There are countless myths on the Internet about muscle development. For each person you ask, you will get a different answer. Here we list 10 of the most crucial science-based facts and decades of personal and client coaching experiences:
1. Building muscle has a lot to do with genetics.
If your parents are naturally slim or have a small body, you most likely have the same traits. This does not mean that you do not have a chance to develop a strong muscular body. It just means that you will have to work hard.
2. Your metabolism has an effect on your size.
If you have a hard time gaining weight, be it fat or muscle, you most likely have a fast metabolism. Your body burns calories faster than it can consume them.
3. There is no universal weight training program that will get massive results for every person.
The best way to find a program that works for you is to find someone who has the same body type as you before and start walking. Certainly there are standard exercises that will build muscle, but there is more to building muscle than lifting weights.
4. More training does not mean more muscle.
This is one of the most difficult concepts for many to understand. The purpose of weight training is to stimulate muscle growth, that’s it. Once this is done, your muscles need to be repaired and new muscles built, which only happens when you are resting.
5. Isolation exercises will not help you grow quickly.
The best exercises to get the most total size are multi-muscle exercises. These are exercises that require more than one muscle or group of muscles to get the job done. These lifts put the most stress on your body. This is the stress that will shock your nervous system to release the most muscle building hormones.
6. Free weights build muscle faster.
Free weights are preferred over machines because they make your body work harder. They require greater concentration and allow stimulation of the supporting muscles. The machines are good for beginners to help with form and basic control, but they limit the effectiveness of the exercise.
7. No pain, no gain.
Lifting the same weight over and over will not make you grow. In fact, it will do the exact opposite.
To build muscle you need to go heavy. This stimulates type IIB muscle fibers that cause the most muscle gain. Heavy lifting is when your body fails after 4-8 reps.
8. Long training sessions are a NO STEP
The idea is to stimulate the muscle, not hit it from every possible angle. This is only a concern for developed bodybuilders looking to tone muscles. Prolonged training sessions cause catabolic hormone levels to rise dramatically. Catabolic hormones are responsible for breaking down muscle tissue and causing MUSCLE LOSS. Your weight training sessions should not last longer than 60 to 75 minutes maximum.
9. You don’t need aerobic activity to lose fat.
Time spent running or swimming is muscle building and lost recovery time. Building muscle is the fastest way to lose fat. Aerobic activities will help you lose fat, but not if you follow a high-calorie mass diet to build muscle.
10. Three full meals a day will not help you build muscle.
Eating is an important part of muscle development. You need to eat more often and eat more protein. You should eat about every 2.5 hours, which is about 6 meals a day. Spreading meals throughout the day will improve muscle assimilation and ensure that your body always has the calories it needs to build and repair muscle.