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