Fitness myths: 34 common misconceptions

A fitness myth tends to stick around precisely when it sounds simple and confident. Here is the final part of the series: myths 67–100, covering strength training, nutrition, supplements and whose advice is actually worth listening to.

The earlier parts are here: A Hundred Bodybuilding and Fitness Myths 1-33/100… and A Hundred Bodybuilding and Fitness Myths 34-66/100…

Why do fitness myths stick around so stubbornly?

Information spreads fast in the gym. Someone heard something from a trainer, someone else watched a video, a third person bought a supplement whose ad promised a miracle. Some advice is useful, some is simply incomplete, and some is pure nonsense.

The point of this list is not to laugh at anyone. It is more of a reminder that bodybuilding and fitness don’t run on slogans. Your body doesn’t care how good a claim sounds. It responds to training load, recovery, food and consistency.

Honestly, many of these myths will be familiar from Estonian gyms too. Some people still say that women should only train with light weights. Some believe machines are always safer than free weights. Some figure that once the workout is done, you can eat whatever you like for the rest of the day. The simple truth: none of these ideas is as solid as it first appears.

Fitness myths about training

On the training side, myths often start with exercise selection. For example, the claim that isolation exercises build plenty of muscle mass sounds comfortable. In reality they have their place, but most of the work is done by basic compound exercises, where several muscle groups work at once.

The same goes for machines. Machines can be useful, especially for a beginner or someone recovering from an injury, but they are not automatically the safest way to train. Bad technique on a machine is still bad technique. Free weights are not the enemy when the movement is controlled and the weight suits your level.

67. Isolation exercises also build plenty of muscle mass.
68. Machines offer the safest way to train.
69. Women don’t need barbell and dumbbell exercises.
70. You can also train the peak of the biceps to be sharper and change its shape.
71. If your goal is muscle definition and separation, you have to use long sets.
72. Women shouldn’t train the same way as men.
73. Squatting on a ball is safe and normal.

There is especially a lot of noise around women’s training. Training with a barbell and dumbbells won’t make anyone huge overnight. It will, however, help you build a stronger body, better posture and more confident movement. Nor do you have to do long sets just because your goal is a “toned” look. Body fat percentage, muscle mass and overall nutrition matter far more here.

Supplements and big promises

In the supplement world there is an old rule: the bigger the promise, the more calmly you should read it. When “Supplement X” supposedly raises testosterone levels by 1200%, there is reason to hit the brakes. That kind of advertising is not a training plan.

It is equally worth being wary of claims that a product is a “legal steroid” or helped someone gain 15 kg of muscle mass in 12 weeks. Yes, some people progress quickly. Yes, a supplement can help when your diet is otherwise in order. But numbers like that are not a reliable promise for an ordinary person.

74. “Supplement X” raises your testosterone levels by 1200%!!!
75. “Supplement X” is a legal, lawfully permitted steroid!!!
76. “Supplement X” helped “Juss Jalakas” gain 15 kg of muscle mass in 12 weeks!!!
77. Whey, or whey protein, is not a processed supplement.

Whey protein is a simple example. It can be a convenient way to hit your protein target, but it is still a processed product. That doesn’t automatically make it bad. The question is whether you use it sensibly or hope that a tub will fix poor nutrition and haphazard training.

Fitness myths about nutrition

Nutrition myths are especially stubborn. Fat doesn’t turn into muscle and muscle doesn’t turn into fat. They are different tissues. When you start training, you can lose fat and build muscle at the same time, especially as a beginner, but it is not a magical swap.

78. Whoever is muscular knows exactly how to train and eat correctly.
79. Whoever is strong knows exactly how to train and eat correctly.
80. Training can make women’s breasts bigger.
81. When you start training and exercising, fat is replaced by muscle.
82. The weights you lift don’t need to increase progressively.
83. If you train, you can eat whatever you want, whenever you want and as much as you want.
84. Low-fat foods are good for you.
85. Whole boiled eggs are bad for your health!
86. Cow’s milk will kill you!

“Low-fat” doesn’t automatically mean healthy either. Sometimes such a food is a good choice, and sometimes extra sugar has been added or the flavor simply disappears. The same goes for eggs and milk: a single food is usually neither the problem nor the savior. What matters is your whole diet.

And that old idea that you can eat anything as long as you train? It only works as long as your energy expenditure and the amount you eat really match up. Most people don’t train enough for completely random eating to get them in better shape.

Whose advice should you trust?

Being in great shape doesn’t automatically make someone a good teacher. A strong person may know a lot, but they may also simply be gifted, consistent or use methods that don’t suit everyone. The same applies online. Just because advice sounds smart doesn’t mean it’s right for you.

87. Women can and should train with lighter weights and longer sets.
88. You can get into remarkably good shape even without working very hard.
89. If you haven’t made much progress in your training and development, you’re probably a hardgainer.
90. Steroid users don’t have to train as hard as naturals.
91. You can’t get strong as a natural lifter.
92. Natural bodybuilders don’t look big.
93. If training information you find online sounds smart, you should trust it.
94. You should definitely listen to the advice of online trainers who have no photos or videos online, too.
95. You have to train to failure, otherwise there’s no real progress.
96. You have to use workout-intensifying techniques.
97. If a piece of training advice has no scientific basis, it makes no sense to apply it.
98. Fruit is the devil.
99. Protein shakes make you fat.
100. You can’t make progress training only 2 – 3 times a week.

There are several good reminders here. Training to failure can be a tool, but it isn’t a requirement for every set. Intensifying techniques can add variety, but a regular workout has to be working in the first place. And training 2 – 3 times a week you can absolutely make progress, as long as your program, effort and recovery are in place.

So what really matters? Check whether the advice suits your level, whether it’s repeatable and whether it helps you move forward sensibly. Not everything has to be complicated. Sometimes the best solution is simply better technique, a slightly more consistent program and a calmer attitude toward advertising slogans.

FAQ

Is every fitness myth completely false?

Not necessarily. Some myths contain a grain of truth that has been blown out of proportion. For example, machines can be useful, but they aren’t always safer than free weights.

Should women train differently from men?

The principles are the same: good technique, an appropriate training load, progression and recovery. A program can differ by goal, experience and preferences, not simply by sex.

Can you make progress training 2 – 3 times a week?

Yes, you can. Training 2 – 3 times a week can be a very good rhythm if your workouts are well thought out and the training load increases over time.

The original article comes from: www.muscleandbrawn.com

Author: Janar Rückenberg (translation)

Come and train! ArtGym