How to Use Exercise Equipment for Muscle Toning
Depending on the piece of equipment used, exercise equipment can allow you to perform dozens of great exercises. It's possible to cover a number of muscle groups with only a few pieces of equipment. One of the most common goals of exercise is muscle toning. Toning doesn't call for an overall increase in muscle size. Instead, toning refers to improving the overall definition of your muscles while increasing their strength and endurance.
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Things You'll Need
- Leg weights
- Free weights
- Abdominal bench
- Bench press machine
- Rowing machine
- Hand weights
Instructions
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Use Specific Types of Equipment for Targeted Results
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Use the bench press machine to tone primarily your pectoral muscles. Other muscle groups like the triceps, anterior deltoids and the serratus anterior also benefit from the bench press.
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Take advantage of the abdominal bench to tone your core muscles. The core muscles include your upper and lower abdominal muscles, as well as your obliques. A toned core is one of the most noticeable improvements you can give your body.
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Use the rowing machine to increase the strength of your back. The rowing machine uses every muscle in your back, as well as oblique and posterior chest and arm muscles. The rowing machine is also a tremendous cardiovascular workout.
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Use leg weights to tone your calves, thighs and buttocks during aerobic exercise. The added resistance is a great way to increase muscle strength without over-stressing your muscles. Leg weights should be less than 2 or 3 pounds, and 5 pounds should be the absolute maximum, especially for beginners.
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Work your forearms using free weights and hand weights. Hold the bars perpendicular to your body (you can use a bench or other support for this) and simply curl your wrists up and down.
Use Exercise Equipment Effectively
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Know that muscle toning is not simply a matter of using exercise equipment. Muscle toning is also accomplished by very healthy eating habits and weight loss. Definition is difficult to achieve without being in relatively good shape, and having healthy eating habits is always a terrific way to trim weight and let your toning results shine.
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Start by exercising only specific parts of the body on specific days: arms and shoulders on Mondays and legs on Tuesdays, for instance. This gives your body a chance to heal and capitalize on gains without overstressing your muscles.
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Use very low weight when you plan to use exercise equipment for muscle toning. Low weights make it possible to perform far more reps and sets than strength training. This is the cornerstone of muscle toning: low weight, high reps.
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Perform each exercise slowly. The slower you perform the exercises, the more energy you're requiring each muscle to use. This helps to keep your muscles flexed and stressed during the rep.
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Focus on your form during each exercise. Good form will help to increase the effectiveness of every exercise by enabling a more targeted approach to each muscle group.
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Tips & Warnings
Use weightlifting gloves during your exercises, whether you use free weights or dedicated exercise equipment. Gloves will help improve your grip, as well as prevent injury due to slipping or losing traction.
Never start out with the heaviest weights in your set. Using a level of resistance above what your muscles are currently capable of will likely lead to injury.
Be sure to stretch your muscles well prior to muscle toning. Stretching out your muscles will help to improve blood flow, as well as help prevent injury or strain.
