Exercises to tone body

[OohLaLa]

So for a while I havn't been happy with my weight.
According to statistics, I am the Average weight for my age and height.
But I'm still not happy with my body.
I am going to the gym once a week but I want to tone my arms, stomach and thighs.
Can anyone tell me exercises I should do to do this ??
I'm totally clueless about this so any help would be appreciated

[Yen]

Hmm it seems like that's a VERY common thing for women to want to know- how to tone thighs, stomach, and arms. I've actually done some personal training and would be happy to help you . Stomach is as simple as A LOT of crunches and leg lifts. Bicycle kicks are effective as well. It will take a lot of work for that. Keep in mind that some people will never have six- pack abs. It's just not going to happen no matter how they work . You'll definitely get some nice tone though. Arms... Well there are a few things you can do. A lot of repetitions with lifting light weights. Burns fat and tones the muscle rather than build. PM me if you want any more specifics.

[CompassionateSoul]

Try this little workout:

Day 1

Arms
Alternating Dumbbell curls: Start with a dumbbell in each hand, hands at your sides and palms towards your legs. Slowly raise the weight up finishing with your arm close to your body and your knuckles away from you, keep your shoulders still during the movement. Then slowly return to the start position. That is one rep, 12 reps is a set. If you don't want to lift too heavy or build muscle, just tone, do 5 sets. Rest for about 1 minutes between sets or it will get too much. This will mainly work your biceps and the front of your shoulders.

Hammer Curls: same as above, but you keep your hands with your palms facing your body and knuckles out. 5 sets. This will work your forearms and biceps.

Tricep kickbacks (use light weights only!): Stand with your knees slightly bent and learn forward at the waist, keeping your back straight. One foot in front of the other, the arm on the same side as your back-most leg will hold the weight. Start with your elbow forming a right angle, and push back until your arm is horizontal along your body, then slowly back. That's one rep. 5 sets.

Day 3

Thighs/bum

Leg raises: Lie on the floor, arms by your side, and raise one leg as close to 90 degrees as you can get before feeling a 'pull' along your back leg, slowly lower your leg back to the floor. That's one rep. Make sure you do them slowly, 3 sets for each leg will be enough. Thighs and buttocks will be worked with this exercise.

Lunges: Stand with your legs slightly apart, and hold a dumbbell in each hand (probably the 3rd smallest you can find to start with). Take a big step forward keeping your back straight and look straight ahead, with your back knee inches from the floor. From there take another big step forward (slowly or you may lose balance). The smaller the step, the more your thighs are worked. The longer the step, the more your gluteals are worked.

Elliptical trainer - 10 minutes, high resistance OR Treadmill, high incline, walking for 10 minutes (or both, it's up to you). These will give your whole lower body a workout so - abs, thighs and calves!

Even Days

Seated Medicine Ball Twists: Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Sitting at a 45 degree angle, with a medicine ball in your hands, twist your upper body to one side, slowly then to the other side (asthough trying to look over your shoulder out of the corner of your eye. Try 3 sets of 12, if you want to do another set, go for it! Make sure to do these slowly and smoothly.

Crunches: Lie on your back, legs on the floor, slowly contract your stomach muscles lifting your shoulder blades a couple of inches off the floor, slowly lower yourself to the floor again but keep your stomach muscles contracted. Try 3 sets of 12.

Sit ups: Lie on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, try crossing your arms on your body (as though covering your chest) raise your body up to 90 degrees from the floor. Keep your head and neck in line with your spine. 3 sets of as many reps as possible (its hard to start with 12 at first)

Leg raises, then Knee raises, difference is your bend your knees in one and bend from your hips in the other. Try 3 sets 12 for each as well.



If you go to the gym 3 days a week, you will see the best results!
Now, I post all of this, but what do I know.... I've been going to the gym for 6 months and I know a lot about the exercises, diet etc after living with a guy at college who was studying personal training - he taught me a lot. That doesn't make me an expert of course, but follow this and you will see results within 4 to 6 weeks.

When you're doing each exercise do them slowly and always breath right. Usually you inhale through the first half of the rep and exhale for the second half. Don't hold your breath, if you are trying to hold your breath and lift a weight, it might be too heavy. If you're doing reps too fast or doing them slowly and it doesn't feel like your muscles are very pumped, try a higher weight. You need to find what you're comfortable with. If you feel a bit of a burn in the muscles you just exercised after two or three sets, that's good, it's a good weight.
If you can barely lift the weight on your 12th rep, it's best to lower the weight to avoid injury.


With your stomach, you won't see toning for a long time, for example, I've been doing this:

• -Incline Crunches: 3 sets of 10-12
• -Machine Trunk Rotations 3 sets of 12 each side
• -Leg Raises: 3 sets of 12.
• -Calves over bench sit ups: 3 sets of 10-12

For the last 6 months and I have just started to see toning. Make sure you eat something predominantly of protein and carbs after you workout, otherwise you won't tone very quickly (or a glass of milk - low fat is preferable). It's also important to stay hydrated, but if you drink too much during your workout you may feel bloated, so just drink to keep your mouth moist. You can drink as much as you want after your workout!
As you read this you may want to go over it again and "act out" the exercises so you can get an idea of what it feels like before you get to the gym.

I hope this isn't too much and it helped! You're welcome PM me if you have any further questions, take care.