> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.foodconsumer.org/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # What's the Best Way to Exercise for Good Muscle Tone? - URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/exercise_for_good_muscle_tone_2404100758/ - Published: 2010-04-24T07:57:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-22T16:07:03.000Z - Description: A New York Times piece calls the fear of bulking up a myth, since building big muscles also takes eating well past 2,000 calories a day. A 2002 study found subjects lifting heavier weights for fewer reps burned more energy and got a greater metabolic boost afterward. - Author: Food Consumer - Tags: Lifestyle, Health News, #vivvo-import Posted by [Dr. Mercola ](http://articles.mercola.com/members/Dr.-Mercola/default.aspx?ref=foodconsumer.org)| April 24 2010 The notion that lifting heavy weights will make you big and bulky may be a myth, according to a *New York Times*article. In order to get bulky muscles, most people would need to consume extra calories as well, to the tune of well over the 2,000 daily amount recommended for many adults. They report: > *“For people who lift weights to tone up and slim down, experts say, a regimen that includes a combination of challenging weights and fewer repetitions can help significantly. In a 2002 study, for example… subjects lifting more weight fewer times burned more energy and had a greater metabolic boost after exercise.”* The conclusion? Heavier weights and fewer reps may be your best route to improving your muscle tone. ### Sources: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f5/c2/f5c28c07-f2c7-440d-8161-125a09d9bc91/content/images/2026/08/ad07fcc2c1b88ea962a7acfb617d9fce0d5472f0.gif) [New York Times April 4, 2010](http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/06/health/06real.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&ref=foodconsumer.org) | Dr. Mercola's Comments: | [![Follow me on twitter](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f5/c2/f5c28c07-f2c7-440d-8161-125a09d9bc91/content/images/2026/08/a4a7fe91740be807a56b49c07f3e67c1ed28df18.png)](http://twitter.com/mercola?ref=foodconsumer.org) [![Follow me on facebook](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f5/c2/f5c28c07-f2c7-440d-8161-125a09d9bc91/content/images/2026/08/700da0f79cfbf8a75ff7b3eaa55a474b9e406ce6.png)](http://www.facebook.com/doctor.health) | | ----------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | > Strength training should be a regular part of your exercise routine … unfortunately many people, especially women, tend to neglect this important part of fitness. > > And I can relate. It was only after 40 years of running as my exclusive form of exercise that I saw the light and started to open my horizons with respect to exercise. > > I learned that cardio is only *one* aspect of fitness. > > Now, at 55 I am the fittest I have ever been in my life. I certainly could run faster when I was younger (2:50 marathon) but I would never trade that to have the muscle strength, flexibility and proprioceptive balance that a far more comprehensive program provides. ## Why Strength Training is So Important > As you age your muscle mass diminishes, and strength training is one of the best ways to replace the lean muscle mass that you’ve lost. If you don’t challenge your muscles in this way, the percentage of fat in your body will keep increasing while your muscle mass will keep decreasing. > > This is especially important as you get older, because long periods of muscle atrophy are more challenging to overcome with age. According to one recent study, older muscles do not respond well to sudden bouts of exercise, so the key is to [work out your muscles on a regular basis](http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/10/24/How-To-Turn-Back-the-Clock-on-Aging-Muscles.aspx?ref=foodconsumer.org) throughout your life. > > The study found that younger muscle tissues had as much as four times more regenerative stem cells compared to old muscle. The authors noted that:*"Two weeks of immobilization only mildly affected young muscle, in terms of tissue maintenance and functionality, whereas old muscle began to atrophy and manifest signs of rapid tissue deterioration.”