TOP 3 MOST COMMON FITNESS MYTHS
The fitness industry is a billion dollar industry with "experts" who weigh in everyday with their views and opinions to what is needed to build a incredible physique. With sophisticated marketing ploys, affiliate programs and headline readers, it's hard to wade through the information and take in what is true and what is merely a myth. Here, we debunk the top 3 most common fitness myths in the industry:
1) Supplements are key to progress
Pick up any fitness magazine or land on any fitness page on the web and I guarantee there are pages of content promoting supplements whether it's whey protein, vitamins or pre workouts. The industry is predominantly monetised through supplements so it makes sense that we would see all of this, but what they don't tell you is that supplements are just that, supplements. They are suppose to supplement your diet and are NOT a necessity, They can provide good value if you struggle to meet certain macro or micro nutrient goals through your diet, but they are not a necessity.
The main factors to progress will be eating according to your goals with a wide range of nutrient dense foods, training efficiently towards your goals and proper rest and recovery (sleep/hydration). Once these factors are all in check, then you can look at what areas you are deficient in that supplements may help.
The areas clients usually struggle most with is protein intake, supplementing with a protein shake can be beneficial as it helps clients reach their protein goals and also saves time if they have busy schedules.
2) Train more for more results
The fitness industry is full of extremes, you either train balls to the walls or not at all. But in reality, thats not the case. Fitness is usually part of our lives, not the whole of it. So taking that into consideration, it would be absurd to think we would train 2 hours a day 6 days a week. But, according to the industry, this is what it takes to get results. Yes, training more will lead to quicker results, but that is also dependant on how you can sustain that within your lifestyle.
If the reality of it is that you can only train 3 times per week, that's okay, just accept that progress may be slower than someone who trains 6 times per week. What you do within those 3 sessions and how your behaviour adapts outside of the gym will be more important to your long term results.
Be self aware enough to know what you can handle with your schedule and understand the results you can achieve with that.
3) The BRO split
First of all I'll say that any routine will deliver results as long as it has intensity and structure to it. But most importantly, sustainability. If you can only stick to a program for 6 weeks, then you get bored, then it may not be for you. When I talk about the BRO split, the single body part per day (Chest Mondays, Back Tuesdays, Shoulder Wednesdays etc), I am not saying it doesn't work. It does, but there is more optimal ways to train for fat loss or body recomposition.
The most efficient way would be to train body parts with more frequency, so hitting them multiple times per week which would allow for more overall weekly/monthly/yearly training volume. The more volume means the more training stimulus, leading to higher potential for muscle growth.
So instead of doing a BRO split, try either a UPPER/LOWER body split, or if you train 5 days per week, Upper, Lower, Push, Pull & Legs training split.
I hope these insights give you some information around what to believe and what not to. As always, if you have any further questions, please feel free to book a FREE consultation!