Mention the term "muscle tone" on many of the major bodybuilding forums and prepare to get flamed. I don't spend much time over on those sites unless I notice a surge of traffic coming from a forum to this blog. Typically I upset someone for challenging their locked in notion of getting in shape. A member of one of those forums will then post something inflammatory about a particular post of mine. Then I get a few dozen homophobic and sexist comments sent my way (the owners of those forums must be proud). This post will address the term "muscle tone" and why I use it on a regular basis, despite being a pet peeve of the bodybuilding forums.

[Just another creative photo for you. Mannequins can be kind of creepy, but that is what gives them their charm.]

Thank God for Mark Rippetoe and His Book!
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Tags: Muscle Tone Strategies, aerobic exercise, bodybuilding, getting stronger, low body fat, muscle tone, nervous system, Pavel Tsatsouline, power to the people, strength training

Partial reps are pretty darn effective when used sparingly. They can't be used for all exercises and probably aren't effective for all body parts, but I will explain a way to incorporate them into your workout. I find that they work extraordinarily well for your triceps and biceps. If you want to increase definition without a noticeable increase in size, then keep reading.

[Another photo that has nothing to do with the subject of the post. I know I should show someone performing a rep of some sort, but those photos tend to be too bland. Gotta give the site some style instead!]

A Quick Description of Partial Reps
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Tags: Muscle Tone Strategies, bench press, bench pressing, body fat, bruce lee, gain strength, get stronger, lifting heavy, muscle definition, muscle tone, nautilus, nervous system, planks, power rack, triceps

I wrote about muscle and metabolic rate in a post about a year ago, but this myth is so prevalent that I had to address it again. If you don't know what I'm referring to it is the idea that it is smart to gain muscle, because "muscle burns calories around the clock…helping you lose fat". You know you have heard this mantra from a personal trainer before! It is so common that I listen for it now and just smile when I hear it. I am going to have some fun with this post. I love "shaking things up"!

["Don't hate us because we are beautiful. We are just trying to help make the Internet a prettier place."]

Did You Know that Body Fat Increases Your Metabolic Rate?

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Tags: Muscle Tone Strategies

People don't think enough about the amount of rest needed in between sets. Different amounts of rest are needed for a strength workout vs. a mass building workout. The same goes for the amount of pause in between each rep. Doing non-stop reps affects your muscles in a much different way than pausing a second in between each rep. Let's address how rest affects the outcome of your workouts.

[She makes resting look sexy!]

The Principle of "Cumulative Fatigue"
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Tags: Muscle Tone Strategies, body fat, bodybuilder, bodybuilding, excessive muscle, HGH, HIIT, Interval Training, metabolism, muscle definition, muscle fatigue, muscle mass, muscle tone, nervous system, sets and reps, treadmill, turbulence training, working out

When most people think of butt exercises they think along the lines of lunges, squats, and stiff legged deadlifts. I don't believe those exercises are as effective as sprinting is for your back side. Also, the problem with all of these lifts is that they can quickly build size in your hips, butt, and legs instead of building muscle density. If you enjoy those exercises and they work for you continue to do them, but add sprinting into the mix. I'll explain the mechanics of how sprinting creates an amazing looking butt in a second. Let's look at a picture of a nice butt first!

[I want to rest my head on her butt and take a nap.]

Do You Know What the Gluteal Fold Is?
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Tags: Muscle Tone Strategies, body fat, butt, firm butt, glute exercise, gluteus maximus, hamstring exercise, HGH, high intensity, Jennifer Garner, jessica biel, muscle groups, sprinting workout, treadmill, workout routine

I used to really dislike circuit training routines! All of the circuit training I have seen in the past involved jumping between 5-10 different machines, which really didn't seem practical to me in a busy gym. In the 80's and early 90's this was pushed extremely hard in a lot of the mainstream gyms. The selling point was that it took just 3 thirty minute sessions per week to get in amazing shape. They even sold memberships where you were only allowed access to the gyms on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Because of this, I guess circuit training left a bad taste in my mouth.

