If you’ve been searching for the best workouts for toning your body, you’re in the right place. The term ‘toning’ has been used a lot lately and there are so many different ways to achieve that look. But what does toning mean exactly?
Toning refers to targeting specific parts of the body, usually problem areas like the thighs, stomach, arms or back. It involves exercises that use resistance (weights, bands or your body weight), explosive movements or isometric contractions to build strength and burn fat in those problem areas.
So if you want a sleek physique with visible muscle definition instead of just losing weight — this article will help you get there!
Mix It Up on the Elliptical Trainer
If you’re looking for a full-body workout, the elliptical trainer is a great option — no matter what your fitness level is. It’s a low-impact cardio exercise that can help you burn between 300 and 600 calories per hour if you crank up the intensity. Plus, it’s low impact and can be easier on your joints than other forms of cardio, like running. When you’re on the elliptical, you’re moving both your upper and lower body at the same time. So it’s a great way to get your whole body toned while also increasing your cardiovascular health.
If you want to focus on toning your lower body, try squeezing your thighs together (don’t forget to keep your knees bent) as you pedal. This will help you engage your glutes and quads. Another great tip is to focus on using your heels rather than the balls of your feet so you can target your calves and Achilles tendons. You can do the same with your arms by contracting your upper arms (sending blood to the biceps and triceps) as you move the handles. Mixing up these techniques will help you engage different parts of your body while on the elliptical, helping you burn fat and strengthen your whole body at the same time!
Run for Your Whole Body
Running is a full-body exercise that can help you build strength in your core and lower body. Depending on the surface you run on, the impact can range from light to moderate, making it a great exercise for people of all fitness levels. You can choose to run for distance or do interval sprints, which can also help you burn more calories. When running, you want to make sure you’re focusing on good form. Make sure your spine is straight, your shoulders are down, your core is engaged and you’re landing on your mid-foot.
It’s important to maintain that form throughout the whole run to help prevent injury. To target the lower body for toning, try lifting your knees higher as you run. You can also try a quicker gait like speed walking or running in short bursts. Sprinting periodically can be a great way to challenge your cardiovascular system and help you burn more calories overall.
Tone Up Your Arms With Tennis
Tennis is a great way to tone your upper body and core as well as increase the flexibility in your hips and ankles. Plus, the sport is excellent for your coordination and balance. You can choose to play singles or doubles, which is great for people who are just beginning the sport.
Plus, you can play indoors or outdoors year-round, which makes it a great option for people with busy schedules. When playing tennis, focus on keeping your core engaged throughout the whole game. You can also try squeezing a small ball in your hands as you play to help engage your upper body even more. Head over to a basketball court for a similar exercise! Squeeze a ball or throw a tennis ball against the backboard or wall and then catch it again with your arms.
This will help strengthen the muscle groups in your arms and help you improve your overall coordination and balance.
Bowling for Arms
If you want toned arms and a strong back, bowling is an excellent option. When you’re bowling, you’re engaging your core while moving your upper and lower body as well as your arms. It’s a great cardio workout as well, depending on how many frames you bowl in one sitting. To target your arms, try to rotate your shoulders towards the pins as you release the ball.
You can also try shortening the distance between your hand and the ball, making your stroke shorter and more compact. This will help you squeeze your arm muscles a little more as you release the ball. Bowling is a great cardio workout, but to get more out of it, try playing different variations of the game.
The rules for a bowling change slightly depending on which variation you play. You can play something like five-pin or duckpin bowling where you bowl with smaller balls, or ten-pin bowling with a heavier ball.
Pedal for Fit Legs
If you want to tone up your legs, a great exercise is cycling. It’s a lower-impact activity that’s easy on the joints, especially compared to running. You can choose to cycle outdoors or indoors on a stationary bike, which makes it convenient for people with a busy schedule. When you’re cycling, you want to make sure you’re keeping your core and lower body as engaged as possible. You can pedal with one leg at a time, bringing your knee to your chest, or you can pedal with both legs at the same time.
Whichever variation you choose, you want to make sure your core stays engaged and your back remains straight. You can also add resistance to your cycling workout to help tone your lower body even more. Simply purchase a pedal that has a resistance band attached to it. As you pedal, the band will add resistance to your legs, making them stronger and more toned.
Dance for Core, Hips, and Legs
Dancing is another great way to tone your legs and core as well as increase your flexibility. It’s an excellent cardio exercise that can also help you increase your balance and coordination. Depending on the type of dance you do, it can also improve your endurance. What type of dancing should you do to tone your legs? If you want to focus on toning your legs, hips and lower body, you can try salsa or other types of Latin dancing — or even do line dancing.
These types of dancing are great for beginners since the movements are easy to learn and stay consistent each time you dance. This makes it easier to focus on contracting your muscles properly and increasing your leg strength. If you want to focus on your core as well, you can try swing or Lindy Hop. These types of dancing involve more of a full-body movement, which will help strengthen your whole body.
Pilates and Yoga for Core Strength
If you’re looking to tone up your core and strengthen your lower body, pilates and yoga are great options. Both of these exercises are focused on strengthening your core and making it more flexible. Both also involve slow, controlled movements that can help you relax in between lessons with a sport like tennis or a golf.
When you’re in a pilates or yoga class, you want to make sure you’re keeping your core engaged throughout the whole session. You can also try adding resistance to your moves to help make them even more challenging. This can be done with special equipment at the gym or with a band. You can also try adding some yoga poses to your workout to help focus on certain parts of your body. For example, if you want to tone up your legs, you can do a few seated poses like the lotus pose or the tree pose.
Swim for a Strong Upper Body
Swimming is an excellent full-body exercise that can help you tone your upper body and core. It’s a low-impact exercise that’s great for people with joint pain or knee or back issues. You can choose to swim in the pool or the ocean — wherever you feel most comfortable.
When you’re swimming, make sure you’re keeping your core engaged. You can do this by contracting your abs as you move your arms through the water. This will help you maintain good form and prevent you from using too much force with your arms.
If you want to make your swimming workout more challenging, you can try swimming in intervals. You can also try swimming with a friend, which can be a fun way to turn the workout into a social event! Swimming is also a great option if you’re looking
