3 Myths About Strength Training
On today's episode of Meathead Myth Busters..... lol kidding. But I might be in to something there.
Ahh, social media. Such an amazing thing as it allows us to share and learn so much, with people from all over the world. Unfortunately, it also make it so much easier for myths or misconceptions to spread like fricken wildfire!
Here are 3 myths that I often discuss with new clients....
Myth #1: Cardio will burn muscle (and ruin your gains).
Myth #2: You should increase weight every session to get stronger.
Myth #3: Strength Training Makes you Bulky
Each one of them is based on very valid science. Unfortunately, the sciences has been stripped away, leaving us with claims that are supported by hear-se and one-off examples. Keep reading to see what the real truth is and how you can make your training even better.
Myth #1: Cardio will burn muscle (and ruin your gains).
According to current science, we have three types of muscle fibers - each responsible for specific types of movement or activity [1]. When you do more of a certain type of activity (such as long distance running or cycling), you cause the body to grow more of a specific muscle fiber (slow twitch). [1] This would lead you to assume that by doing more cardio, you are breaking down the "strength training muscles" and replacing them with "endurance/cardio muscles." ...Fortunately, it is not that simple.
This common belief that doing cardio will decrease muscle mass is largely based on examples of people who poorly implement cardio into their training routines.
For example:
Too Much Cardio: Only doing cardio, and not lifting weights will OF COURSE cause you to lose muscle mass. According to past research, if there is a balance (strength training 4x/week, running 2x/week), we can see strength gains that are not too far off from someone who only strength trains 5x/week [3].
Poor Nutrition - Let's say you add in 1-2 days of cardio to your weekly training, whether it be HIIT, or long-distance, but you don't add in more calories. Well... now you're in a calorie deficit, which will result in weight loss. Without adequate protein intake and strength training, the weight you lose will be both fat AND muscle [4]. So.... if you do more cardio, make sure you're fueling that body!
Not Enough Recovery: A 30minute run (or HIIT workout) can negatively affect your strength training if the two are done too close together. Without enough time to recover after cardio, the muscles may not be able to access their full potential. This is because there has not be enough to time for the body to replenish its energy resources, among other things. [5]
Cardio will not have a significant enough impact on your strength or muscle size, if you are maintaining an ideal balance, fueling your body adequately and allowing the body to recover.
Myth #2: You should increase weight every session to get stronger.
Once again a myth that is based on a twisted and misunderstood scientific theory. Progressive Overload is a progressive increase in training stress, to create positive adaptations that will improve performance and/or aesthetics. In other words -to get stronger, we have to challenge the body (aka create a training stress). [6].
There are two problems with myth #2...
There is not enough time for the body to grow and adapt to the increased challenges. Let's say you squat 100 pounds for 3 sets of 10 last week, but reps 7-10 were pretty tough. What you SHOULD do, is stay at 3 x 10 @ 100 lb., until that weight feels pretty easy for all 10 reps. Progressive overload should really be called progressive adaptation, as that what we're really doing here. Overload (challenge) the body, give the body time to adapt/grow, then overload again.
Weight is just one piece of the puzzle. There are MANY ways to increase the straining stress (challenge) on the body, including (but not limited) number of reps, tempo, rest period, movement complexity. I will commonly use tempo to increase the challenge from week-to-week [5]. Let's use the above mentioned example. Instead of increasing the weight, we could increase the tempo of each rep. Add a 3 second descent to your reps and you'll see what I mean! [7]
Increasing weight every session may effective for short periods of time, but eventually your body will be not able to catch up. As a result you may see a loss in strength, a plateau or even injury. Consider other ways of increase the challenge such as adding a tempo, adjusting rest periods, or making the movement more complex.
Myth #3: Strength Training Makes you Bulky
Strength training = muscle growth, there is not doubt about it. But, we cannot ignore a few important factors when it comes to growing muscles.
This $*@! takes time! The pictures you see of "bulky" men or women are likely 10+ years into their training journey. You shouldn't be concerned with looking like that if you are just a beginner or even an intermediate fitness-er. Even after 5-10 years of training, it takes relatively intense and specified training to get your body to be that bulky.
Early On its all Neural. When starting a new program or exercise, much of the strength gains that occur are due to neural factors. In other words your brain and nervous system are getting better and lifting weights. You can recruit more of the already existing muscle and at a higher force and your coordination is better [1].
Genetics are always a factor. Sorry.... but it's the truth. Even if you have the most ideal training regimen, diet and lifestyle, your potential for muscle growth will be somewhat predetermined by your genes [8]. Some of us can easily pack on the muscle with just a few training days per week, while others have to train more intensely and be more deliberate with our diet and recovery.
It is okay to be concerned with how you'll look as a result of strength training, but you should not be concerned with getting too bulky. Ultimately, you wont know how your body will respond until you've been doing it for quite some time, and even then there are a wide variety of factors that effect how your unique body will look.
Okay, let's review...
Myth #1: Cardio will burn muscle (and ruin your gains) - Cardio will not have a significant enough impact on your strength or muscle size, if you are maintaining an ideal balance, fueling your body adequately and allowing the body to recover.
Myth #2: You should increase weight every session to get stronger - Increasing weight every session may effective for short periods of time, but eventually your body will be not able to catch up. As a result you may see a loss in strength, a plateau or even injury. Consider other ways of increase the challenge such as adding a tempo, adjusting rest periods, or making the movement more complex.
Myth #3: Strength Training Makes you Bulky - It is okay to be concerned with how you'll look as a result of strength training, but you should not be concerned with getting too bulky. Ultimately, you wont know how your body will respond until you've been doing it for quite some time, and even then there are a wide variety of factors that effect how your unique body will look.
P.S. - Not sure how to balance strength training and cardio while progressing from week to week? Check out this 6-Week Program, which combines functional strength training and interval training to help you build a better foundation and kickstart them gains!
