3 Workout Myths BUSTED!

3 workout myths busted

There is so many myths and contradictions within the bodybuilding and fitness world that it can be overwhelming at times. It’s hard to know what to believe anymore because everywhere you look you’re going to find different people with drastically diverse views on how to go about building muscle, losing bodyfat, and getting in shape.

Some of the myths you may have heard include…

  • “Heavyweights and low reps for bulking. Lightweights and high reps for cutting.”
  • “By working out you can turn fat into muscle.”
  • “If you stop working out your muscle will turn to fat.”
  • “The secret to getting ripped is taking supplement X.”
  • “Canadian men are hung like a bull moose.”

Most of these myths are down right false, but I think there maybe some truth to the last one on the list…
After all I’m Canadian 😉

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Myth #1
“Heavyweights and low reps for bulking. Lightweights and high reps for cutting.”

I first heard this back when I was in high school. The gym teacher we had was one of those guys who “used to workout back in the day” so of course he had it all figured out. And when ever he heard anyone say they were “on da weights” he’d feel the urge to jump in and spread his infinite knowledge about working out to all of us eager hopefuls.

In fact I think I still have a picture of this particular gym teacher.
Hmmm let me see if I can find it. Oh here it is (posted to the right)… hehehe

From looking at the pic I don’t think this guy did any low reps for bulking or high reps for cutting. After all he doesn’t seem very “bulked up” or “cut up”… Maybe he did all his reps in the “medium range” and avoided the high reps and low reps altogether LOL

But to make my point that myth is total BS. You can build muscle using a wide variety of rep ranges. To prove my point just look at the classic 20 rep squat routine. This is obviously “high rep” training, but it works fantastic for building muscle mass (aka “bulking up”).

There are advantages to cycling through phases of high rep training, medium rep training, and low rep training. Each phase will stimulate different muscle fibers and also help to stimulate different growth responses within the body.

The Blast Your Bench program is a prime example of this. It incorporates heavier weight low rep workouts, moderate weight medium rep workouts, and lighter weight high rep workouts in a very specific training cycle all designed to rapidly increase your strength and muscle growth.

The lighter training days play a very important part and actually complement the heavier training days to maximize your muscle growth. So much for the low reps for bulking, high reps for cutting myth…

And as for cutting (i.e. losing bodyfat) that mainly comes down to your diet, cardio, and training program as a whole. You can do high rep workouts until you are blue in the face, but if your diet is crap you can still get fat. Regardless of how many reps you do in your workouts, it still comes down to calories consumed vs. calories burned when it comes to losing bodyfat.

Note: if you would like a complete training, cardio, and nutritional system for burning bodyfat while increasing lean muscle mass then you should check out the Warrior Built DVD Training System at: http://www.WarriorBuiltDVD.com

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Myth #2
“By working out you can turn fat into muscle.”
and
“If you stop working out your muscle will turn to fat.”

Fat and muscle are too completely different things. One can not become the other. You can lift, pump, strain, and grunt for all your worth but it’s impossible to magically transform that ugly blubber into lean muscle. Or vice versa.

Now of course with proper strength training, cardio training, nutrition, etc. you can increase lean muscle tissue and decrease fat tissue. Thus making you leaner and more muscular. But one bodily tissue doesn’t turn into the other.

And on the other side of the coin having your “muscle turn into fat” well that’s not exactly how it happens. But it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that if you don’t exercise, sit on the couch, and eat potato chips all day that you are going to gain some excess blubber. And if you are not working out and putting demands on your muscles, then obviously you’re going to lose muscle mass.

If you want to reap the rewards of a lean muscular physique for the long term then you have to make working out and proper nutrition part of your lifestyle. It’s as simple as that. We’re in this for the long term. It’s not a quick fix thing or something you do one time and it’s over with. You have to be consistent if you want the results.

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Myth #3
“The secret to getting ripped is taking Supplement X.”

The whole supplement industry is clouded by smoke and mirrors, just like the shady snake oil salesmen back in the Wild West… But the reality is that supplements are only responsible for a small fraction of the results you achieve.

In fact at least 95% of your results will come from proper training and sound nutrition. If the majority of your results come from diet and training, don’t you think that should be your priority, and not wracking your brain over what supplements to take?

For the most part, only advanced bodybuilders and lifters will really reap the benefits of supplementation. By the time you reach the advanced levels you are more likely to have maximized your diet and training programs, and at this stage of the game the small edge that supplements can provide will make a difference.

