Summer is approaching and you want to get in shape so you can confidently walk along the beach, while everyone is staring at you.

However, you also want to build muscle to look stronger and intimidating towards others. It will also help with the sports you play.

Obviously, it’s about your preferences, but which route should you go for?

We’ll be looking at the pros and cons of each route you can take.

What is muscle building?

Building muscle is when you work out, so you inevitably put on more muscle mass and look bigger. 

You often train with moderately weighted weights to increase the burn of your muscles, and so you can increase time under tension, so you create the most micro tears and build muscle.

Most of the time you consume more protein to increase your muscle mass gains.

But some people take different approaches to working out, for example, some people bulk and some regularly build muscle (the healthy way). 

If you want to learn more about that, I wrote a comparison article on muscle building vs bulking: Muscle building vs Bulking

What is toning?

Toning is also when you work out, but you avoid getting bigger and bulky. You rather want to be leaner, and more defined (the shape of your muscles showing more), meaning you must have a lower body fat percentage.

But you can have a low body fat percentage, and STILL be BIG. In this case, you either:

  • Train with heavier weights,
  • Do some cardio
  • Or cut down on the protein you consume and increase your healthy fat intake. (Also cut down on the carbohydrates you consume).

But that is only for if you have a low body fat percentage and you’re trying to get leaner.

Anyway, you train normally with moderately weighted weights, and to get even leaner you can target the muscle fibres with the smaller cross-section by using heavier weights.

Comparison

You can be lean and defined and still be strong, or you can be big and bulky and be even stronger. Maybe you prefer looking bulky than lean.

Or maybe you’re trying to impress someone by being lean?

Here are the pros and cons of these popular routes: 

The pros of muscle-building

  • You will look bigger and bulkier
  • You have the potential to get relatively stronger than toning
  • You can in most cases exert more force on others which can be useful in physical sports like rugby

The pros of toning

  • You look more defined (the shape of your muscles becomes more visible)
  • You generally have more agility, which can be beneficial in explosive sports like basketball
  • You can still be strong
  • You generally have more stamina 

The cons of muscle-building

  • You typically have less agility
  • You aren’t always necessarily “strong”
  • You generally have less stamina

The cons of toning

  • You generally exert less force
  • You don’t have as much potential to get as strong as people with more muscle mass

The reasoning behind muscle-building

It is arguably the most popular topic in the fitness industry so most people want to get big because they prefer it that way!

Maybe they want to look intimidating and it makes them feel more confident, or they are very skinny and they want to get bigger. If they play highly physically demanding sports, like rugby, more muscle mass would help them to exert more force on their opponents (through their weight and strength).

Or perhaps they’re competing in a muscle-building show and need to get big with a low body fat percentage (which also falls into the toning category).

The reasoning behind toning

Many people also want to tone because they look more defined and lean. They probably want all the eyes when at the beach!

Other than that, maybe they require a high strength-to-mass ratio to be more explosive and have more agility in such sports as basketball. And because they’re mainly training for strength, they may get toned without realising it!

Some people are confident when they look lean, and maybe they like having more mobility and stamina. Although people with more muscle mass can also build more stamina and agility, they will get leaner or if they don’t they won’t have as much potential to gain more stamina and agility.

On the other hand, some people feel healthier when they are lean.

Choose the path that aligns with YOUR goals

It’s your preference! For example, sports as I’ve mentioned can affect your choice. Overall, it’s about which path you feel the most comfortable in when you achieve it.

Is your goal to fit in those clothes? Then tone.

Are you trying to fill the T-shirt? Then build muscle.

But make sure that if you pick the muscle-building route, you regularly build muscle rather than bulk. 

I have the reasons why in the comparison article I wrote: Muscle building vs Bulking.

If you’re struggling to build a workout plan, read this article: How to Build an Effective Workout Plan.

And if you’re trying to tone, read the strength training sections in the same article above.

And if you don’t want to build a workout plan, follow the one reaped gains from: Get fit before the SUMMER!