In the case that you have given thought to exercise and diet, you have most probably heard of the words “definition” and “tone”. However, in reality, a lot of people have no idea how to get their muscles to this state. They don’t even know what these words actually mean. The result is that they fail to accomplish what they actually want. They base their workouts and diets on myths that don’t really help them.
In this article, we are going to discuss what you need to do to truly get toned and defined muscles. It might require changing your plan and even your mindset.
You need an amount of muscle
For starters, if you really want to get it done, you need to have a decent amount of muscle on your body. If you don’t, you need to work on building some. Chances are that the little weights that you got for your high reps simple aren’t cutting it. There is actually a right way to exercise for you to build muscle so that you can continue towards your goal. Another factor that affects your muscle definition is how much body fat you have.
Give up on six-pack abs
A lot of people aim at having six-pack abs. But while you are focusing on this aspect of your body, you may be actually letting down your arms, legs, shoulders, and back. Six-pack abs are usually always related to losing fat. This means that you are in the cardio mindset. So even if you are doing some heavy lifting, the fact is that you are focusing way too much on cardio, and your body won’t build muscle like that.
The best way to lose fat is to make small and tenable changes when it comes to your diet on a daily basis. You also need to do strength training with just the right volume. Remember that cardio is related to fat-loss, so when your body fat is at the desired level, stop, and move on to building muscle. Be consistent, and do low or moderate exercises. You must also keep a healthy diet.
Don’t overdo it
You may be lifting weights almost an entire week, and doing five sets of every exercise, and still, have a problem with getting defined muscles. There is a simple explanation for this. When you train too often and take up way too much volume, your body simply doesn’t have the energy and time to recuperate from it. That way you will not gain any actual benefits.
So, instead of going all hard and heavy, try doing the minimum number of sets with a rational number of weekly sessions. This is pretty much individual, so you will have to find what works the best for you. Start with 60-minute full body exercises on a weekly basis. Track your progress and see where you are at after six weeks. If you see that your muscles have improved, keep it up for another three to four weeks. The idea is to keep it up as long as you see progress. You also need to make small changes such as boosting the weight or reps after some time. Once you stop seeing progress, it’s time that you increase the frequency of your training.
Tone your calf muscles by cycling
Cycling is the perfect exercise for working out your calf muscles. Specifically gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. When you stroke your pedals, you are exercising your muscles through what is called plantar flexion. It’s pretty much the same as what you are doing when you stand on the tip of your toes. Basically, when your feet reach the point which reflects the five and six clock face, your feet begin to flex with your toes turning downwards. While it’s a fact that your calves don’t have a large role in cycling, you can get those muscles toned if you are consistent with your cycling exercise. When it comes to the kind of bicycle that you are using, the brand really doesn’t matter as long as it’s a functional bike that complements your purpose. There is a lot of mountain bikes for sale out there, so you can easily find one that suits you.
In Summation
Getting toned and defined requires having the right mindset and a plan. Don’t focus too much on cardio, because it won’t help you in this process, and will only give you the wrong idea. It is also important that you don’t overdo your exercise, as you will only get tired without allowing your body to recover. Maybe work out at least 30 minutes every day. Finally, take up cycling as a good exercise for muscle-building.