But the average beginner or intermediate that hasn’t maximized his eating and training yet; (i.e. still eating junk food, skipping meals, not consistent with workouts, etc.). These are the guys who are most likely to go searching for a “shortcut” and these are the guys the greedy supplement marketers are really trying to hook with their over hyped advertisements.

The bottom line is that taking supplements will NOT make up for a less then optimal training and nutrition program. NO BODY has ever gotten lean and muscular as a direct result of taking a bodybuilding supplement… NO Body!

This brings up the question; are all supplements just hype and BS? Do we even need to take any supplements at all?

The simple answer is NO…
We DON’T Need Supplements to build a lean muscular body. Exercise and proper nutrition are the only things you really “need” to accomplish your fitness goals.

But let me ask you this…
Do you need a telephone? Do you need a computer? Do you need an indoor toilet and running water?

We humans have survived for thousands of years without any of these things so we obviously don’t “need” them. But would you like to live without them?

Supplements fall into this category, we don’t “need” them, but they do make things a hell of a lot easier and more convenient.

In the Total Fitness Bodybuilding Supplement Review Guide I go into a lot more detail about this and actually cover the exact supplements I personally use to help assist me with my muscle building and fat loss goals. And I also go into detail about the supplements that you should avoid like the plague because they are nothing more then a waste of your hard earned money.
Total Fitness Bodybuilding Supplement Review Guide
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About The Author

leehayward

Lee Hayward is a former competitive bodybuilder and muscle building coach who has been online coaching people since 1997. His work has been featured in several international magazines such as: FLEX, Muscle Insider, Muscle Mag International, Testosterone, Ironmag, and Forbes. Lee's main focus right now is with helping men over 40 - who don't want to be fat anymore - lose the gut, build muscle, and get back in shape. If you're ready to "Start Again" for the last time and finally build a lean healthy body that you can be proud of, just e-mail Lee to discuss a realistic action plan that's right for you... lee@leehayward.com

13 Comments

  • brett

    Bullseye on myth 1. I’ve started a new regimen where I hit 2 muscle groups in the same workout by alternating exercises. Example: 1 set of triceps, then 1 set of biceps, back and forth, etc. It’s really helped–and my gains aren’t based on going especially heavy or light.

  • Sean

    I still get asked about these myths, so instead of answering I’ll just send them here. 😉

    I like to change it up when doing weights and also the tempo. If you change the tempo along with the lighter weights, such as a 4:1 tempo, you will really feel the targeted muscles work, then hit the heavy stuff here-and-there to keep your body adapting. I even add one heavy set on my light days to just kick the workout into gear.

  • Sean: I still get asked about these myths, so instead of answering I’ll just send them here. ;-)
    I like to change it up when doing weights and also the tempo. If you change the tempo along with the lighter weights, such as a 4:1 tempo, you will really feel the targeted muscles work, then hit the heavy stuff here-and-there to keep your body adapting. I even add one heavy set on my light days to just kick the workout into gear.  

    Cool, thanks for sharing. A lot of people don’t even think about varying the tempo, but it is an important variable that can be manipulated to help spur on new growth.

  • Love the article. Especially #3, I laugh all the time when I see mall kiosks and online ads that tell me I can “get ripped” or lose weight by taking a pill. All you have to do is do a little math before you start realizing that pills and supplements don’t do much for you unless, like you said, you have already maxed out your training and your diet.

  • Kris Hall

    Lee another myth is some guys think you need to spend 2 hours in the gym to get a great work out. I see this everyday. I see no reason to spend more than 1 hour a day in the gym.
    I enjoy coming to your site lee it keeps me motivated and going in the right direction.

  • Thanks Kris, glad to hear you enjoy the site.

    There are tons of myths and misconceptions with regards to training, nutrition, etc. please feel free to post up any really ridiculous ones you’ve heard of.

  • Fitness courses are important for maintain good health.

  • Salvatore

    I’ll post what I believe to be a huge myth (although I suspect most of you will strongly disagree with me). I think eating six meals a day a huge myth. I think forcing your internal organs to digest food all day long is neither healthy nor conducive to getting ripped. I see many of the more intelligent, natural bodybuilders dropping this nonstop eating nonsense and moving towards diets like The Warrior Diet and or raw eating. You want to be fit and healthy? Stop stuffing your face all day with disgusting protein powders and crap meats. You are killing yourself.

    Check out the You Tube channel of Victor Costa. He’s 100% natural and he only eats once or twice per day. His body blows away all these “eat till you puke” losers.

    http://www.youtube.com/user/vicsnatural

  • Great Article Lee!! 🙂

  • I’d add another one… powerlifting is not just for the pros.