07/10/2026
“I want to tone but not get bulky.” I hear this all the time so let’s get into it.
Toning essentially means you want to sculpt a physique & lose body fat.
In the industry, this is called “Body Recomposition.”
Toning is nothing more than a gentler, more approachable term for “building muscle,” & you can’t get that lean, toned look without building muscle.
“Toning” became a popular term when 80’s style aerobics was all the rage. Think Jane Fonda & Richard Simmons.
The irony is this - workouts that claim to “tone” your muscles are often not following the principles needed to actually gain muscle definition!
The ideal exercise protocol to build & sculpt muscle is not aerobic dancing, super high reps with light weights, or going until you “feel the burn.”
Instead, it’s hitting all major muscle groups with weights that are *really* challenging (usually a % of your 1 rep max), in rep ranges of 5-15 tops.
Then, each week you try to do one more rep &/or use heavier weights.
THAT will provide the stimulus your body needs to build muscle, aka “tone up.”
What about cardio, you ask next… because the 80’s also turned us cardio-obsessed.
Cardio is great. But instead of thinking you can run your way to sculpted muscles, see cardio as supportive, not primary. Walking, jogging, or biking in Zone 2 (conversational pace) is ideal — it burns fat without spiking cortisol or impairing muscle building & is great for your overall health.
To “tone up” do this:
WORKOUTS
Do 3-5 strength training sessions per week; full-body, divided up by upper/lower, divided by push/pull/legs, any regimen that hits all muscles
DIFFICULTY
Choose exercises & weights that make rep counts of 5-12 reps (the sweet spot) REALLY challenging; not exercises & weights that you can do for 25-50 reps.
NUTRITION
Fine-tune your nutrition. While not the focus of this post, your workouts sculpt your muscles & your nutrition reveals them.
CARDIO
Aim for 20-30 minutes per day of light cardio
RECOVERY
An often overlooked component! The harder you work, the more you should include time for static stretching post-workouts, accessory pre-hab movements, ample sleep, & me-time.
Still not sure what to do & how? Get in touch!
