Weight loss is good, but toning the body is better. Did you know that you can tone your entire body with specific exercises?
If your goal is weight loss, seeing the numbers on the scale drop is great. However, you may notice that some body parts are not to your standards. If you want a smaller waist, more defined abs, or defined back muscles, you should focus on toning the body.
Toning refers to leanness characterized by less body fat, more defined muscles, and a shapely figure. Toning differs from bulking up in that you do not have to increase muscle mass; just reduce body fat.
So how do you tone your body? Your diet plays a crucial role in improving your figure. Another method is regular exercise which is this article’s topic of discussion.
Below are 10 exercises that help tone your entire body. They are simple, easy to incorporate into a daily routine (yes, even at home), and will take a few minutes to complete.
Exercises To Tone Your Body
Squats
Most people view squats as an exercise that yields little. But, it is a simple exercise that offers many benefits to the body. Squats improve stability and increase flexibility in your lower back and hips.
Squats engage some of the largest muscles in the body. They tone your glutes and quadriceps while engaging the core and hip muscles.
To achieve optimal results, brace your core and keep your chest and chin up. Simultaneously, push your hips back and bend your knees as if you’re going to sit in a chair. You should be able to experience flexibility in every part of your body after a few days of regular exercise.
Standing overhead dumbbell presses
A toned body does not come easy. But lifting the heaviest of weights may not yield the desired toning results. Instead, it would help to focus more on compound exercises that utilize multiple joints and muscles. Such activities can spread to several parts of your body at once.
One of the most effective compound exercises is the standing overhead press. Though difficult for beginners, it is one of the best exercises for targeting your shoulders. It helps with stability and balance. In addition, it engages your upper back and core.
Arch Up
Arch up is a fun activity kids enjoy. But it can be effective for toning the whole body. Lie down on your stomach with your arms by your side.
Once comfortable, lift your head and arch your back off the floor. Slowly rolling it back down will spread the effects of muscle relaxation all over the body. The exercise targets your glutes, hamstrings, middle chest, and neck.
Swimming
While swimming is not something you can do at home, the seasonal exercise is great for toning your body. Swimming at a steady pace for 30 minutes can burn 250 calories. So when the sun is out, use every opportunity to swim.
The exercise is good for toning your arms since pulling against the water provides resistance. Incorporating various techniques such as the butterfly and freestyle tones the pectoral muscles and shoulders.
In addition, incorporating swim fins gives you extra resistance to tone your leg muscles. You will target the hamstrings, calves, and ankles.
Burpees
Burpees are effective because they target muscle groups of the whole body. The exercise will help you burn fat very effectively while helping to increase cardiovascular activity.
A more effective burpee exercise involves standing with the feet shoulder-width apart and your hands down at your sides. Occasionally, reach your arms in front of you until they touch the ground.
Spin Exercise
Exercise bikes are popular for thigh muscle toning. Athletes use bikes to strengthen and tone their hamstrings and quadriceps. But surprisingly, spinning targets other parts of the body. Cycling can help tone your abs by reducing belly fat. It can also enhance the appearance of your upper arms, hips, back, and glutes.
Planks
Planks target the whole body efficiently and could be the key to getting more defined abs. The good news is that it’s a simple exercise that can provide core strengthening, improve flexibility, increase balance and coordination, and provide a healthy posture.
If you are new to exercising, start with wall inclinations and graduate to regular planks. In addition, you could explore modified versions to gain more benefits.
Push-ups
It can be beneficial to incorporate push-ups into your routine. The exercise activates multiple muscles in your body. You can tone your triceps, pectoral muscles, shoulders, lower back, core, and glutes.
In addition, push-ups enhance cardiovascular health, promote the release of human growth hormones, and cultivate a strong body.
Jumping rope
It may have been a few years since you last skipped rope, but it could be the exercise that finally tones your body. 15 minutes of continuous rope jumping can burn up to 300 calories. Jumping rope helps tone the calves, quads, and hamstrings. If you keep your core tight, skipping rope can also tighten your ab, glute, and arm muscles.
Remember to keep your legs straight and bounce on the balls of your feet. In addition, do not put your hands too apart when skipping.
Dance
Dancing is becoming a more popular form of workout for its aerobic benefits. It is a full-body exercise that can help burn fat, toning your body.
Dancing targets your glutes, calves, hamstrings, and quads, depending on the style and specific choreography. Some routines also help tone your belly.
The best thing about dancing is that it requires few resources. Just a small space with some music, and you are good to go.
The Takeaway
Are you ready to tone your body? You don’t have to rely on medical and alternative procedures to get your dream body.
The above exercises will give your body defined muscles and an ideal figure. Best of all, you don’t need an expensive gym membership– the space in your home will do. Pair the routine with a healthy diet, and you’ll be on your way to your ideal body goals.
