People often get confused about the difference between tone up and bulk up, which is understandable since both training programmes involve building muscles. Plus, there are also many myths regarding them, leaving people unsure about what their body needs and which one applies to their fitness goals.

In this blog, personal trainers in Alderley Edge will set the record straight about toning vs. building muscle. Moreover, we have pro tips for you to achieve the kind of muscle definition you want.

Get the Basics Straight

Although people interchangeably use toning up and bulking up in terms of building muscle, the exercises in these training programmes and their effects on the body are essentially different. Not one is necessarily better than the other. It’s more about discerning which of the two suits your body’s needs and matches your fitness goals.

Toning up is basically a process in which your body’s fat content is reduced through exercises that develop and sculpt the muscles. On the other hand, bulking up requires you to increase muscle mass by making your body’s muscles bigger and stronger. If one thing is for sure, both these body transformation goals will involve lifting some weight, whether bodyweight, dumbbells, or other gym equipment.

3 Key Differences of Toning vs Building Muscle

1. Effects of Cardio

Whether you’re toning or building muscle, you’ll greatly benefit from doing cardio exercises. The question is, how much cardio do you need? Working with a personal trainer can help eliminate the guesswork. At Alchemy Personal Training, we create bespoke gym workout plans that account for just the right balance of cardio and strength training.

To get a perfectly toned body, we recommend clients to schedule 20-minute cardio sessions at least three times a week. That way, they can burn calories to reduce body fat and replace them with muscle.

If you're bulking up or building muscle, your goal is to convert body fat into muscle. Our advice is to commit the same amount of time to cardio after a weight workout to get rid of the lactic acid in the body but to consume more macronutrients to account for the calories lost.

2. Weight Training

In regard to weight training, the main difference between tone up and bulk up is in the amount or load of weights and the number of repetitions or sets. Rest assured, our licensed personal trainers in Alderley Edge will be able to tell you when to increase weights or reps.

A weightlifting programme for toning muscles will generally make use of light to medium weights that are lifted 12 to 15 times consecutively. These repetitions are done for one to three sets depending on the person’s fitness level and the total number of exercises. Additionally, two to three sessions of full body weightlifting sessions with five to six different exercises is a perfect way to start toning the muscles.

As for those bulking up to increase muscle mass, we’ll guide you through a progressive overload workout plan involving lifting heavier weights for fewer repetitions per set, ensuring muscles are being conditioned to work harder every training session. To maximise post-workout recovery, we may ask you to alternate between muscle groups, like focusing on the back and biceps on day one and chest and triceps on day two. The gradual increase in weights, sets, or reps will then depend on the muscle group being targeted and the type of exercise. Usually, personal trainers plan for you to perform four to six sets of exercises per session and to have three to six weightlifting sessions per week.

3. The Right Way To Eat

The difference between tone up and bulk up also lies in how you eat and fuel your muscles. To enable you to achieve either fitness goals, our personal trainers in Alderley Edge will also customise the ideal nutrition plan for you with just the right portions of protein, carbs, and fat.

For a sculpted look with toned muscles, our pro tip is for you to follow a calorie deficit diet. This means that you must be burning more calories than you consume in a given week or eat just enough to maintain your current weight. Conversely, those bulking up must adhere to a calorie surplus diet to increase muscle mass, meaning you’ll have to exceed your daily caloric maintenance levels by around 500 calories more or less.

Whether you’re toning or bulking up muscles, you need to eat healthy calories. That said, not all protein is good. In any case, a personal trainer would be able to tell you how much and what type of calories you need to achieve your desired body transformation.

Frequently Asked Questions About Toning vs. Building Muscle

1. Is it better to build muscle or tone first?

The answer greatly depends on your current fitness level, body fat percentage, and fitness goals. Typically, if you’re lean enough or at a healthy weight, you can proceed with your goal to tone or bulk up. If you’re on the lighter side of the scale, you may need to bulk up first. On the other hand, you may need to prioritise toning to cut down on body fat if you’re on the heavier side. Our personal trainers in Alderley Edge will be able to give you a fair assessment of your body weight and ideal body transformation during the initial fitness consultation.

2. Can you get toned muscles without getting bulky?

Yes. The type and frequency of exercise, as well as your diet plan, will influence your body's muscle definition. At Alchemy Personal Training, gym workout plans are tailored to your desired results. 

3. How do you tell if you’re toning the muscles?

Some of the first visible signs of having toned muscles include:

• Clothes start to fit better. 

• Increased flexibility and range of motion, especially around the joints.

• Feeling stronger with higher endurance.

• Enhanced muscle definition in terms of shape or silhouette, not necessarily size.

• Body is firmer–less soft in certain areas.

Final Thoughts on the Difference Between Tone Up and Bulk Up

Knowing how to distinguish toning vs. building muscle will shape the kind of results you can expect from your workout sessions and diet plan. The difference between tone up and bulk up will significantly depend on the amount and type of cardio and strength training you do and what you eat to reach and maintain your desired physique.

At Alchemy Personal Training in Alderley Edge, our expert coaches will customise a gym workout and nutrition plan based on your body transformation goal while considering your individual needs and health condition. Contact us today to learn more.