"I just want to tone up, I don't want big muscles"

Hi all,

I thought I'd write a quick note on a common topic that causes some emotional anxiety for a lot of women contemplating their exercise plan.

Hands up if you're a girl and you've uttered the following phrase, "I just want to tone up, I don't want big muscles"...

Ok, you can put your hands back on the keyboard and mouse now to continue reading.

This image is probably what you're scared of when you're told you need to do weight training to get in shape (unless of course that is what you're after, and fair play if it is).

But I guarantee that 99% of you out there would not end up looking like this if you undertook a well structured and individualised weight training program. I could rattle off some stats and facts and figures to underline that point but I think pictures are probably more effective in this instance, so here is a video that I came across this week that really impressed me. It's the cast of the movie Suckerpunch in training, preparing for the film.

I think you'll all agree that these girls are in pretty good shape and don't look overly masculine, and yet as one the cast says, she's lifting 232lbs!! That's pretty impressive.

Research has shown that weight training offers the best bang for your buck in terms of metabolic change and improving your body composition (muscle mass vs body fat %). So ladies, if you're not doing it and you're looking to "tone up", go heavy and get lifting!