I was sitting around today, brainstorming ideas to write about, and was at a bit of an impasse. Ive got a lot of good ideas swirling around in my head, but honestly, I think that quite a few of them are really outside the scope of a blog post. Lost for an idea, I looked at some of the other blogs that i read regularly, hoping for some inspiration, while remaining outside the lines of plagiarism. While I did find some good topics covered, there was a common theme among a few of them. They seemed to have certain ideas attached to certain days of the week. I figured why not follow suit? I’ve got some topics I could go on and on for hours about, so what better way to discuss these things than with a regularly updated post?
Therein lies the thought process behind Myth Busting Mondays. It is unfortunate, but as a personal trainer and strength coach, I am involved in an industry absolutely filled with self proclaimed gurus and half truths. I think that a lot of it today, has to do with the fact that the internet has given everyone a voice, and, seemingly, these voices are all physiology and kinesiology experts, as well as anonymous personal trainers. They heard something from a guy who knows a guy who is a “pro bodybuilder” or used to “play football” so they accept it as truth. They have never tried the things they talk about in the gym, or ever actually been around someone who has done the things they talk about. They just accept it as truth, because, well, they read it on the internet. “But I’m reading this on the internet” you say to yourself, wondering what differentiates my thoughts and ideas from all of the others. believe me when i say that, as a personal trainer and strength coach who has been doing this for years, I have “busted” a lot of these myths with myself, my training, and the guys that I train with. As I am already starting to get long winded, I will leave you with a good one. This one has actually been around so long that it is pretty much accepted as truth without a second thought.
Personal Training Myth Number 1-“If you want to get toned, high reps are the way to go”
This is probably one that EVERYONE who is reading this blog has heard before. You hear it from all the gym rats who do nothing but bench and curl. You have also heard it from the old guy who works out in the corner that has his belt on for every rep of every set that he does, regardless of anything. This is probably the one myth that is probably furthest from the truth. Here is the honest truth regarding high reps and getting lean. This myth is complete B.S. and actually goes hand in hand with the spot reduction myth, which is so ridiculous I wont even touch here, other than to mock and belittle it! There are two things that being “toned” involves. Muscle size, and bodyfat levels. I want you to stop and think of a sprinters body versus a marathon runners body. both of them are runners, but the sprinter does short, intense bursts (heavy weight training), while the marathon runner logs mile after mile (low weight, high rep training). Now envision just the sprinters body. Big well shaped muscles, and very low bodyfat levels. Now think of the marathon runners body. He or she does have low levels of bodyfat, but do they have the same amount of muscle? Absolutely not. The sprinter carries way more muscle than the marathon runner. Now ask yourself which body YOU would rather have. keep in mind, they are doing the same sort of exercise, but one is doing many, many more ‘reps” than the other.
I bet she trains with weights
So whats the point? The point is that to really have muscles that pop, and get you noticed, muscles that say “I train,” you have to use heavier weights in the proper rep ranges. You also have to get work on fat loss, and really work to get your bodyfat levels down. Don’t let the “heavy” weights scare you off. That is all relative to YOU, and YOUR goals. If you want to have a lean, muscular body like the sprinter, this is what its going to take. If you want a body that looks like the marathon runner, you probably didn’t end up reading to this point anyway.