Weights vs. Duration

Let's call this section Weights vs. Duration. Some people have the tendency to pick up heavy weights to increase muscle strength but the potential downside is that it also increases bulk muscle mass. Thus, more weights equals more mass of muscle build up. If you want to increase strength without adding bulk muscle (ie. for toning or sculpting) use LESS weights and focus more on duration. In fact, consider cutting back on sets of reps and focus more on duration with less weight (reps tend to limit you to a fixed amount of exercise). For example, lifting 1.5 liter water bottles (biceps curling) for the duration of your favorite song, without stopping, generates more lean muscle burn than a fixed amount of sets/reps. Alternating leg lifts for 1 or 2 songs without stopping provides overall more effective toning in the long run. Traditional heavy weights or weight machines may be counter-productive leaning out the muscle. Plus, with reps we have a tendency to count and when we reach our "magic number", we tell our bodies that we 'cant' do anymore. On the contrary with duration, its not the count that we focus on but the length of time. You'll be surprised how much more you do in a single song.

Hope this helps. Now, turn on the music and let's get started...