It’s not uncommon to set personal goals when heading into the gym, whether that be getting stronger or focusing on other benchmarks such as weight loss or growing your confidence. One of the most common goals when it comes to working out is ‘toning’ the full body, and while this may be a controversial term in the fitness world, it largely refers to growing more visible muscle while decreasing fat in a healthy manner.
This often comes down to a combination of diet and exercise as most wellness goals do, but there are certain workouts that may be more effective in achieving these changes in your body than other moves. Looking to increase your overall strength and effectively ‘tone up’? Read on to discover the top trainer-favorite moves.
Pushups
At first glance pushups may purely seem like a difficult arm workout, but in actuality they challenge your entire body, engaging your core and working effectively to increase your strength. “Push-ups are incredible and work out every part of your body, helping to tone all your muscles. Doing just 3 sets of 12 pushups three or four times a week can help you start seeing results after only a few weeks,” explains Caleb Backe, Certified Personal Trainer and Health Expert for Maple Holistics. “If you find it hard initially to do a full push up try doing modified ones, using your knees to steady you and pushing up using your torso and hands.”
Squats
Another compound move that requires you to brace your core and engage multiple areas of the body, squats are a great glute building exercise that offer far-reaching benefits. “This exercise is known for not only toning your legs and glutes but also strengthening your core muscles and allowing you more flexibility in your legs,” explains Backe. “After only about a week of doing 3 sets 10 times over, 3-4 times a week, you should start seeing results, especially if you hold weights while doing it.”
As for how to squat most effectively, stand with your feet shoulder distance apart and bend your knees, lowering your glutes until they’re parallel to the ground, making sure to keep your feet as a firm base. This can be done as a bodyweight exercise if you’re just starting out, but eventually squatting dumbbells or a barbell will challenge your muscles even further.
Planks
Planking is a great exercise for sculpting your core, but also requires a fair amount of shoulder strength as you hold this pose for an extended period of time. “Planking is an excellent full-body workout because it targets your core, upper, and lower bodies at the same time,” notes Jake Dickson, Certified Personal Trainer (CPT-NASM) & Contributing Editor at BarBend. “To begin, perform a set of press-ups. Rest your weight on your forearms rather than your hands when you're standing with your elbows bent. From your shoulders to your ankles, your body should be in a straight line. Suck your belly button into your spine to activate your core. Hold this position for a few minutes at a time.” Known for being one of the best exercises to strengthen your abs, planks may also be the key to building full-body muscle as well.
