Those who lift weights tend to fall into one of two categories: those who are looking to get very strong and be able to lift progressively bigger and bigger amounts of weight, and those who are looking to add tone to their muscles. Each goal requires different kinds of weight training. Those wanting to be able to lift a lot of weight will, during the course of their training, lift a lot more weight than those who are looking to add tone to their muscles. One of the golden rules of adding tone while using weights to train is “high reps, low resistance.” This means that whereas a power lifter may lift five hundred pounds ten times, someone looking to work on their muscle tone might only lift fifty pounds, but might do it a hundred times. High reps, low resistance.

One of the best pieces of fitness equipment that was ever invented for those looking to increase their muscle tone is the Body Bar. The Body Bar is, at its simplest description, a weight shaped like a long cylinder, basically a heavy stick. That description, however, does not do it justice. The Body Bar is extremely versatile, and can be used in a nearly limitless amount of possibilities to increase physical fitness and muscular tone.

Body Bars come in several different weights, and one can do many things with them. A Body Bar can be used to work your upper body, doing activities like the bench press or the military press, or you can use them to work on your lower body, doing squats and lunges. Again, this piece of equipment is perfect for your goal of adding tone to your muscles, because it does not weigh all that much, which allows you to complete many more repetitions, which is the key to this kind of weight training. It is not hard to imagine doing fifty or one hundred squats with a thirty-pound Body Bar, but doing that many squats with three hundred pounds on your back would be pretty close to impossible for all but the strongest of weight trainers.

Body Bars have other applications besides traditional weight training, though. Some people will run distances holding them over their heads, which both increases the muscular tone of their arms and upper body muscles, while also being a better cardiovascular workout than what they would get from simply running without a Body Bar. Along this same token, some exercise gurus will run with a Body Bar, and pump out repetitions of curls or overhead presses or upright rows along the way. It takes a bit of coordination, but the effect on your muscles will be very visible after prolonged use.

People seeking to tone up their muscles and present a more attractive “beach body” would be well served to examine the benefits of the Body Bar. This extremely versatile piece of equipment is great for just that purpose. Very few other products on the market today can boast the kind of multipurpose attributes of the Body Bar.

Author Bio: I write for TIR Massage Stone about hot stone massage and massage stone therapy including hot stone therapy.

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: body bar,weights,tone to muscles,power lifter