Firstly what does “toning” mean?

Before we begin we need to define exactly what we mean by being ‘toned’. Toning can mean different things to different people, but generally what we are trying to achieve is a combination of building muscle and burning fat.

If you spend hours on an elliptical or treadmill, this will not help you achieve a shapely and curvy look. You will need to develop some muscle in order to get the hourglass body that you desire.

Also, a common misconception about women building muscle is that they will become ‘too bulky’ and lose their feminine figure

Exercises that Tone and Shape your body

When it comes to exercises that tone and shape your body, there are two main types that you need to do. They are compound exercises and high intensity interval training. By combining these 2 types of exercise with a healthy diet you will be able to get a toned and shaped look.

Compound exercises - These are exercises that work multiple muscle groups. The effect of these exercises is that you will build muscle evenly over your whole body, giving you a toned hourglass look.

High Intensity Interval Training - This is a great way to burn a high amount of calories in a short period of time. Due to the intensity of this kind of exercise, your body will continue to burn fuel even after the workout is over.

Here are the top 10 exercises for women to tone and shape their bodies:

(Click On Next Button to Uncover excercises)

Compound exercises

1. Kettlebell Swings

Kettlebell swings work out your legs and butt, as wellas your abs. You will be able to burn fat faster, improve your strength and posture. Even celebrities like Jessica Biel, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Lopezand Penelope Cruz do kettlebell workouts.

Here is a video of how to do a kettlebell swing: