willgetyoufit

A lot of people are afraid of strength training because of the influx of misconceptions that are so abundant in the world on non avid workout enthusiasts. The fact of the matter is strength training benefits everyone no matter what age or gender. So to make it less of a fear invoking past time, I’m going to dispel a few misconceptions that plague the minds of those who aren’t in the know.

Crap Fact #1: Strength training will bulk you up, and women who strength train will lose their feminine appearance if they do it. This is probably the most traduce statement about strength training. Saying strength training will bulk you up is like saying studying physics will make you Einstein. Yeeeaaaaa…doubt it.
Real Fact: Strength training will make you stronger. It doesn’t give you bulky, masculine-looking muscles unless you have a lot of testosterone circulating in your blood. The amount of time, food and discipline it takes to get huge from weights is almost a full-time job (trust me) and sometimes it’s influenced by illegal substances. Unless a woman is using anabolic steroids, she will not develop bulky muscles; she will develop strong muscles.

Crap Fact #2: “No pain, no gain”
Real Fact: Some localized muscular soreness that dissipates over a couple days can indicate that you worked hard. However, in the grand scheme of things, a sign of a good workout is results, not soreness. Therefore, your goal should be results, not post exercise pain.

Crap Fact #3: Strength training doesn’t help with weight loss.
Real Fact: Although strength training doesn’t burn fat like aerobic exercise does, it certainly does help with weight loss. As your muscles get stronger, denser and work more efficiently, your resting metabolic rate increases. Which means that you burn more fat, even when you’re not exercising #winning

Crap Fact #4: Kids can’t do strength training because it will stunt their growth.
Real Fact: Age-appropriate strength training is recommended for kids to help them develop strong muscles and bones and avoid obesity, which is so prevalent among so many children now a days. It does not stunt their growth.

Crap Fact #5: Old people shouldn’t strength train.
Real Fact: Strength training helps older people maintain muscle strength and bone density as well as helping them maintain balance, and preventing falls.

Crap Fact #6: Working out on an empty stomach burns the most calories.
Real Fact: No it doesn’t. Stop it.

Crap Fact #7: If I want to look like my favorite celebrity than I should mimic their workout.
Real Fact: Trying to look like someone else is futile unless you are his or her identical twin. Put your energy into perfecting YOUR body and its mechanics. Envy will do nothing for you but produce negative energy. However, inspiration is clutch for motivation. So it’s not a problem using athletes and celebs as fuel, just make sure your goals are personal.

Crap Fact #8: Master Cleansers are healthy.
Real Fact: No! They aren’t! Science and history has shown us time and time again that our liver and kidneys are more than sufficient enough to detoxify our body of any toxins or pollutants that we may have ingested. In my experience, people who do master cleanses typically end up worse of than they started. Leave the short cuts alone. Stay consistent, stay true and work hard and you will see that hard work pays off.

Crap Fact #9: Cutting carbs will make me lean.
Real Fact: No, it will make you mean, weak and irritable. Carbs are the body’s most efficient energy provider and without it your body is merely compensating to survive. Eventually the sacrifices of that compensation are going to catch up to you and it wont be pretty. Consume more fruits, veggies and legumes and weight gain from carbs will be a minimal issue.

Crap Fact #10: I have to train for hours on end to get results.
Real Fact: No you don’t, not at all. It depends on the intensity of the exercise you are doing. If (hypothetically speaking) running for 20 mins burns 200 cals and walking for 50 min burns 200 cals and I’m on a timetable…which choice is the best choice? Need I say more? Step your game up…