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Muscle Myths Revealed: Are you a believer?
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Strength Training
"If you're serious about making a solid commitment to a muscle-building program, you need to be very careful of who you take advice from. Bodybuilding and fitness is literally a multi-billion dollar industry with new websites popping up every single day. Many of the so-called "experts" out there really don't have a clue of what they're talking about and are only motivated by pushing expensive pills, powders and "miracle programs" on you that you don't really need. If you don't watch your step you may end up falling for some fatal muscle-building pitfalls that will literally destroy your gains and prevent you from ever achieving the impressive, muscular physique you desire. Below are 4 very common muscle-building myths in order to keep you on the proper path to the mind-blowing muscle and strength gains you deserve.
Myth #1: In order to build muscle, you must achieve a "pump" during your workout. The greater the pump you achieve, the more muscle you will build.
For those of you who are just starting out, a "pump" is the feeling that you get as blood becomes trapped inside the muscle tissue when you train with weights. The muscles will swell up and leave your body feeling bigger, tighter, stronger and more powerful. While a pump does feel fantastic, it has very little, if anything to do with properly stimulating your muscles to grow. A pump is simply the result of increased bloodflow to the muscle tissue and is certainly not indicative of a successful workout. A successful workout should only be gauged by the concept of progression. If you were able to lift more weight or perform more reps than you did in the previous week, then you did your job.
Myth #2: Building muscle will cause you to become slower and less flexible.
This one goes back to the old days when people described bodybuilders as being "muscle bound" and "bulky". Contrary to what you may think, building a significant amount of lean muscle mass will actually speed you up rather than slow you down. Muscles are responsible for every movement that your body makes, from running to jumping to throwing. The bottom line is that the stronger a muscle is, the more force it can apply. Having stronger, more muscular legs means increased foot speed, just as having stronger and more muscular shoulders means the ability to throw farther. Strong muscles are able muscles, not the other way around.
Myth #3: You must always use perfect, textbook form on all exercises.
While using good form in the gym is always important, obsessing over perfect form is an entirely different matter. If you are always attempting to perform every exercise using flawless, textbook form, you will actually increase your chances of injury and simultaneously decrease the total amount of muscle stimulation you can achieve. Remember, we are not robots! It's very important that you always move naturally when you exercise. This could mean adding a very slig"... read entire tip
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created by
MleighS84
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saved on 7/1/2008
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3
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9.5
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100 %
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Drink Caffeine before a Power Nap
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General/Other
"Are you one of those people who needs a 20 minute power nap before you hit the gym? Here's a power napping tip that will reduce post-nap grogginess. It might sound like a bad idea, but you should actually drink some caffeine right before you take a nap (if you're trying for a 20 minute power nap).
Caffeine takes 20 - 30 minutes to affect your body. So drinking a caffeinated soda before your nap will make you more alert when you cell phone alarm rings - warning you that nap time is over."
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power naps, caffeine
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created by
ryan
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saved on 6/26/2008
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2
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12.9
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100 %
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View exercise as stress relief
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General/Other
"See exercise as a stress releaser - A simple shift in attitude can do wonders for your stress levels.
If you've had a long, hard day at work, exercise is something to look forward to in order to relieve your stress and revive yourself. Not to mention you can work through a lot of issues in your head during a workout...that's when I think of most of my business ideas!"
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motivation, inspiration, stress relief
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created by
davegleason
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saved on 6/24/2008
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2
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7.7
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100 %
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Diets Don't Work
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Diet and Nutrition
"Never go on a diet! Statistics show that going on and off diets will actually increase your chance of permanent weight gain. Skipping meals is a common mistake that dieters make. While this will lead to a lower calorie intake, it will also trigger your body to slow down your metabolism in order to conserve energy, thus causing you to burn fewer calories."
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created by
wilsonk92
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saved on 6/21/2008
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4
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13.3
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100 %
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BENEFITS OF SLOW REPS !!
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Strength Training
"Slow reps allow you to isolate a muscle more thoroughly, plus effective isolation leads to better and more complete muscular development. Slowing down your reps to a speed that eliminates excessive momentum, or keeps it to a minimum, is certainly a major step toward getting more muscle fiber stimulation. Remember, for building muscle, a slower speed of movement is always superior to a faster speed."
