How many of us secretly (or not so secretly!) wish for our workout routines to deliver those picture-perfect ‘toned’ arms, ‘toned’ abs, and ‘toned’ legs? We gawk over fitness influencers and Pilates girlies with long, lean lines, searching for fitness classes that promise to tone muscles and ‘tighten’ our physiques. The only problem is that physiologically, muscle toning is a total myth.
The truth is that the concept of toning was created to appeal to women and preserve the ideal of the feminine figure, firmly rooting itself in fitness vernacular sometime in the 1980s. It’s marketing, ladies!
A little history lesson: For decades, women had been told that sweating was unladylike, that vigorous exercise could lead to reproductive problems, and that working out would make them manly. (More on the outrageous history of women’s fitness, here.) Culture and media painted a clear picture that being petite meant being beautiful.
So when exercise hit the mainstream, of course women began to worry about looking ‘too bulky,’ especially when traditionally male-dominated modalities like strength training were involved. ‘Toning’ became the perfect ‘anti-bulking’ antidote, a magic word to get them into studios, gyms, and classes. But also one that preys on women’s insecurities.
Here’s the thing, though. You can’t tone muscles. You can make them bigger or stronger, but they don’t get firmer (or softer, for that matter). To explain what’s fact or fiction—and give you the right vocabulary to use instead—we tapped obé’s director of programming and fitness expert, Melody D.
What do we mean when we say we want toned muscles?
It’s all about appearance. “When you say you want to tone your muscles, what you mean is that you want to see your muscles,” explains Melody. “But that has everything to do with your body composition—the overall proportion of muscle, bone, and fat in your body—and almost nothing to do with your actual muscle.”
In other words, we perceive looking ‘toned’ as the opposite of looking ‘soft.’ For most of us, it means having muscle definition.
There are tons of workouts out there that promise to tone muscles, especially those aimed at women. Open up a women’s health magazine and you’ll likely see plenty of advertisements centered around toning terminology (in contrast, most men’s health magazines focus on how to build muscle or get stronger).
The only way to get that desired look, however, is to build muscle and have a low enough body fat percentage to have that muscular definition show.
Why can’t I tone muscles?
Often, the word ‘tone’ implies firmness. But you can’t make the muscle mass you have firmer or less firm. Muscles can grow or shrink, but they don’t become toned or not toned. That’s a fact!
There is something called muscle tone. It refers to the ability of your muscles to create tension and force at rest. Muscle tone provides structure for your body and helps maintain your posture, and it has everything to do with your muscle’s potential ability, not aesthetics or the appearance of your muscle composition. “You could say someone has low or high muscle tone, but it’s a physiological, functional quality,” Melody emphasizes.
Most times, the word tone is also associated with specific types of workout classes—like Pilates, Barre, Sculpt, or Yoga Sculpt. But these modalities may not lead to the muscle development and physical changes you’re looking for, explains Melody. To get scientific, these types of classes work slow-twitch muscle fibers, which improve your endurance. They’ll get more fit, but they won’t look a lot different.
Lifting heavy weights in a Strength class, on the other hand, will work your fast-twitch muscle fibers. These are the muscles that have more growth potential and contribute to visible definition, delivering that sought-after ‘toned’ look. “If you decide to only do Yoga Sculpt to tone your muscles, you’re never going to see your body changing in the way you envision because that modality won’t build up your muscles to gain definition.”
What should I do instead?
To build muscle your classes or programs need to be designed around the principle of hypertrophy, or working your muscles to failure. “When we tie the word tone to classes that don’t take you to failure, don’t utilize your full range of motion, or don’t guide you through functional training patterns, you’re missing out on all the benefits of strength training,” says Melody.
It’s all about sustainable, functional gains in strength, quality of movement, and body composition! In addition to training with light weights and high reps (a la your Sculpt classes)—which you absolutely should do if you love those workouts—make sure to mix up your modalities. Add Strength and Power to your routine!
“It’s important to train our muscles in various ranges of motion through lots of different training styles,” says Melody. “Your body needs to be put under stress to see changes in both your strength and muscle.”
Many women fear that lifting heavier weights will lead to bulk, but fear not! Even if you lifted 20lb+ weights three times a week (and that’s still pretty light, all things considered!), you’d need to commit to a serious training regimen and a caloric-surplus diet to bulk up. Again, lifting heavier weights will help you get the visible muscle definition you’re craving—and so much more than that.
What does obé do to dispel the myth of toning muscles?
At obé, we take language very seriously—both in our classes and outside of them. “We avoid the word tone whenever possible,” says Melody. “We are all about strength. Whether you’re doing Yoga, Pilates, Barre, or a Power class, it’s about strength.”
Mindset is everything, and it’s the secret to having a good relationship with your workout routine. To set your mind right, obé’s focus is always on outcomes as it relates to performance. “Think: what is my body capable of doing as it relates to quality of movement?” emphasizes Melody. “Or, I’m doing this workout to feel a certain way or move in a certain way for my overall health. Maybe you’re even thinking about how to train to sustain your bone or muscle mass for longevity!”
Speaking to the why behind the training and centering that education around the internal experience rather than how it can make your body look is the key. “For us, it’s about how your body performs and what it’s capable of achieving,” emphasizes Melody.
Workouts for body composition > classes to tone muscles
Removing the word tone from your vocabulary can be empowering. It can shift your focus to building strength and focusing on your internal health—and it opens up your mind to other fitness modalities and all their fruitful benefits.
If you want that “toned” look, we don’t blame you! For decades, this word has been associated with the ideal female form and traditionally women-centric workouts. But knowing what you actually have to do to achieve it is a way to build body literacy and set the right expectations.
“If you want to see muscle development, that’s body composition change,” reminds Melody. “It’s a combination of strength training to build muscle and then losing body fat. That has to be a combination of diet, exercise, and sleep.”
There’s no such thing as a ‘toning’ exercise. You have to adopt a holistic approach that integrates more than just your workout. So don’t be afraid to pick up the weights, release the fear of becoming bulky (you won’t!), and treat movement as one powerful ingredient in the equation.
You may also like
- Exercise for Women vs. Men: A Guide to Unique Gender Differences in Fitness
We’ve all seen the videos. Endearing scenes of boyfriends or… Read more: Exercise for Women vs. Men: A Guide to Unique Gender Differences in Fitness - What’s the Best Exercise for Hormones? You May Be Surprised
Ugh, hormones. When they’re balanced and doing their thing, our… Read more: What’s the Best Exercise for Hormones? You May Be Surprised - Forget About Weight—These Body Composition Metrics Are More Accurate
There’s no point in sugarcoating it: tracking weight alone sets… Read more: Forget About Weight—These Body Composition Metrics Are More Accurate
One response to “No, You Can’t Tone Muscles—the Surprising Myth, Revealed”
Important info, thanks for sharing!