Once again, it is time to put our myth-busting hat on, it’s time for round two of bodybuilding myths, where we finally put an end to ridiculous myths made popular by either the internet, bioscientists and magazines wanting to sell you supplements.
Let’s begin, shall we:
Women can get as big as men, naturally.
This myth kind of annoys me because I feel that it is the reason why many women would never lift heavy weights or perform compound lifts ever in their life because they are afraid that they would just explode into the hulk as soon as they touch some heavy weights or do some deadlifts and bench presses.
This myth is just simply not true, women just do not produce enough testosterone on their own naturally, as compared to men, and that is why, without any chemical assistance, they will never grow as big as a man would.
So, ladies, do not be afraid. Lifting heavy weights is awesome, go for it!
A pump is essential to growth
This myth isn’t completely wrong. Yes, the pump is a good indicator that you are targeting the right muscles, however, it doesn’t automatically guarantee muscle gains. You can do 50 reps of bicep curls using a light weight and you will get a pump. That doesn’t mean that you are really challenging your muscles to do something amazing. No, it’s just a lightweight bicep curl and by the time you finish your shower, your pump will be gone and you wouldn’t have made any significant gains.
On the other hand, you might have just completed an amazing workout, lifted heavy weights with slow controlled motion, targeting all the right muscles but never got a pump. There’s a number of reasons for this from hydration levels to nutrients to a number of carbs you ate before. If you didn’t get a pump, it doesn’t mean that you didn’t make any progress. Getting in a good workout is more important than getting a pump.
You need to do cardio to lose fat
This will be a shock to some but trust me, you do not need to do cardio to lose fat. To lose fat, you need to burn more calories than you consume and it really doesn’t matter how you burn those calories. Yes, cardio will help you burn calories, but it’s not the only way.
You can play a sport, lift weights, do some house work and still burn calories. It doesn’t matter how you burn those calories just as long as you burn them.
Heck, you don’t even need to burn any extra calories, if you just eat fewer calories than you burn on a daily basis from just, you know, being alive, you will lose fat. It’s all about that energy balance. So if you dread getting on the treadmill (I do), find some other way to burn those extra calories, get moving, go play with your kids, take the dog for a walk, have some fun.
Job complete: bodybuilding myths debunked.