Training myths: 10 common mistakes in the gym
Every training myth you believe costs you time and muscle. Here are the ten most common misconceptions that still live on in gyms — and what you should actually know about them.
Training myths about muscles and technique
1. Women should train lighter than men. Completely wrong. Women have significantly less testosterone, which means muscle building is already harder for them. So why train even lighter? Intense strength training raises testosterone levels in women too — and you don’t end up too big just by accident. Compound exercises, heavy weights, proper nutrition.
2. Behind-the-neck pulls and presses are dangerous. They are dangerous only if you already have shoulder problems or poor flexibility. Ask yourself: are my shoulders healthy? Do I do a lot of exercises that load the shoulders? What is my posture like? If the answers are positive, nothing stands in your way.
3. You can train the inner chest separately. The chest muscle works as if it were attached to an elastic band — it stretches along its entire length. Studies do show that different parts of a muscle can be activated differently, but there is a big gap between lab measurements and real-world results.
4. Isolation exercises are pointless. They aren’t. The question is placement — the first two or three exercises should be compound exercises. Isolation exercises belong at the end of the workout, with a higher rep count and a good pump. That way you get the most out of them.
Squatting myths: two common misconceptions
5. Deep squats are dangerous for your knees. A study by Salem and Powers showed that deeper squats — thighs below parallel to the floor — don’t load the knees any more than shallower ones. And since deep squats activate more muscles, there is really no point in stopping at a shallow depth. Exception: if you have large thigh muscles and calves, the wedge in the hollow of the knee could in theory cause problems — check by hand.
6. Your knees must not go past your toes when squatting. A study by Fry, Smith and Schilling: when a board was placed in front of the shins to stop the knees from going past the toes, force output fell by 22%. Meanwhile, force output at the hip joints grew by over 1000%. So — decide for yourself where you want to build strength.
Fat burning and cardio
7. Fasted cardio burns the most fat. Insulin levels are low and the body is primed for fat burning — in theory, that sounds great. The problem: muscle mass suffers too. One study found that a small serving of BCAAs before low-intensity training helps preserve muscle. To be on the safe side — eat 5–10 grams of protein before training so you don’t start from a completely fasted state.
8. To burn fat, your heart rate must be 60–70% of your maximum. Alarm bells should go off right away. The body burns fat around the clock — not only while you train. In the 60–70% range, more calories come from fat than from carbohydrates, but over the rest of the day the body compensates — the end result is zero. Weight loss is determined by calorie deficit, not by which source the calories come from.
9. The body only starts burning fat after 20 minutes. No. The body burns fat continuously. This myth is related to the previous one — same logic, same mistake.
10. When dieting, you have to train with a high rep count to make your muscles stand out more. Muscle shape is determined by genetics — full stop. Lighter training won’t change the shape or contours of your muscles. In a calorie deficit, the body needs a good reason to hold on to muscle mass — light training doesn’t provide that reason and can lead to losing muscle mass.
Bonus: training to failure is mandatory. It isn’t. Constant failure training leads to overtraining. Training to failure only on the last set is a sensible compromise. Training without going to failure keeps the nervous system fresher, allows heavier weights and shorter rest periods — and gives you more muscle mass in the long run.
FAQ
Should women train differently than men?
Not in terms of intensity. Women need heavy strength exercises just as much — or even more — because their testosterone levels are significantly lower and muscle building is harder.
Do deep squats damage your knees?
Studies don’t confirm that. A deep squat doesn’t load the knees any more than a shallow squat, but it activates considerably more muscles.
What actually determines weight loss?
Calorie deficit. Not heart rate, not the length of your workout, and not whether you ate before training — simply energy balance.
Translated from the magazine Body; Author: Michael Höglund
Author: Greta
Source: Turg.Fitness.ee
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