[Yeah...a break from the sexy looking babes...don't worry, you will see plenty more in future posts]

Taking a 2nd Look at Circuit Training, I've Changed My Mind
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Tags: Muscle Tone Strategies, barbell, burn fat, cardio, cardio workout, circuit training routine, craig ballantyne, dumbbells, HGH, high intensity interval training, Interval Training, turbulence training, working out

Training for the pump has been the holy grail of bodybuilding ever since Arnold Schwarzenegger spoke about it in the documentary "Pumping Iron". Achieving the pump while working out is a great indicator that your body is in the right condition for muscular growth. The big reason that bodybuilders can display much more mass than someone who lifts exclusively for strength is because bodybuilders train for the pump. I'll talk about what causes the pump in a second, but first let's look at a picture of a pretty girl in a field of flowers.

[You didn't think I was going to show an oiled up bodybuilder did you? Call me crazy, but I think pretty girls are better motivation!]

Okay…Back to "The Pump"

The simplest explanation of the pump is that more blood is forced into the working muscles causing the muscles to swell a bit. [ Click Here to Continue Reading ]

Tags: Muscle Tone Strategies, attractive body, body fat, body fat percentage, bodybuilder, bodybuilders, bodybuilding, brad pitt, burn body fat, excessive muscle, fat loss, fitness tips, functional strength, hollywood look, low body fat, low reps, muscle glycogen, muscle groups, muscle mass, muscle tone, slim down, the pump, the rock

Have I gone mad, or have I stumbled across an advanced way to gain strength? Well first let me give credit to where credit is due. This is a method that was introduced by a Soviet "Special Forces" Instructor named Pavel Tsatsouline. He speaks about it briefly in "Power to the People", but it is easy to miss so I want to expand upon this method a bit…as well as give you my unique perspective.

[Tanya's favorite lift is "12 ounce curls". Don't do this exercise too often, if you want to get lean!]

Muscle Size and Muscle Strength Are Not Always Directly Related

I used to think there was a direct correlation between muscle size and muscle strength…believing that the if gained strength in a muscle the bigger that muscle would get. If you think that this is the case you are mistaken! [ Click Here to Continue Reading ]

Tags: Muscle Tone Strategies, barbell curl, bodybuilder, bodybuilders, dumbbell, fat loss, gain strength, getting stronger, high reps, lifting heavy, low reps, mind to muscle link, muscle groups, muscle tone, pavel, Pavel Tsatsouline, power to the people, workout program

"Time under tension" is the amount of time your muscles are working during a specific set. Simply put, a set of 5 reps that takes 60 seconds to complete has a time under tension (TUT) of 60 seconds. If you did that exact same set in under 30 seconds, it would have a different TUT and it would effect your muscles differently.

Why Does Tension Matter When it Comes To Lifting?

So if you have been a reader for any period of time to my blog, you realize that I follow Pavel Tsatsouline's (former Soviet Special Forces Instructor) school of thought on muscle tone. Mainly that muscle tone is a function of "residual tension in a relaxed muscle". The way to increase muscle tone is to subject your muscles to high tension workouts. I recommend lower reps with a heavier weight to create this higher tension. [ Click Here to Continue Reading ]

Tags: Muscle Tone Strategies, bodybuilding, high muscle tension, high speed lifting, lift slowly, lifting heavy, momentum, muscle tone, pavel, Pavel Tsatsouline, power to the people, time under tension, tut, workout

Anybody over the age of 35 years old probably has a strong memory of The Cold War. In case you are too young…basically The Cold War was the period of time from the end of World War II to late 1991. It began with the USSR influencing other countries to form communist ideologies after World War II ended and the US and great Britain opposed this. The last part of The Cold War (the part I remember), was the fear of an impending nuclear war between the USSR and the United States. There are tons of parts I'm missing…I didn't want to give a full history lesson…LOL!

