Thread: the 5 myths of building muscle

These are 5 that came to mind. Feel free to add more or discuss. Sure, some are pretty "no duh" but it seems many still hold to them....


5 myths of building muscle

Myth #1: You must spend 7 days per week in the gym to gain strength and muscle mass.

Fact: Not only do you not need to spend all your days in the gym, doing so is usually counterproductive. That’s right, too many days in the gym = less strength and muscle mass. Learning how to optimize a program to the individual allows every set and rep to count, with virtually no wasted time in the gym.


Myth #2: without steroids and other drugs, you will never add serious muscle to your frame.

Fact: this is flatly false, and usually a myth perpetuated by those not willing to put the time and energy needed to build muscle without drugs. People can and do add serious muscle to their frame without the use of any drugs, and that’s a fact. 30-50lbs of muscle added over time is not unusual. Using the correct nutrition, training, and supplements to achieve that goal can save years of wasted time and money.

Myth #3: You must follow the program Arnold and other pro bodybuilders used to get big and strong

Fact: professional bodybuilders have genetics 99.99% of the people reading this do not posses. Sorry, but that’s the facts. Arnold’s program worked for Arnold; that does not mean it will work for you. In fact, it will not work well for most people reading this page. If you have the genetics, time, and knowledge (or pay someone with the knowledge as is often the case today) of Arnold, Dorian Yates, or Jay Cutler, then congrats to you! For the other 99.99% of people reading this, including yours truly, we will have to find what works best for us…

Myth #4: You must eat piles of supplements to gain muscle mass or strength.

Fact: you don’t need any supplements to gain muscle mass and strength. Magazines try their best – and few people on the planet have more experience with the magazines then I do – attempting to convince people without the latest greatest wiz bang supplement, they will never gain any muscles or get stronger. That is false. A proper nutrition program, using the right calories and macro nutrients (yes, good old food!), combined with a properly designed training program optimized to the individual, is the foundation of gaining muscle and strength. Many of the pro bodybuilders I know, don’t use any supplements at all….Yes, supplements can be beneficial, and some are absolutely worth using, but make no mistakes, they are “supplemental” to a good nutrition and training program, so if you don’t have those two down solid, supplements are of little value to you.

Myth #5: You need to use secret eastern block magic exercises to gain strength and muscle mass

Fact: Although there are some great exercises and various plans that come from all over the world – including the eastern block countries – there are no secret or magic exercises that are more effective than “the basics” you already know about. However, knowing when and how to employ them, issues of volume, tempo, reps, and other variables, are the keys to making steady progress in strength and muscle mass. These are not “secrets” but they are very specific, and when optimized to the individual, very effective for gaining lean muscle mass and strength. Spin your wheels in the gym, or make every set count. The choice is yours….

Good post!