Dear Ladies, there is no such thing as 'TONING'


There is a tonne of myths about exercise, and there are even more for women. When you mention girls lifting weights, you further complicate an already complicated recipe.


Another more widespread myth simply won't go away: the myth of "muscle toning." The term "toning" is frequently used in reference to women in order to distinguish them from men and to make them aware that they may have a different bodily mechanism or may require a different type of exercise due to their gender.

Even worse, this myth is still being propagated by fictitious social media influencers & trainers after decades. Before I dispel this myth, I really want to know: Are these influencers & trainers using these fancy terms to draw in clients, or are you using them because you aren't sure of yourself?

Naturally, when women come to me, they have all of those mythical doubts running through their heads—about whether or not they will build muscles if they lift heavy, about whether or not there are specific exercises just for women, etc.—but the word "toning" is practically in everyone's head. "I want to tone my body," or worse, "I only want to tone my arms and thighs," is a common statement.


Give me a moment to dispel this misgiving. Use of your muscles is implied when discussing resistance training or exercise. You are also blinded by your muscles. They are illiterate when it comes to concepts like the distinction between genders, types of exercise, and weights, among other things. Your muscles don't have any knowledge of the word "tone." Just one of two things happens to your muscles: either they atrophy, or they grow, or both. No third term exists. Muscle tone, which in medicine has little to do with how a muscle appears, describes how much a muscle is contracted while at rest.

What women really mean is that they want to increase their strength, lean muscle mass, and degree of hypertrophy. You must apply resistance to the muscles in order to achieve this effect, as this forces the muscles to grow bigger and stronger. In contrast, if you don't use your muscles, they will atrophy or simply start to get smaller.

Ideal results for women include fat loss, increased muscle size (don't worry, you won't get big; your body doesn't produce that much testosterone), and increased strength. When women use the word "toning," they actually mean this. The issue is that these myths are all connected. Women who use the term "toning" are typically afraid of lifting heavy weights because they worry that they will develop a bulky physique. But as I noted in the related blog and video, women are unable to bulk up their muscles. Male and females both have the hormone testosterone, though females have it in much smaller amounts, is the prerequisite for increasing muscle size. As a result, even if women lift the same amount of weight as men, they are unable to increase the size of their muscles. However, they will experience the necessary fat loss and strength gains.
The myth of high reps & low weight is now spread among women as a result of their fear of lifting heavy weights. Unexpectedly, some fitness professionals both online and offline are not just promoting this; they are also preaching it with great seriousness.

As an alternative, I advise everyone—gender not included—to refer to their strength when exercising. In the gym, you should strive to become stronger. You'll be leaner and stronger, so keep that in mind.

In addition to misleading you, the use of such stupid words as "toning" prevents you from gaining the correct knowledge. This is a tried-and-true method of determining whether the influencer or trainer you're listening to is trying to deceive you or is actually trying to educate you.
It's actually easier and more profitable to enter the female fitness market. But it is also evident that the majority of women still believe the myth that lifting weights causes muscles to grow. In order to avoid having to deal with the clients' misguided behaviour, trainers and other fitness professionals just use deceptive tactics to persuade them to use their services.

Therefore, the three main components of toning are strength-building, fat-loss, and muscle-building. Men's and women's exercise are nonexistent. All ages and genders can exercise equally; the only differences are in the type of exercise and any personal medical restrictions. Don't be afraid to lift heavy if you want results, ladies.

The gym's dumbbells are now pink, and I'm still looking for that moron who did it.