[A Closeup Picture of the Former Soviet Union Army Badge]

The USSR Dominated the Olympics For Years

One strong memory I had growing up in the 70's and 80's was just how amazing the athletes of the USSR were. The USSR competed in a total of 9 summer Olympics and were 1st for medal count in 7 of these. They also had the same results for the winter Olympics…1st place in medal count 7 out of 9 times. In 1992, twelve of the fifteen former Soviet Republics competed together as the Unified Team in the Barcelona Games, where they finished first in the medal rankings. [ Click Here to Continue Reading ]

Tags: Muscle Tone Strategies, body fat, body fat percentage, bodybuilder, calvin klein model, excessive muscle, low body fat, low reps, muscle mass, muscle tone, pavel, Pavel Tsatsouline, power to the people, USSR

Well water retention isn't exactly the enemy of muscle tone, but it will tend to cover it up a bit. If you are pretty lean and only have a "4 pack" showing instead of a "6 pack" it is possible that you are a victim of water retention. A word of warning before we discuss this in more detail…don't use the excuse that you are "holding water" when you still have plenty of fat to burn. Water retention typically only matters once you get somewhat lean.

[Meghan Does a Unique Exercise Called "Tight Jean Crunches"]

So What Causes Water Retention?

Well without going into too much detail, your body stores water (just like your body stores fat). Obviously it is important to have water in your body, just like it is important to have fat…basic stuff. [ Click Here to Continue Reading ]

Tags: Muscle Tone Strategies, 4 pack abs, 6 pack abs, fruit, good looking, merman, muscle definition, muscle tone, six pack abs, subcutaneous water, water retention, zoolander

When I was young, I was always kind of worried about getting old. I looked around and I never saw anyone over 30 that was in good shape. I was told that "father time" would eventually catch up with me and I would be overweight…all my other relatives put on weight like crazy once they reached their 30th birthday.

I Chose a Better Path…You Can To!

I'm now closing in on reaching the age of 40 and I'm displaying more muscle tone than ever. What is crazy is that [ Click Here to Continue Reading ]

Tags: Muscle Tone Strategies, attractive body, fitness tip, getting older, great shape, low body fat, mind to muscle link, muscle definition, muscle tone, workout

I recommend a unique approach to gaining muscle tone. I believe that the key to toning your muscles is to actually lift heavy for low reps, for at least part of your workout. So if you were to ask me what the best triceps exercises are to build muscle tone, it would be exercises that allow people to use heavy weight.

Here is a List of What I Consider to Be the Best Triceps Exercises
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Tags: Muscle Tone Strategies, high muscle tension, lifting heavy, low reps, muscle definition, muscle tone, triceps, workout routine

Is it possible that you can burn fat at a quicker rate and increase muscle tone by drinking a few beers per day? Beer lovers rejoice…a recent study has some interesting findings!

Lyle Mcdonald, an authority on fat loss, recently spoke about that a paper that talks about alcohol consumption in people who are consuming low calories throughout the day… [ Click Here to Continue Reading ]

Tags: Muscle Tone Strategies, best diet plan, body fat, fat loss, hollywood physique, lose fat, lyle mcdonald, muscle definition, muscle tone, weight loss

There is something about a body that gets fit through sports that is more attractive than gym built bodies. The nice thing about sports is that the body gets built up in a natural way. A common thing I see with "gym rats" is that they have bulky muscle that actually makes them less athletic.

Have You Ever Seen A Guy With Huge Legs Try and Run?

There are some guys with legs so bulky they can hardly even walk, so running is out of the question. I forget where I read this, but a world renowned track coach got into an argument with a bodybuilder. [ Click Here to Continue Reading ]

Tags: Muscle Tone Strategies, attractive athletes, bodybuilding and sports, bulky muscle, burn body fat, fitness tips, home gym workout, six pack abs, treadmill