Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
Options
Resistance Work
![[Deleted User]](https://w3.vanillicon.com/364b58555732d921ed53b600317203a3_100.png)
Hi all - I've been running for just over 7 year now and find that, while I'm not overweight (I'm 5 ft. 2 in - 119 lbs), I'm also not as toned as I'd like to be. I am hoping some of you out there have some advice for me on weight training/what to do/when/etc. Any tips would be great!
The materials in this website are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor, qualified personal trainer, therapist, dietitian or nutritionist Runners's World, Part of the Hearst UK well-being network © Copyright 2017
Comments
If you're planning to use weights for muscle tone (ie not for strength and size) then you need to use light weights and do sets of around 10-15 reps. If you struggle to finish a set, then try lowering the weight. Basically, heavier weights for less reps builds size and strength, whereas low weight and more reps builds stamina and definition.
Remember that if you're not used to doing upper-body work you probably will gain a little muscle, even using lighter weights, so it's better to judge the results in the mirror rather than on the scales.
You can also improve muscle tone by swimming regularly - might be worth thinking about.
If you want to develop upper-body muscle tone, you should probably do no more than one or two exercises per muscle group in each session. You could maybe do:
Bench press (chest)
Rowing or pull downs (upper back)
Dumbell curls (bicep)
Tricep press-down (Tricep, believe it or not!)
Shoulder press
Like I said before, keep the weights light. You can use machines that do the equivalent of most of these exercises - in fact, I'd recommend it when you first start. It's worth trying to do a gym induction course, which should give you more ideas for a workout programme.
The most important thing is to start off by getting the techniques right, which is why I think an induction is important. Most weight training injuries come from stupidity: either bad technique or using too much weight.
Personally, I think that for muscle toning, swimming is probably as good as a light weights session, and its quicker because you're training everything at once. Just one tip: don't combine the two! Swimming with no arm strength left after a workout is not much fun.
Find a personal trainer for one session and tell them your goals and that you want to do it by yourself. They will train you in technique and can give you a 10 minute, 20 minute or 1 hour programme or whatever. Cheap sets of weights cost £20-30 at argos, a personal trainer for an hour may be £50, but its still loads cheaper than gym membership... (Actually my gym is £100 for the year, so its not that much cheaper :-).
Why not find a personal trainer for one session and tell them your goals and that you want to do it by yourself. They will train you in technique and can give you a 10 minute, 20 minute or 1 hour programme or whatever. Cheap sets of weights cost £20-30 at argos, a personal trainer for an hour may be £50, but its still loads cheaper than gym membership... (Actually my gym is £100 for the year, so its not that much cheaper :-).