| Nearly everybody who's started out with the dream | | | | guy got big... it can be a real source of myths. How |
| to get into shape, build muscle or lose fat, has fallen | | | | he or she got big might be 1) hard work and |
| prey to some type of fitness myth. Many times, | | | | dedication 2) genetics 3) drugs 4) combination of all |
| those myths come from sources and publications | | | | the suggested. The person asking simply doesn't |
| that we trust. Maybe it's false advertising that leads | | | | really know how they got bigger and most likely it will |
| somebody to start a myth or the quest to get rich. | | | | be a combination of hard work and dedication along |
| Or maybe it's just simple ignorance. | | | | with some pseudo-scientific explanation of their |
| The fitness industry is no exception. As with any | | | | training. |
| commerce industry, there's the potential for myths | | | | Reminds me of a story one person told me. |
| that develop into frauds, dangerous exercises, | | | | A very large bodybuilder was the envy of all the |
| worthless supplements or just incomplete information. | | | | younger guys in the gym. They always wanted to |
| If there is money to be made, you are guaranteed | | | | know his "secrets." He never told them until one day, |
| to find some popular fitness myths. | | | | this young guy was pestering him. |
| These 6 sources of myths, deception and fraud are | | | | "Do you really want to know the secret?" The Big |
| not all inclusive. They are the top contenders for a | | | | Guy asked. |
| variety of reasons which will be explained below. | | | | "Yes!" Said the young student. |
| The best way I know how to combat and avoid | | | | "It's Alpo Dog food. Seriously. Something they put in |
| falling prey to any of these misconceptions and | | | | there just builds muscle. I can't explain it." The Guru |
| myths is to travel down the path of education. | | | | said. |
| It's far less costly to educate yourself (just learning | | | | [ 2 weeks pass ] |
| from a variety of sources) than fall victim to | | | | The younger guy see the big bodybuilder again and |
| ignorance and waste years and sometimes thousands | | | | says, "You know I really don't like the taste. I just |
| of dollars on false information. Not to mention the | | | | can't keep eating the stuff." |
| frustration that myths can incur. | | | | Now I can't tell you if this is true. It's probably a |
| Fact is... | | | | myth in itself. But it lends itself to proving a point |
| These 6 sources can be myth-makers or | | | | that you can get a lot of myths from the biggest |
| myth-busters! | | | | guy or gal in your gym. And over time, it can be |
| 1. Websites and Magazine Editors: | | | | pretty costly or foul tasting depending on the advice |
| Without a doubt, magazines and websites can be a | | | | you receive. |
| popular source of bodybuilding myths. Sometimes the | | | | 4. Supplements Salespeople: |
| story will just have it's facts wrong. Or it might be an | | | | How many supplements have over 300 peer |
| editorial. Sometimes editors have to take an old story | | | | reviewed and published studies behind them from |
| and put some popular spin on it to make it more | | | | various sources? Not many. Supplement salespeople |
| interesting. | | | | have a clear agenda to push their products. Which is |
| If something is published that is controversial (the | | | | fine expect you don't know what they are thinking, |
| recent Soy examples) it can be fuel for further | | | | their agenda or if they have some quota to fill. Just |
| research and studies but more often than not, | | | | keep in mind they may or may not know what they |
| people take a single article in a popular magazine or | | | | are talking about. Keeping yourself informed will help |
| newspaper as fact. | | | | you make the right choices and help them direct you |
| There is a common belief that if it's in print... it must | | | | to what you want. |
| be right. | | | | 5. Equipment Salespeople: |
| Am I right about that so far? | | | | Similar to the supplement salespeople, how many |
| Pick up an issue of Cosmo, Us, People or look at | | | | highly trained and fully qualified equipment sales |
| back issues of most popular fitness magazines. How | | | | people are fully aware of biomechanics and how |
| many times have you seen a new twist or angle put | | | | exercises related to the body? Not a whole lot. You |
| on the ever popular, "Arnold's Arm Routine." | | | | could get an entirely different story about muscle |
| It's part of life to re-create, re-package and enhance | | | | building from a Bowflex salesperson over a person at |
| old stories. Just keep in mind that myths can start | | | | Sears who wants to sell you a weight stacked |
| anywhere. | | | | machine. You can easily fall prey to the machines vs. |
| 2. The "I Feel It" Syndrome: | | | | free weights myths right here. |
| Just because it worked for me, doesn't mean it | | | | 6. Podcasters: |
| works for you. This can apply to training programs or | | | | Heck, I'll put myself on the chopping block here. With |
| supplements. The "I Feel It Syndrome" simply doesn't | | | | the Internet being so popular and everybody having |
| take into account the Principle of Individual | | | | a microphone, all of us who podcast about fitness |
| Differences. Everybody is slightly different. If a | | | | can spread myths or be a new source of a myth. |
| beginning builder happens to respond very well to | | | | Much like website or magazine editors, we want |
| some strange exercise (not taking into account they | | | | readers and listeners and might put new slants on old |
| are new and will almost respond to anything) it | | | | stories. Hopefully you will research things for yourself, |
| doesn't make that exercise or routine one that will | | | | get other opinions, check with your doctor if |
| work for everybody. | | | | necessary and educate yourself so that you can |
| I cannot tell you how many times I've personally | | | | make informed choices. Even my podcast is simply |
| heard people tell me that Creatine is a worthless | | | | there to help you learn to love to learn. |
| supplement that simply doesn't work. | | | | Make no mistake... while this list isn't all inclusive of |
| While it might not work for them (roughly 30% of | | | | every possible sources of myths, they are the lead |
| the population does not respond to regular creatine | | | | contributors. But that doesn't mean they are |
| products) there are over 300 peer reviewed and | | | | inherently bad or you need to avoid them. |
| published studies that show many benefits of | | | | In fact, the same sources can be the greatest |
| creatine and that it does work. | | | | contributors of myth-busting! |
| For starters, I'm going to take 300 journals with well | | | | My point is... |
| researched documentation over "somebody" in the | | | | Keep yourself informed and just be cautious. |
| gym telling me it doesn't work. | | | | I'm going to close this article out with a quote I think |
| 3. The "Big Guy" Syndrome: | | | | sums up falling prey to the fitness myths that you |
| A younger bodybuilder might look up to the biggest | | | | may encounter. "If you think education is expensive, |
| guy in the gym, but without knowing how the big | | | | try ignorance. |