If I had a pound for every time a client told me, "I don't want to get bulky, I just want to tone up," I would be a rich man. It is the most common misconception in the fitness industry. Here is the reality: "Toning" isn't a physical action. You cannot "tone" a muscle; you can only make it stronger (bigger) or weaker (smaller). The "toned" look that most people desire is actually the result of having lean muscle tissue revealed by low body fat.