Fitness Myths

"I want to tone up but I don't want to get massive"

A phrase commonly used by women and the most common one I hear. Firstly, the levels of testosterone in a woman's body are not high enough to produce "huge muscles". Studies have shown women have to complete a fitness regime that's 10 times harder than a man's routine to achieve the same level of groIf women lift heavy, they actually achieve a strong, lean, defined look which is what most women think of when they imagine a "toned" body.

"Muscle weighs more than fat"

They both weigh the same! 1LB of muscle weighs exactly the same as 1LB of fat! Muscle is denser so the same amount of muscle occupies less space than the fat. Therefore, when someone loses fat weight and gains muscle, they look smaller, despite weighing the same on the scales.

"High reps with low weight=definition"

If this was the case, then everyone's legs would surely be incredibly defined because we all walk around most of the day! High reps with a low weight will build endurance and increase circulation but not much else. To achieve definition, you need to lift moderate weights for 8-12 reps (known as hypertrophy)

"Isolation exercises will help you tone "

Firstly, there is no exercise which truly isolates a muscle. With every exercise, there are at least 2 muscles in play (one to lengthen and one to contract). Secondly, compound exercises-that work a group of muscles- burn more calories than isolation movements. Unless you are weight training 5-6 times per week, I would suggest you perform compound exercises for at least 80% of your training.

"To burn fat, you need to do high impact Cardio"

Try training at 50-60% of your max heart rate (220-your age) for 1 hour +. This will feel very slow, however, you will start to sweat and burn the fat, whilst keeping the muscle you're working hard to build.

Summary

Unfortunately, I hear these things all too often. There is a lot of misleading advice out there, so make sure you do your homework and get the right advice to help you achieve your goals.

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