For those looking to tone muscle or improve overall strength, it can sometimes be a concern that one will bulk up or put on too much muscle. This concern is often voiced by women, who want to improve more the shape and appearance of their muscles rather than put on large amounts of muscle mass. In this article, we’ll take a look at some important principles that will help assist one in toning up rather than bulking up.
When it comes to toning up muscle, it’s appropriate to talk about muscle fiber type. If you are wondering how to build muscle up without bulking up, muscle fiber is the main factor to consider. Muscle fiber is typically broken down into what is called type I and type II muscle fiber. Type I muscle fiber tends to be more endurance oriented. It is the type of muscle used primarily on a long run or when riding a bicycle for extended periods of time. This type of muscle fiber tends to be smaller and less bulky. Type II muscle fiber on the other hand is geared more toward explosive, powerful movements. Examples of when type II muscle fiber is used would be power-lifting or sprinting. For those looking to improve muscle tone rather than bulk up, it’s important to work the type I muscle fibers rather than the type II muscle fibers.
The primary way to focus on working a certain type of muscle fiber has to do with the number of repetitions contained in a set. If one keeps their repetitions at or higher than fifteen repetitions per set, than the person will primarily be working the type I muscle fibers. If however, the lifter is lifting hard and can do at most twelve repetitions or less, than he or she will primarily be working the type II muscle fibers, or the bulk building muscle fibers. An easy way to illustrate the difference between type I and type II muscle fibers is to pay attention to olympic runners. Looking at the long distance runners, one will notice that they are generally very thin. The muscle in their legs is well defined, but not bulky. This is because they use those muscles thousands of times every time they run. Contrast this with the sprinters. These runners are generally much more bulky, exhibiting much larger and built leg muscles. This is due to the explosive nature of a sprint which demands great power over a short period of time.
The question of toning up versus bulking up comes down to repetition range in large part. For those looking to simply improve the appearance of their muscles without adding excess bulk, higher repetition ranges are generally more appropriate. Make sure to check with your doctor before engaging in any exercise routine, and make sure to work with a qualified professional who can guide you and help keep you safe. For more information on toning up and other related topics, check out the cleveland personal trainer blog.