To attain a sleek, muscular physique, use a volume training approach. This means doing a high number of repetitions with light weights to develop lean and toned muscles. Avoid training with heavy weights for a limited number of repetitions, as this strategy promotes hypertrophy -- which makes your muscles grow big and bulky. Engage in cardiovascular activity and eat a balanced, nutritious diet to shed fat, lose bulk and add definition to your muscles.
Step 1
Do free weight movements like bench presses, dead lifts and squats twice a week to tone your entire body and boost your metabolism. This will help you shed fat and get ripped. These compound movements recruit multiple muscle groups, helping you become lean with a limited number of exercises. Do five sets of 15 repetitions for each exercise to increase definition in your muscles and reduce bulk. Rest for 35 seconds between sets to ramp up the intensity of your workouts.
Step 2
Run, walk or go for a light jog to burn calories, shed fat and become more muscular. As you lose body fat, your physique becomes more vascular, helping you gain a lean physique without adding muscle mass. The Mayo Clinic advises 30 minutes of cardiovascular activity on most days of the week to lose weight and tighten up your body. This will help you become less bulky and more streamlined. Aerobic activity also improves your heart health and boosts your mood.
Step 3
Eat fewer calories than you burn to shed fat and bulk, creating a more lean, muscular body. The Mayo Clinic advises losing one to two pounds each week by burning 500 to 1,000 calories more than you take in through a combination of diet and exercise. Eat leafy greens and fruits, healthy fats like safflower oil and lean proteins like salmon to cut calories and shed fat. Leafy greens keep blood levels stable, preventing weight gain that creates a bulky physique. Healthy fats boost testosterone levels, helping you maintain lean muscle mass. Lean proteins feed your muscle's critical amino acids, helping you power through your muscle-toning workouts.
TIPS AND WARNINGS
- Perform free weight exercises with a spotter to reduce the risk of injury and maintain the proper form, helping you maintain lean muscle mass. Stretch for five minutes pre- and post-workout to increase your flexibility and minimize the risk of injury while weight training. Warm up with five minutes of jogging before your workouts to bring blood into the muscles. Talk to your doctor before starting a resistance training program.