Thank you :D

Well .. hm. :)

I have to respectfully disagree with both Manda and Nelie. But that might also be because I'm a bit of a grammar and language geek and I believe that using the right words is very important.

I think that continuing to use the word "tone" when what you mean is building strong, fit muscle, simply reinforces the girly-fitness-magazine concept that women shouldn't get strong, they should "tone". Because as it's used currently "tone" is the OPPOSITE of "building strong muscle". It's used in the context of "I want to be toned, but not built".

That's just my opinion of course, and I'll continue to avoid the word "tone" when I talk about building muscle and gaining strength and getting fit. :D

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How is it the opposite of saying, "building muscle"?

I want to be "cut". I want to be "toned". I want to be "fit". When I think of toned, I think of DDC's arms in her av (wow!). The lady next to me on the weight bench might say DDC is "built". Maybe the mood would strike me to say her arms are "cut".

I would think all 3 would be a compliment to DDC and basically means the same thing :)

"I want to be toned, but not built"

Who cares? Maybe to some people, toned just means smaller muscles than their own definition of someone who is "built", per a personal preference. Aren't both versions accomplished by doing the same thing? I mean, to obtain muscle tone and definition, thus, to build muscle, I lift. I just don't see the difference. :shrug: To me this is an argument on semantics. Also, where exactly was it set into stone that "tone" is incorrect and "built" isn't? It seems like it's more of a declaration of empowerment with female lifters than grammatical truth.

To some misguided souls, yes they do say they want to tone but not build muscle which is something that needs to be corrected. You can not be toned, no matter what your ideal is without building strong muscle. You can be toned, based on various definitions, by building strong muscle AND losing body fat.

People will use the term toned because honestly I think it is part of our vocabulary when referring to a certain body look. I think the emphasis of what is needed to get there is important.

And ddc, your arms are awesome :) Mandalinn has some awesome arms as well.

Very true. I think if people are serious about getting in shape, learning how to obtain a certain physique is almost inevitable. At least I would hope, anyway, because otherwise they wouldn't get very far...

I liked the article....I've lost some weight, (and most of it is fat), but I'm not where I want to be. I know to do that I've got to lift...regularly and heavier. I know this from past experience and from the lack of muscle definition. I'm going to 52 next month, I weigh less than I did in high school, my pants are a size smaller than at age 16, but I need more muscle.

That article may help me get motivated to get back on track...

Nelie - aww, thanks :o

I love shades of meaning and having precisely the right word for what I'm trying to convey. For me, "toned" and "built" are different. Built to me implies bulk...muscle has been literally built up to the point of being bulky. Toned also means muscle has been built up, but to me, there is less of it, bulk wise..the muscle size is built up less, though the muscle STRENGTH may not be in women, who physically cannot build muscle bulk to the degree that men can. I think that is probably the general consensus on what these words mean.

I know some BUILT women (one trainer at my former gym used to be a competitive body builder) and what they have isn't what people are generally talking about when they say "toned", so I like the different shades of meaning the two words provide.

Ugh! I just read an article in Elle magazine titled, "Why The Gym's Not Making You Slim". Supposedly the article is written by experts. While they do say many people overestimate the power of cardio it won't lift your butt or give your arms definition. This I agree with, but then it goes on to say, "... Women often fear muscles will make them appear bulked-up, but this is rarely he case provided you keep your weights low (don't strain) and your reps high."

I've never met anyone who got definition in their arms lifting 3lb weights. At least use your own body as resistance!

My whole workout yesterday was with 2.5 lb dumbbells. ;)
I add dynamic tension though, so I use more force than just bebopping a 2.5lb weight up and down. Think into the muscle! :)


Are people reading Elle magazine really looking for a workout anyway?
I don't know, I've never read it, but I'm thinking it's more of a fashion mag, instead of fitness. (?)
I can see where this kind of statement is misleading, however:
I have done Jari Love's workouts in the past. Her workouts use light weights with high reps.

Well then, I take back what I said... you're the first. Btw, you have nice definition. Do you use your own body weight for resistance?

Because I do use light weights but only after I've lifted heavy to fully exhaust the muscle. I do have definition... but, only when the light hits it just right. :D

I did come across this on AtoZfitness.com which might explain the high rep thing...

"The high reps sets don’t directly CAUSE muscle growth (the resistance isn’t high enough), they just improve blood circulation to the target muscle so when you DO train heavy and for lower reps, your target muscle gets more nutrients and can grow and recover more easily."

Due to tendonitis issues (and maybe weak joints -??), I can't lift heavy. I have some 8 lb dumbbells that I use rarely because they bother my elbows and shoulders.
I do alot of isometric and dynamic tension exercises.
My workout yesterday was from a book by Joyce Vedral called "the 12 minute total-body workout" (old book, got it on ebay), and I'm sore today.
The only body weight exercises I do are squats and lunges, some pushups against the kitchen counter, and planks.
The other dynamic tension moves that I do are from "The Miracle 7" by John Peterson and Wendie Pett. They don't use weights at all.

Thanks :)

Oh geez, NOW you are telling me after I coughed up a small fortune on 8, 10 and 12 lb dumbbells! I think I went a bit too far in my enthusiasm although at the gym I use 10 and 12.5 lb dumbbells but I am thinking even the 8 lb ones are a bit too heavy for my triceps (I have the Jackie Warner "Workout" DVD but I haven't done the upper body yet). :^:

If you can lift them, then go for it.
They're just hard on my joints and I've found other ways to compensate :)