If you are building unwanted bulky muscles, you may be doing something wrong with your exercise routine. To get lean and toned muscles, make sure you are including cardio exercise, lifting the right amount of weight and lifting with the proper form --- all of which will help you slim down muscle.
Cardio
The best way to slim down is to incorporate cardiovascular exercise into your routine. If you only strength train you are likely to build bulky muscle mass. A bulky appearance comes from the fat covering your muscles. The only way to rid yourself of this bulk and to appear lean is to burn fat through cardio, according to Todd Durkin, ACE personal trainer of the year.
Cardio Routine
Get four to five cardio sessions in each week. Each session should be at least 30 to 45 minutes, and you should be working at 60 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. To find your maximum heart rate subtract your age from 220. Then multiply that number by .6 and .85 to find the range your heart rate should be in while working out.
Bulky Legs
If you are noticing bulky calf muscles from your squats and lunges, you may be doing them wrong. If you curl your toes under and shift your bodyweight forward, you will overwork your calves, which could build a bulky muscle. Press down through your heels and push your hips back. This works your glutes and hamstrings. Other ideal exercises to lengthen and tone your leg muscles include hamstring curls and leg muscles. You can also tone leg muscles through walking or running uphill, cycling, skating and cross-country skiing.
Lift the Right Amount
Make sure you are lifting enough weight to build muscle. You should be fatigued by the tenth or twelfth rep. Don't lift a weight that's so heavy that you can't make it to the tenth rep, though. Lifting heavier weights fewer times builds bulkier muscles while lifting lighter weights more times will build leaner muscles.
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