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muscles, strength, fitness, slow reps
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created by
OldeButGoode
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saved on 6/19/2008
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2
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8.4
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100 %
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Common Post-Workout Mistake
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General/Other
"The exercise-more, eat-more attitude can backfire, according to a recent study. After 328 overweight women exercised for six months, those who had worked out for 190 minutes a week lost the same amount of weight on average as those who exercised just 70 minutes. Unfortunately, it isn't uncommon for frequent exercisers to fall into the trap of thinking they've burned enough calories to have earned a treat, just a little dessert or an extra helping of their favorite dish. What happens is they end up undermininig their efforts to lose weight. If you need to reward yourself, do so, but use something, ANYTHING, other than food."
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weight loss
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created by
runningbear
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saved on 6/12/2008
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5
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18.6
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100 %
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You're In Charge
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Diet and Nutrition
"There may be certain aspects of life that you do not have direct control over, but what ends up in your mouth is not one of them! You control what you eat. When faced with extra large portions exercise your right to choose wisely and your body and waistline will thank you for it. Couple this with a regular fitness routine and you will find that reaching and maintaining your goal weight is easier than ever."
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created by
wilsonk92
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saved on 6/10/2008
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2
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6.2
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100 %
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Spotting a "Fad" Diet!
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Diet and Nutrition
"There are literally hundreds of different diets that have at one time or another been promoted as the best approach to losing weight. Unfortunately, most of them, in their efforts to succeed, involve omitting certain foods, and sometimes even entire food groups (for example, high-protein dietshigh-protein diets suggest significantly reducing the percent of carbohydrates in the diet, an important component of the recommended eating guidelines based on the food pyramidfood pyramid).
Fad diets take form in many ways. low-fat, low-carbohydrates, high-protein, or focusing on one particular food item such as grapefruit. These diets lack major nutrients such as dietary fiber and carbohydrates, as well as selected vitamins, minerals, and protective phytochemicals, such as antioxidants (substances found in vegetables, which are protective against disease). Over the long term, by not receiving the proper amounts of these nutrients, you may develop serious health problems later in life.
For the food groups that these diets do permit, the proportions are either well above or well below those recommended by major health organizations such as the American Heart Association and the American Dietetic Association, as well as the Surgeon General and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Some common claims of these diets include blaming particular hormones for weight gain, suggesting that food can change body chemistry, or touting or banning a particular food. However, they all have one thing in common: They offer only a temporary solution to what for many people is a lifelong and chronic condition. Once the diet is stopped, the lost weight is usually regained quickly. This is because none of these diets teach you how to eat righteat right.
How Do I Spot a Fad Diet?
While there is no set approach to identifying a fad diet, many have the following characteristics:
Recommendations that promise a quick fix.
Dire warnings of dangers from a single product or regimen.
Claims that sound too good to be true.
Simplistic conclusions drawn from a complex study.
Recommendations based on a single study.
Dramatic statements that are refuted by reputable scientific organizations.
Lists of 'good' and 'bad' foods.
Recommendations made to help sell a product.
Recommendations based on studies published without review by other researchers.
Recommendations from studies that ignore differences among individuals or groups.
Eliminating 1 or more of the 5 food groupsfood groups.
Devoting yourself to a lifestyle that includes regular exercise and eating a proper diet with moderate portions is still the best method to lose weight and to keep it off. Most people who make the change from a typical high-fat diet and sedentary lifestyle to one that follows a diet based on the recommended food pyramid will slowly and safely lose weight."
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diets, weight loss, nutrition, balance
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created by
runningbear
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saved on 6/8/2008
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4
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16.4
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100 %
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Be Consistent
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General/Other
"The most important aspect in becoming and staying fit is to be consistent. You can exercise every day for a week, but if you follow that week with a month of no exercise then you've lost all ground. Find an exercise program that you are able to consistently do and then stick with it."
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created by
wilsonk92
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saved on 6/7/2008
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2
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6.6
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100 %
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