Having to keep at it to feel "toned"

[DMBsAmricanBaby]

This is starting to bug me..I noticed that if I constantly work out my bum and legs they feel tight and toned..but if I go say like a week without working them out they go back to feeling smaller and less toned & kinda flabby feeling I guess that's how you'd describe it...why is this happening? it's so annoying!

[shay14]

im pretty sure, it had to do with your diet, or like me too, when i just come back from an intense tricep training, they are hard as hell, but after they become a bit flabby, i think you just need to lose overall bodyfat.

[Leyton Stone_old]

The look of pumped up muscles - from high reps and lighter weights - fades away within a day or two. The appearance of firm and tight muscles - from heavier weights and lower reps - produces more "muscle tone", and this takes longer to go away. If you do a combination of the two you get the benefits of both.

[DJAuto]

The mental aspect is a large factor.

[UCONN_CSCS]

Yeah, it's mostly mental. I mean look at yourself. You look great. If you really need to feel it always do some 6X10 Squats every week at 75%1RM. You will be sore every day you aren't feeling toned =)

[ElderJefferson]

This is starting to bug me..I noticed that if I constantly work out my bum and legs they feel tight and toned..but if I go say like a week without working them out they go back to feeling smaller and less toned & kinda flabby feeling I guess that's how you'd describe it...why is this happening? it's so annoying!

[mAssholio]

The look of pumped up muscles - from high reps and lighter weights - fades away within a day or two. The appearance of firm and tight muscles - from heavier weights and lower reps - produces more "muscle tone", and this takes longer to go away. If you do a combination of the two you get the benefits of both.

lol

[Flair4TheGold]

This is starting to bug me..I noticed that if I constantly work out my bum and legs they feel tight and toned..but if I go say like a week without working them out they go back to feeling smaller and less toned & kinda flabby feeling I guess that's how you'd describe it...why is this happening? it's so annoying!

Don't worry. You're practically perfect looking and if you keep this up, you're going to make all the real flabby girls getting depressed.

I see nothing flabby on you at all anyways. It's all mental.

[Flair4TheGold]

The look of pumped up muscles - from high reps and lighter weights - fades away within a day or two. The appearance of firm and tight muscles - from heavier weights and lower reps - produces more "muscle tone", and this takes longer to go away. If you do a combination of the two you get the benefits of both.

You get more toned doing a light weight and higher rep combo, along with HIIT cardio. Just because you prescribe to the heavy weight, low rep routine doesn't mean it's the only way of going about it. Besides, not everyone has the body type to be a body builder.

[thael]

To the OP, I agree with some of the other posters. It's probably more or less your diet than anything. If I go carb-crazy for a couple meals I tend to look/feel a bit more bloated/soft. When I stick to my diet I don't change much in appearance, even after a week off.

Muscle memory tends to last a while too. You should be ok. Though no amount of our words will do much to fix your self-confidence.

The look of pumped up muscles - from high reps and lighter weights - fades away within a day or two. The appearance of firm and tight muscles - from heavier weights and lower reps - produces more "muscle tone", and this takes longer to go away. If you do a combination of the two you get the benefits of both.

Uh... my pump's gone in a few hours. But I think you'll get more of a pump the more reps you do (more times you pump blood into that muscle) to a certain extent.

Always thought low reps = strength training, higher reps = hypertrophy. I usually feel more pumped when I do higher reps than when I go for increased weight.

My CNS on the other hand is exhausted after a low rep workout.

[Flair4TheGold]

To the OP, I agree with some of the other posters. It's probably more or less your diet than anything. If I go carb-crazy for a couple meals I tend to look/feel a bit more bloated/soft. When I stick to my diet I don't change much in appearance, even after a week off.

Muscle memory tends to last a while too. You should be ok. Though no amount of our words will do much to fix your self-confidence.



Uh... my pump's gone in a few hours. But I think you'll get more of a pump the more reps you do (more times you pump blood into that muscle) to a certain extent.

Always thought low reps = strength training, higher reps = hypertrophy. I usually feel more pumped when I do higher reps than when I go for increased weight.

My CNS on the other hand is exhausted after a low rep workout.

I agree. I especially like how aerobic the exercises get when I only break for 30-60 seconds in between sets. It also gets me in and out of the gym. There's some people at my gym who act like they're at a grocery store.