* > > So the take-home message is: the older you are, the faster your muscles begin to atrophy if you are not engaging in some form of strength training exercise on a regular basis. ## Key Benefits of a Strength Training Program > Ideally strength training should be done regularly throughout your life to both preserve and enhance your muscle mass, along with reaping these additional benefits:[Lower your cancer risk](http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/06/13/What-Surprising-Exercise-Cuts-Your-Cancer-Risk-by-40-Percent.aspx?ref=foodconsumer.org)Increase your bone density while lowering your risk of osteoporosisLose weight (the more muscle you have, the more efficiently your body burns calories)[Protect your joints from injury](http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2002/03/16/fibromyalgia-part-three.aspx?ref=foodconsumer.org)Help maintain flexibility and balanceImprove your stamina and lessens fatigue ## Why You Shouldn’t be Shy About Lifting Challenging Weights > There is a common misconception that if you lift heavy weights, you will develop bulky muscles. This myth stops many women from lifting weights that are challenging enough to provide real benefits. > > In reality, building the type of bulky muscles typical on bodybuilders takes an intensive fitness and dietary regimen. Most people, male or female, will not develop huge muscles just from lifting challenging weights a few times a week. > > On the contrary, studies have shown that women who lifted heavier weights (about 70-80 percent of their ability) in sets of eight repetitions had the [best results in weight loss and body fat reductions](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20019638?ref=foodconsumer.org). > > Typically, a one-set strength training routine, using weights that are heavy enough to exhaust your muscles (but not so heavy that they cause you pain) will work best for most people. ## Tips for Maximizing Your Strength Training Routine > You do not need to waste extra time performing multiple repetitions during your strength training sessions; one set should suffice, and will most likely be more beneficial. > > A study published in the journal [*Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise*](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?orig%5Fdb=PubMed&db=pubmed&cmd=Search&term=Medicine%20and%20Science%20in%20Sports%20and%20Exercise%20[Jour]%20AND%20235[page]%20AND%202000[pdat]&ref=foodconsumer.org) confirmed that for the average person exercising by strength training, the number of repetitions (the number of times a muscle or group of muscles is used to lift a weight) is not of major importance; a single set of repetitions was found to be almost as effective in maintaining fitness as three sets. > > The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) -- the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world -- and the U.S. Surgeon General have also been recommending a 1-set exercise program for some time. > > So incorporating a simple 1-set, five- to 30-minute weight lifting routine into your regular program will definitely improve fitness, and is a practical, obtainable goal for most people. > > But remember, you need to do enough repetitions to exhaust your muscles. The weight should be heavy enough that this can be done in fewer than 12 repetitions, yet light enough to do a minimum of four repetitions. > > It is also important NOT to exercise the same muscle groups every day. They need at least two days of rest to recover, repair and rebuild -- more is not better here. > > For more information on how to get the most benefits from exercise, including proper variety, intensity and duration, be sure to [watch my Primary Principles of Exercise: Aerobic, Interval, Strength, Core video](http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/28/Primary-Principles-of-Exercise-Aerobic-Interval-Strength-Core.aspx?ref=foodconsumer.org). ## Sprint Cardio -- My Newest Understanding of How to Optimize Exercise Training > I was at a fitness camp in Mexico in early April and had the opportunity to meet Phil Campbell, author of [Ready Set Go](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0971663386/optimalwellnessc?ref=foodconsumer.org). He really helped me develop a deep appreciation of how to exercise your FAST twitch muscle fibers. > > The sad reality is that most exercise training programs ignore these fibers, and as a result they start to atrophy. This is particularly tragic as they are some of the most important muscle fibers and are responsible for providing you with your full range of explosive movement. > > There are a number of different ways you can achieve this, such as interval training, burst workout and PACE. Phil teaches a specific form of exercise called Sprint 8\. This is a 20-minute workout that has you doing hyper intense cardio for 30 seconds, then resting for 90 seconds with a cool down and then repeating that sequence for a total of eight reps. With the warm up and cool down it is 20-minute workout. > > It is amazingly intense and one of the most powerful ways to boost your growth hormone levels. Absolutely phenomenal. > > He has also applied these principles to weight training and his system can radically improve weight training workouts with less weight, less risk for injury and better overall results in less time. He calls this system X-Lifts and it is truly extraordinary. > > If I could only do one exercise it would likely be Phil’s system. If you are at all interested in fitness I would highly recommend his book[Ready Set Go](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0971663386/optimalwellnessc?ref=foodconsumer.org). > > I hope to interview him soon