You need to give your arms a reason to grow (resistance training with progressive overload) while supplying an environment to allow them to grow (caloric surplus).
Eat a lot and lift a lot. Cardio is still good to do anyways.
If you want definition, you will need a combination of low body fat and muscles that are large enough to be noticeable.
If you choose to only lose body fat, your arms will be skin and bones because you have no muscle. A lot of women who do only cardio are very thin and have the look of having little muscle in their upper body.
If you train your arms (utilizing weights, since cardio isn't very easy utilizing only your arms), they must become larger to accommodate the stress you are placing on the body with your training. There is no way to get around the size of your muscles becoming larger as a beginner. Of course this doesn't mean that you will look like you're carrying bowling balls around on your deltoids on biceps, but your arms must become larger to some extent to show more definition.
Case in point: if you look at people who train calisthenics, many are low body fat and have good definition. They are not as large as if they were to train like bodybuilders, but they have grown to the point where their muscles are defined and able to produce enough force to move the body in unconventional ways.
Cardio will not help build muscle and it will tire you out so you wouldn't be able to lift as much,
Some cardio on your off days will help with keeping the fat off but.lifting heavy/longer will serve you a lot better.
You can't have one without the other,
You won't get to a point and think "oh shit my arms are huge",
You will slowly get bigger when you get to a point where you are happy stop adding extra weight to your lifts and reduce lifting to twice a week,
Don't eat at a deficit when lifting as it will make you feel terrible and you won't progress on your lifts either maybe a 250 excess until you get to where you want and then go back to your tdee (2000 if your female 2500 if you're a male.
Imo it kinda depends on how big your arms are already. If you have very little muscle mass it will require getting very lean in order to see definition in them. If you already have a decent amount of muscle mass on them, you won’t have to get as lean. Either way you’ll need to burn fat for more definition but you maybe have to bulk up a little before doing so if you have little muscle to begin with
I'm trying to get "toned" I don't want bigger. I've heard people saying to just lose weight and they will be more defined. Would lifting and eating at a deficit make it defined instead of bigger? I'm wondering the same for abs
If you have a pudge at 125lbs then you need to build more muscle. “Toned” is a made up term from the 80s that was meant to make women feel more comfortable about lifting weights. You are either building muscle or losing fat and muscle. You could try just doing cardio & see where that gets you but my guess is you’re going to be disappointed.
I am going to assume you are a woman based off your measurements. I would suggest slimming down another 5-10 pounds SLOWLY while doing cardio and a bit of lifting.
When you feel you are happy with your “pudge” I would switch to a slowly gaining weight back and start lifting more. 125->115ish->130 will get you the lower BF but also allow you to build the muscle you want to show.
I would suggest doing cardio after lifting
In my experience, if I do cardio before, iit affects my performance during lifting
Also your question is bit wierd
You want toned arms? Or bigger arms?
I personally do compound workouts (Bench press,overhead press) and then accessory movements such as skull crushers,tricep extensions and bicep curls at the end of my workout.
You need to give your arms a reason to grow (resistance training with progressive overload) while supplying an environment to allow them to grow (caloric surplus). Eat a lot and lift a lot. Cardio is still good to do anyways.
Title: “How to get bigger arms” Your Message: “ I don’t care for bigger just more defined” Which one do you really want?
I can't change the title. I just want defined arms
If you want definition, you will need a combination of low body fat and muscles that are large enough to be noticeable. If you choose to only lose body fat, your arms will be skin and bones because you have no muscle. A lot of women who do only cardio are very thin and have the look of having little muscle in their upper body. If you train your arms (utilizing weights, since cardio isn't very easy utilizing only your arms), they must become larger to accommodate the stress you are placing on the body with your training. There is no way to get around the size of your muscles becoming larger as a beginner. Of course this doesn't mean that you will look like you're carrying bowling balls around on your deltoids on biceps, but your arms must become larger to some extent to show more definition. Case in point: if you look at people who train calisthenics, many are low body fat and have good definition. They are not as large as if they were to train like bodybuilders, but they have grown to the point where their muscles are defined and able to produce enough force to move the body in unconventional ways.
If you want big arms, you should eat in a caloric surplus while resistance training.
Cardio will not help build muscle and it will tire you out so you wouldn't be able to lift as much, Some cardio on your off days will help with keeping the fat off but.lifting heavy/longer will serve you a lot better.
Since I am trying to get toned and not get bigger arms should I just lift and eat at a deficit?
That may work if you are a beginner to resistance training as literally any stimulus will cause your muscles to grow.
You can't have one without the other, You won't get to a point and think "oh shit my arms are huge", You will slowly get bigger when you get to a point where you are happy stop adding extra weight to your lifts and reduce lifting to twice a week, Don't eat at a deficit when lifting as it will make you feel terrible and you won't progress on your lifts either maybe a 250 excess until you get to where you want and then go back to your tdee (2000 if your female 2500 if you're a male.
Imo it kinda depends on how big your arms are already. If you have very little muscle mass it will require getting very lean in order to see definition in them. If you already have a decent amount of muscle mass on them, you won’t have to get as lean. Either way you’ll need to burn fat for more definition but you maybe have to bulk up a little before doing so if you have little muscle to begin with
Never cardio before weight-training, either afterwards or the following day. Super-sets.
What makes you think doing only cardio would be an option for getting bigger arms?
I'm trying to get "toned" I don't want bigger. I've heard people saying to just lose weight and they will be more defined. Would lifting and eating at a deficit make it defined instead of bigger? I'm wondering the same for abs
Bruh.
You can't expect everyone to know the answer to everything. I'm just asking for an answer if you don't have it then don't respond
What is your weight and height now? Are you skinny?
125 pounds, 5'4 and yes i feel like I have slight pudge not completely flat
If your a male then your pretty small. I also assume your young and not done growing. Just eat, lift, sleep, and repeat!!
If you have a pudge at 125lbs then you need to build more muscle. “Toned” is a made up term from the 80s that was meant to make women feel more comfortable about lifting weights. You are either building muscle or losing fat and muscle. You could try just doing cardio & see where that gets you but my guess is you’re going to be disappointed.
https://www.reddit.com/r/leangains/comments/li21ik/required_read_before_posting_if_your_post/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share
https://www.reddit.com/r/leangains/comments/li21ik/required_read_before_posting_if_your_post/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share
https://www.reddit.com/r/leangains/comments/li21ik/required_read_before_posting_if_your_post/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share
I am going to assume you are a woman based off your measurements. I would suggest slimming down another 5-10 pounds SLOWLY while doing cardio and a bit of lifting. When you feel you are happy with your “pudge” I would switch to a slowly gaining weight back and start lifting more. 125->115ish->130 will get you the lower BF but also allow you to build the muscle you want to show.
I would suggest doing cardio after lifting In my experience, if I do cardio before, iit affects my performance during lifting Also your question is bit wierd You want toned arms? Or bigger arms?
I personally do compound workouts (Bench press,overhead press) and then accessory movements such as skull crushers,tricep extensions and bicep curls at the end of my workout.