When it comes to strength training and health, there are a lot of misperceptions out there. Knowing what is true and what is false can help you make the most of your strength training efforts and achieve improved health. We’ve put together this guide to help separate fact from fiction, so you can make evidence-based decisions for your workout routine.
Contents
Myth 1: Lifting Weights Will Make You Bulky
A common myth around strength training is that it will cause you to become bulky. However, this simply isn’t true. Unless you are taking specialised supplements or eating an extreme amount of calories, you will not become bulky from lifting weights. In fact, weight training can help women particularly to tone their body and burn fat.
Myth 2: You Don’t Need to Strength Train If You Want to Lose Weight
Another myth is that you don’t need to strength train if you want to lose weight. This isn’t the case at all. Strength training will help you to build muscle and increase your base metabolic rate, meaning that you’ll burn more calories throughout the day.
Myth 3: Weight Lifting Is Only for Men
This myth couldn’t be further from the truth. All genders can benefit from strength training, no matter the level. Weight lifting can help promote muscle growth, which in turn can help both genders maintain a toned physique and burn fat.
Myth 4: You Should Do Cardio Instead of Weights
Cardio and strength training both have their benefits, but you don’t need to choose one over the other. Cardio can help you to burn calories and keep your heart healthy, and strength training is great for building muscle and improving body composition. Doing a combination of both is ideal.
Myth 5: Long Workouts Are Best
The idea that long workouts are best is another myth. This isn’t necessarily the case – the best workout is one that is tailored to your goals and abilities. High-intensity interval training can be a great way to boost your fitness in shorter amounts of time. Quality is more important than quantity when it comes to achieving results.
Conclusion
To ensure you get the best out of strength training and achieve maximum health benefits, it’s important to separate fact from fiction. Know the truth about the myths and make sure that you’re customising your workouts to your goals.
