toning and definition

[Mare]

Since I have a very busy schedule, I was wondering if the 2 day split routine would build and define muscle? I need to build muscle in my upper body (I am an administrative assistant and sit almost all day) and define muscle all over?

Any advice would be greatly appreciate.
Thanks

[BiggerThanYou]

Tone... . Anyhoo, you need to lower your bfp and decrease your caloric intake until you start losing weight. Don't jump into it balls out though, decrease your intake slightly each week. As for the workout, I like either an upper/lower body split, or HST. Tell me if you would like me to post a few workouts for ya.

[NoMoYoYo]

A Mare doesn't typically HAVE balls, Biggerthanyou

Mare, I think that program would do a good job of building muscle along with a proper diet. If by "tone" you mean lose a little fat and gain a little muscle, you might have better success with a program that works your bigger muscles and is supersetted. Craig has a good one at http://www.grrlathlete.com/grrlChallenge.pdf.

And if I'm wrong about your gender, I apologize.

[Mare]

I am a female. Mare is short for Maryann.
Anyhow, I am 5' 7 1/2' @ 125-128 lbs. I think my body fat is between 17 - 23 %. I recently had the water method test which was 23%. The same day the caliper method was 16.5 %. I eat healthy 98% of the time.
To answer your question... yes, I would like to lose some body fat and build a bit more muscle. I am not sure I understand in your reply that works your bigger muscles and is supersetted.
Thanks [img]smile.gif[/img]

[F1]

My advice for what it's worth;

Decide what you want to do; gain muscle (gain weight) or lose fat (lose weight). 'Cause your going to struggle trying to do both at the same time.

When you say water test method, do you mean hydrodensitometry? (my spelling may be wrong). Because that is more accurate than skinfolds, and so you are likely to be nearer 23% BF. Which, some one correct if I'm wrong, is still a healthy level.

Bigger muscles: chest, back, legs
Smaller muscles: arms, lower legs

Super settng: doing two or more exercises back to back without rest (increases intensity, so burn more calories and increase muscle size).

tone: a term that is meaningless. You can either increase the size of a muscle by lifting weights or decrease the size through not training. You cannot change the shape of a muscle, unless you know a plastic surgeon. You can only reduce the fat over the top of the muscle so it shows through more.

Hope that's of some use
Mac

[NoMoYoYo]

Yeah, pretty much that.

You build muscle AND use up calories (increase metabolism) during recovery. The more muscles you have beaten down, the more stimulus for growth and the more energy required to repair. For that reason I think a full body workout, that gets at a minimum your legs and back or chest involved, is best for fat loss.

Supersetting is a way to pack more work into less time and the minimumal rest gives it a cariovascular benefit as well. I sweat as much from a good circuit type set as I do from jogging.

Best of luck, Mare.