What Does muscular tone Mean
Tone is a term originating from the Latin tonus that has several meanings. It can be the property of sounds that allows them to be classified as bass or treble according to their frequency; of the particular way of expressing something; of the amount of light of a color ; of the musical accent of the words; or the acoustic signal heard on a telephone when a line is available.
Muscular , on the other hand, is what belongs to or relative to the muscles . A muscle is an organ that is made up of contractile fibers and that can be related to the skeleton (in the case of skeletal muscles ) or to the structure of organs or apparatus ( visceral muscles ).
Muscle tone is known as the permanent state of partial, passive and continuous contraction of the muscles . It is the resting state of the muscles that helps maintain the correct body posture for each movement.
Muscle tone decreases while we sleep due to relaxation, and increases again in wakefulness. The myotatic reflex and the various motor units are necessary for the muscles to regulate and maintain the resting state.
The state of contraction also depends on unconscious nerve impulses . In the event of a jerk, for example, muscle tension increases automatically so that the body maintains balance and as a form of protection against danger.
It should be noted that maintaining muscle tone does not require efforts, since it is regulated by the unconscious activity of the nervous system .
Tips to improve muscle tone
To improve our muscle tone it is advisable to perform a series of exercises with a minimum frequency of two days. It is important to remember that toning must be sought from the work of various parts of the body, such as the arms, back, buttocks and legs. You should always act gradually, starting with the least demanding routines to gradually increase the demand.
Some of the recommended exercises to improve muscle tone are:
* Squats : they are among the most complete, since on the one hand they strengthen and firm the buttocks, but also help to give more stability to the pelvis and trunk. The so-called "air" are the least complicated, since they do not require the use of any tools. On the other hand, moving your arms and legs at the same time is not exactly easy, which is why moderation is important;
* Abs : when it comes to treating muscle tone, the abs are very beneficial , as they tone the arms and abdomen. It is not necessary to exceed ten minutes per day in the first sessions, although it is recommended to add minutes as the body gets used to the exercise;
* Weight bar : if you do not have a bar, then it is possible to use any item whose weight we can adjust to taste, such as a bottle of water. The idea is to lie down and hold the weights at chest level, to make a series of upward movements (leaving the arms straight but not tensing them) and downward (until touching the pectorals), which helps us to strengthen the arms and pectorals and increases our muscles;
* Waist and torso twists : extending the hands, the waist and torso should be turned to the sides, three times per series. It is possible to make lateral or dorsal movements (in this case you must brake when touching the legs with the hands). It is important not to exert yourself too much and to increase the number of twists gradually, without exceeding 8 minutes a day .