goals my clients have is to build strength while toning up trouble zones and I’m so happy to report that those goals work great together and that visible results can happen fast BUT there’s a catch. Don’t worry you may find this requirement to be a huge relief and quite contrary to what you hear all over the place.
The secret to a strong toned body is to use adequate weight for your fitness level in a time efficient manner. Notice how I said adequate and not just heavier and harder weights. Yes it’s true that lifting those 2lb pink weights isn’t really going to do much for building muscle that improves bone density, body composition, insulin resistance and metabolism. They also will not get you that firm toned strong body you desire BUT you also don’t need to lift like a male bodybuilder or a competitive power lifter to be healthy, fit, and look amazing.
The Secret to A Strong Toned Body Is Your Workout Structure
It’s all about what exercises you do, how you sequence your exercises, what types of weights you use, how many breaks you take, how long those breaks are and dozens of other variables that have nothing to do with lifting heavier and harder. In other words more isn’t better. Better is better. So with that in mind here’s a quick workout that you can do two ways using an 8 lb ball or weight and suspension trainer or bands.
Strength and Tone Workout Instructions
Supersets Option:
Warm-up up with 5-15 min. or cardio and mobility work
Perform a suspension trainer row or medium resistance band row followed immediately by a squat with diagonal overhead ball or dumbbell chop as shown in top pic and right pic. Rest for 5-10 seconds and repeat 2-3 more times.
Perform a suspension trainer single leg horizontal press or medium resistance band press followed immediately by a reverse lunge to overhead ball or dumbbell press as shown in center and left pics. Rest for 5-10 seconds and repeat 2-3 more times.
Add 4 min. of intervals as follows
20 seconds jacks 10 sec. rest
20 seconds run in place 10 sec rest
20 seconds step ups or stairs 10 sec. rest
20 seconds plank walkouts or pushup plank hold 10 sec. rest
20 seconds jacks 10 sec. rest
20 seconds run in place 10 sec rest
20 seconds step ups or stairs 10 sec. rest
20 seconds plank walkouts or pushup plank hold 10 sec. rest
Finish up with 10-20 min. of dynamic stretches to cool down
Circuit Option:
Warm-up with 15 min. of moderate cardio.
Perform all 4 exercises in a row no rest for 3-5 total rounds
Finish up with 10 min. of cardio and 10 min. of posture correction stretches
Try both on alternate day and see which one challenges you more. Use a moderately heavy weight that challenges you but allows for good form. Try to keep moving at a steady pace. Group exercises differently if it works better for your body. Reps can be anywhere from 8-12 for strength, endurance and fat burning.
Here’s how bodybuilders and power lifters would train:
What Bodybuilders Do:
Dumbbell squats 12-20 reps with hard heavy weight rest 1 minute repeat 4 times. Do the same with 5 more exercises. Do 45 minutes of cardio later in the afternoon. Do you really have this kind of time? Are you trying to build big muscles? No? Never mind this type of routine then.
What Power Lifters Do:
Squat 75% of your max for 5 reps. Rest for 4-5 minutes (usually surfing your social media). Repeat 4 more times. Then repeat same with a bench press and a deadlift. Not competing in a strongman? Not trying to set gym records? O.K. Never mind this time consuming stuff either.
Point is there are good and bad ways to train for all goals. Be sure to stick with a routine that is not going to waste your time and instead will get you the healthy body you desire. Need help with that? Leave me a question in comments!
