Debunking Muscle Building Myths

By Russ Hollywood


Learning how to build muscle can be very confusing. Today we will reveal the top myths and help you to debunk them in double quick time. Are you ready to get started?

While you may scoff at hearing questions such a "Should women lift weights?" or "Are supplements bad for you?", the truth is many people are confused on subjects which can be answered quite easily, they just don't have anybody who is prepared to sit them down and explain things to them.

No matter what your fitness goals may be, there are so many myths out there that you can over complicate almost any situation. The moment you feel you have found something which works for you, you can be set back to square one by telling you what you're doing is wrong even though it is working for you... When you base your decisions on scientific research rather than popular opinion you will notice greater results. []

1) Can girls lift weights or not?

Do not buy into the old stereotypes of guys lifting dumbbells and girls running on treadmills. The old myth that ladies will develop big, bulky muscles if the lift weights is pure nonsense. The problem is most people in gyms still believe this to be true. If you are trying to shed unwanted pounds and get leaner, you should include resistance training within your regular workout routine.

2) Are supplements vital to success?

Another hotly contested area, the importance of supplement is greatly overplayed in the media. Particularly in fitness magazines, who make a great deal of their income by recommending certain brands and products to readers. The key word, of course, is 'supplement'. It's there to help you reach your goal, not to replace food. You should never get to the stage where you feel like you are living out of tubs and packets, unless you are in space working within a NASA crew!

3) How many times per week should you workout?

Contrary to popular opinion, more does not always mean better. This is particularly true when it comes to exercise. In fact, gym newcomers should not train more than three times per week for maximum results. Those rest periods are as important as the training itself, so be careful not to neglect them. Once you feel ready to step things up try alternating onto a two day split routine, focusing on each muscle a little bit more and hitting different body parts on different days of the week.

4) Can you succeed without sorting out your diet?

Many people have their own opinions on whether diet is more important than exercise or the other way around, but the truth is they are both vital to your success. It's like trying to figure out whether fuel is more important than your car, it's a pointless argument because they need each other to get the best from both sides. If you think you can achieve success without watching what you eat, this approach will catch up to you very quickly.

5) How many calories should you eat per day?

When it comes to calories there are two common mistakes made. Either you are eating too many or too few. Most people who eat too few are doing so because they want to lose weight, but they don't realize that they are forcing their body into starvation mode. Basically, it is hanging onto every gram of fat it can in order to feed itself because it's not getting enough nutrition. A good system for those who want to build muscle is to multiply your goal body weight (in pounds) by 15. Those who want to tone up should multiply by 12 and those looking to drop weight quickly and effectively should multiply by 10. This will give a good ball park figure to aim for each day with regards to each individual goal.

These 5 myths are common in most gyms around the wold and you will continuously see people making the same mistakes over and over again. Most people who want to find out how to build muscle simply don't know where to turn and are often misled by such myths because, more often than not, the loudest voice in the gym wins. However, when you look at the science on each subject discussed today you will notice that these common myths are very easily debunked.




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