By Jason and Sophie DeHenzel
In the fitness industry, there is an overwhelming amount of information available on what exercises to perform, what exercises to avoid and how to get the best results. Most of the time, the information is factual, credible and can be very helpful. However, some of the information you can stumble across falls into the myth category. To help you steer clear of these fitness myths, we’ve compiled three common ones to be on the lookout for:
Myth 1: Lifting weights will make you bulky
Many people, women in particular, are led to believe that if they touch a weight or a slightly heavy weight, they will bulk up like Superman. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Building muscle and putting on size is really difficult to do, and it not only requires an increase of everyday calories but also a higher level of testosterone. Contrary to what we are programmed to believe, lifting weights, especially heavy weights, can burn more fat and help you work toward a slimmer, healthier figure.
Myth 2: Muscle confusion is essential
The second myth is that muscle confusion is essential if you want to see results. Many believe that in order to reach goals at the gym, you have to constantly mix up your workout. There is some truth to that: You need to change up your routine for continuous results, but you don’t need to completely overhaul it. In fact, you should strive for a progressive workout rather than one dictated by muscle confusion. For a progressive workout, increase either the weight, reps or speed or decrease rest time between exercises. You still see results in a repeated workout routine so long as it’s progressively grows over time.
Myth 3: Cardio is the only way to lose weight
Another fitness myth is the notion that the only way to lose weight is to perform cardio—and a lot of it. While cardio is essential to any weight-loss program, it’s not the only nor the best way to lose weight. In addition to cardio, nutrition and lifting weights are important for a successful weight-loss program. Lifting weight specifically will help you build muscles, which will allow your body to burn more fat. Cardio can aid in this process, but it’s not the only way to lose weight.
