Cutting Up In The Gym

Gettiug tone when you're at the gym is basically the complete opposite of my previous article.  Personally, I have a lot of trouble getting tone so I try to diet and do as much cardio as possible.  I'm just going to give you a few tips on getting lean muscle mass while workout out.  First rule of thumb is always to do low weight, but more reps.  Personally I follow the general rep range of 15 to 10 reps.  Yes, it's very high, but that's because we want a very high intensity type of training.  You're cutting phase of working out is definitely a much more intense workout than your bulking up routine.  You will really feel the lactic acid build up in your muscles.  It does hurt but this is how you get toned.  Also, another rule I like to follow is going to the gym more days and splitting up your body parts.  This way, you burn more calories every day, and you don't have as many days at rest.  When you bulk up you want to be in the gym about 3 or 4 days a week.  When you are trying to tone up you should be going about 5 or 6 days a week.  Unlike bulking up, getting tone should involve a lot more cable and machine movements and less free weights.  You definitely should throw in some free weight exercises as well, but cable movements, body weight movements, and machine movements are very important.  Also, your rest period should only be about 1 to 2 minutes between sets.  Unlike bulking up, where you rest 3 to 4 minutes, when you tone up your muscles you want them to be just barely able to perform the next series of reps.  It's much more intense this way, that's why you should always strart off with a weight you can handle pretty easily for 15 reps.  I have found that pyramidding downward once again has benefitted me the most, because you still will keep your strength and build lean muscle as you do it.  Below is my cutting up routine in the gym.

Chest

Bench Press 3 sets 15 12 10
Dumbell Flyes 3 sets 15 12 10
Cable Flyes 3 sets 15 12 10
Machine Flyes 3 sets 15 12 10
Dips 3 sets 15 15 15

Legs

Squats 3 sets 15 12 10
Lunges 3 sets 15 12 10
Quad Extensions 3 sets 15 12 10
Hamstring Exentsions 3 sets 15 12 10
Calf Raises 3 sets 15 12 10

Back

Barbell Rows 3 sets 15 12 10
Lat Pulldowns 3 sets 15 12 10
Hyper Extensions 3 sets 15 15 15
Seated Rows 3 sets 15 12 10
Pull Ups 3 sets 15 15 15

Shoulders

Dumbell Overhead Press 3 sets 15 12 10
Cable Front Raises 3 sets 15 12 10
Cable Crossovers 3 sets 15 12 10
Rear Delt Flyes 3 sets 15 12 10
Barbell Shrugs 3 sets 15 12 10

Biceps, Triceps

Cable Bar Curls  3 sets 15 12 10
Concentration Curls 3 sets 15 12 10

Rope Pushdowns 15 12 10
V Bar Cable Pushdowns 15 12 10

This in a nutshell is my cutting up routine during the spring and summer.  Along with dieting and cardio this is a pretty solid program to follow, and will definitely help you avoid overtaining.  As you can see the reps are high and the weight is low.  This is a 5 day a week program, unlike my bulking up routine which is 3 days a week.  I also throw in abs every day during this routine and I do a short 15 minute cardio session after each workout.  See if it works for you