[chazzy1864]

It is most likely more mental than anything. Avid worker outers, always seem to feel weaker and smaller after a week or so of no gym time. However it has shown in studies that muscle mass doesn't start to go away until about 3 weeks of inactivitiy.



for the record, high reps isn't hypertrophy; that is muscular endurance. Moderate reps is primarily hypertrophy.

[bongd]

Pictures of aforementioned bum and thigh muscles please. JK!!

Low reps and heavy weights will build hard, dense muscle, but only when your bodyfat is really low will you feel more satisfied. The pump dissipates as blood leaves worked out muscles so you can't maintain that feeling for too long... it sucks. But if you build up enough muscle and get your bodyfat low enough, you can curb the psychological and physical feelings a little bit. You still can't maintain a pump all the time but when you're really lean and training properly, it does last a little longer.

I think everyone here wishes they could be pumped 24/7

[Leyton Stone_old]

You get more toned doing a light weight and higher rep combo, along with HIIT cardio. Just because you prescribe to the heavy weight, low rep routine doesn't mean it's the only way of going about it. Besides, not everyone has the body type to be a body builder.

I don't prescribe to one or the other. If you read my initial post again you'll see I suggest a combination of the two.

Muscle tone is residual muscular tension. This is the continuous and passive partial contraction of the muscles. Unconscious nerve impulses maintain the muscles in a partially contracted state. The higher the residual tension in a muscle, the higher the muscle tone in that muscle. The way to increase tension in a muscle is to engage in "high tension training". Lifting heavy weights generates higher tension in the muscle than lifting light weights.

[thael]

Pictures of aforementioned bum and thigh muscles please. JK!!

Low reps and heavy weights will build hard, dense muscle, but only when your bodyfat is really low will you feel more satisfied. The pump dissipates as blood leaves worked out muscles so you can't maintain that feeling for too long... it sucks. But if you build up enough muscle and get your bodyfat low enough, you can curb the psychological and physical feelings a little bit. You still can't maintain a pump all the time but when you're really lean and training properly, it does last a little longer.

I think everyone here wishes they could be pumped 24/7

Chris Cook mentions your last comment in his delt video. I'm paraphrasing since I'm at work but it's something like, "That doesn't ever change. You don't ever get to a point where you're like, "Yeah I'm big enough." You'll always want to look pumped, no matter how big you get."

Edit: This video - http://youtube.com/watch?v=7CGp-HUz5uI

[Defiant1]

I don't prescribe to one or the other. If you read my initial post again you'll see I suggest a combination of the two.

Muscle tone is residual muscular tension. This is the continuous and passive partial contraction of the muscles. Unconscious nerve impulses maintain the muscles in a partially contracted state. The higher the residual tension in a muscle, the higher the muscle tone in that muscle. The way to increase tension in a muscle is to engage in "high tension training". Lifting heavy weights generates higher tension in the muscle than lifting light weights.

Muscle "tonus" is maintained by very low threshold motor units.

[unity]

The mental aspect is a large factor.

im agreeing with this one.

[DMBsAmricanBaby]

you guys are all soooo helpful! thanks alot!!

[ElderJefferson]

you guys are all soooo helpful! thanks alot!!

And never forget, "the proof is in the pudding". In other words, no matter how you may feel, the mirror and the weights never lie.

[janky]

The mental aspect is a large factor.

I agree. you look great - just keep doin what you're doin

[I dont work at Ballys]

another action packed DMB's butt thread.

[janky]

LOL. it IS a nice butt tho..

[UCONN_CSCS]

And never forget, "the proof is in the pudding". In other words, no matter how you may feel, the mirror and the weights never lie.

MMMmmmm, pudding....damnit why do you have to mention pudding when I'm cutting!?!

[alphaness]

bump

[ThickAsABrick]

bump

negged

[alphaness]

negged

lol thanks

i was bumping for the neutral knight derek dynamo

[ThickAsABrick]

neutral knight derek dynamo

I'm unaware

[alphaness]

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...138941&page=15

[ThickAsABrick]

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...138941&page=15

wake me when/if there are no0dz

[SquatTilYouDrop]

You get more toned doing a light weight and higher rep combo, along with HIIT cardio. Just because you prescribe to the heavy weight, low rep routine doesn't mean it's the only way of going about it. Besides, not everyone has the body type to be a body builder.

Everyone can be a bodybuilder but very few are going to stand on stage and win.

The term "toned" relates to % of muscle as compared to % of body fat and diet is more of factor than anything.