The Most Common Gym and Fitness Myths
Many people never start working out because of some obnoxious training myths. Some of these training myths are as old and stupid as “the earth is flat” theory. The false folklores live on because no one took out the time to bust them – until now.
We’re taking the responsibility of debunking these myths on ourselves. After reading this article, you might still choose to be a couch potato but you’ll not have the option of taking cover behind any of these myths.
All You Need Is – Eat Less Exercise More
Most people keep postponing starting working out because they assume that they can craft the physique of their dreams anytime they want by doing these two things. These people get the shock of their lives the first day they finally step into the fit lifestyle.
A Good Workout Burns a Lot of Calories
For many fitness noobs, all that matters is how many calories they burn. If they don’t close all the rings on their Apple watch, they don’t consider it a good workout. Learning the basics and the correct training form should be the priority when starting training. The other things will fall in place with time.
You Can’t Build Muscles Without Supplements
One of the most common bodybuilding myths is that you can’t build muscle without protein supplements. Remember – nothing beats real food and the powders are called ‘supplements’ for a reason.
Protein Damages Kidneys
Since we’re on the topic of protein, let’s debunk another myth. Many people believe the broscientists who demonize the protein powder for alleged kidney damage. There have been no studies that prove that systematic protein intake can harm your organs.
Lifting Weights Makes You Bulky
We wish building muscle mass was as easy as hitting the gym a couple of days a week. You shouldn’t expect to magically build muscle by accidentally lifting a couple of dumbbells in the weight room. Your results will depend on your training program.
Compound Movements Are Bad For Your Joints
Some gym rookies think that compound (multi-joint) lifts like the squats, deadlifts and bench presses are bad for them as they can put too much stress on the joints. On the contrary, the squat and hip hinge movement patterns are vital for health and performance. The best training programs include a balance of compound and isolation lifts.
It’s Not A Good Workout If You Didn’t Get a Pump
Many people judge the quality of their workouts by the pump at the end of the workouts. This measure can be faulty as muscle pumps depend on multiple factors like your diet, recovery and mind-muscle connection. A change in any factor can impact the muscle pumps.
You Can’t Lose Weight Without Cardio
We’re sure you’ve seen people who get a gym membership just so they can use the treadmill. While cardio equipment can be effective in weight loss, you can burn the same amount of calories in a well-designed HIIT weight-lifting session that focuses on excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, or EPOC.
Lift Big To Get Big
We can understand that watching Ronnie Coleman training videos can discourage you but you don’t have to take that path. You can achieve your dream physique through many different paths and you’re free to choose the one that suits you.
Hitting Failure In Every Workout Can Lead To Overtraining
Many people leave gains on the table because they don’t train to failure in fear of overtraining. Overtraining is easier said than done. You can train to your heart’s delight because most people can’t achieve overtraining even if they wanted.
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*Header image courtesy of Envato Elements.
