5 GYM MYTHS THAT I WISH I KNEW WERE FALSE WHEN I STARTED WORKING OUT
THE ORIGIN OF THE GYM MYTH
It was 12 years ago now when I first started going to the gym, and back then the world was a vastly different place to what it is today. Covid-19 wasn’t even a twinkle in a dead bat’s eyes. Donald Trump was still just that guy from the one scene in Home Alone 2. And social media, and all the pitfalls that come with it, was yet to be conceived on a global scale. It was a simpler time, if not an equally as confusing one.
It was the lack of social media that I really want to focus on here, or more specifically, the complete absence of Instagram as it is now applies to the fitness space. Nowadays, it’s the easiest thing in the world to log onto Instagram, find a fitness account that you like, and follow it for all the advice you could ever need. But back in my day (says while hunched over, yelling at the kids to get off his lawn) it wasn’t that easy.
Fitness magazines were the main go-to for all your workout advice, and they were generally pretty hopeless (and still are). As well as this option, there were a few decent sites online to follow, and there was also that gym-bro at your local who would tell anyone willing to listen everything that he could about his program.
But the pickings were slim and we had to learn as we went. Consequently, a deluge of ‘gym myths’ began to develop on gym-floors across the world, ones that seemed truthful enough to be fact, and eventually became viewed as such. I wasted years of my life listening to some of these myths, and truly wish that an article like this had existed back when I had first started lifting.
So, without further ado, what follows is a list of the top five gym myths which existed when I first started working out (and still exist today), and how best you can counteract them to get the most out of your workouts. Good luck.
THE FIVE MYTHS
- THE ANABOLIC WINDOW
The anabolic window is a myth. It really is as simple as that.
The term itself refers to the short period of time after a workout (about 30 minutes) when your muscles are in the process of recovery and repair. If you wanted to maximize results, you needed to ingest protein and carbs during this time frame, otherwise you wouldn’t grow.
I used to be obsessed with the idea of an anabolic window, so much so that I even made sure to bring my protein shaker to the gym so that I could throw back a quick shake as soon as my workout was finished, less I miss my chance at gains and all my hard work was for naught. How foolish I was.
The truth is that there is no scientific proof for an actual anabolic window. Where muscle protein synthesis and muscle protein breakdown (the two processes that determine muscle growth) do occur as an immediate response to weightlifting, there is no specific timeframe or ‘window,’ that you need to take advantage of if you want to ensure your workout doesn’t go to waste.
If you want to maximize muscle growth after a workout, keep in mind that the process is a long-term one, built on consistency. Create a meal plan comprised of a healthy ratio of protein/carb/fats, and then stick with it. Missed meals don’t matter. Protein straight after your workout doesn’t matter. Consistency and dedication do.
2. LIFTING HEAVY MAKES YOU BIG, LIFTING LIGHT MAKES YOU TONED
I place direct blame on Brad Pitt for this one. After Fight Club came out there was a torrent of articles that detailed the workout regime he undertook so as to get that ripped physique which he’s now famous for. And every single one of these articles attributed it to a weight program consisting of light weights and high repetitions.
The truth is that the size of a person is most likely a result of the food that they eat (and how much of it) rather than the program they are on.
If you are eating in a caloric surplus, you are going to get bigger. Some of this will go toward your muscle growth, but a lot more will become fat and then nestle itself comfortably on your body, conforming to the muscles that are already there, making them appear big and soft. If you eat in a caloric deficit, this fat will expel itself from your body which will help pronounce your muscles and make them appear harder and more toned. That’s it.
For the optimum routine, I suggest doing a combination of heavy and light weights. This is the number one way to promote muscle growth, and there really is no argument to suggest otherwise. When you want to get bigger, eat more. When you want to become more toned for summer, eat less. It really is that simple.
3. CARDIO BURNS MUSCLE
Cardio does not kill your gains. Say it again, ‘cardio does not kill your gains.’ This was a myth that became really popular when I was in university, most likely because we were all too lazy and hungover to even consider adding cardio into our routine. The theory was that burning all that extra energy was bound to have a negative impact on muscle growth, as if our muscles would wither and die if we put too much stress on them.
The truth is that cardio doesn’t have any effect on your gains — assuming you are eating correctly. Ironically, the opposite is more likely true. A good cardio program not only encourages blood flow through your body (and muscles) and but it also strengthens your heart, which in turn will help increase your lifts and capacity for overall growth in the long run.
So, if you’re on the fence about doing cardio, don’t be. Jump on a treadmill and you might be surprised at the positive effects that come from it.
4. DOMS ARE A SIGN OF A GOOD WORKOUT
Soreness is typically caused by training the muscle in a way that it is not used to. Once upon a time, it was believed that a lack of soreness the next day was implicative of you not working out hard enough. But this isn’t the case.
Think of it like this. If soreness did equal growth, wouldn’t it make more sense to only go to the gym every second week? That way, you’re bound to be sore every single time, as your muscles would have recovered to such a degree that the exercise would start to feel brand new again. Obviously, this isn’t how it works (although if we could only workout every second week and still see results, that would be fab).
The truth is that soreness isn’t a factor in growth. If you want to see real results, concentrate on progressing your lifts steadily each time you work out. Make sure your diet matches your consistency. Drink plenty of water. And, most of all, try and enjoy the process. You’re in if for the long haul now, so you might as well have fun with it.
5. ALCOHOL PROHIBITS MUSCLE GROWTH
On the face of it, this makes perfect sense. We know that getting drunk on a weekend is a sure-fire way to stop you from going to the gym. We also know that alcohol contains 4-7 calories per gram, which makes it an extremely easy (and likely) source of weight gain. But does too much of it actually counteract muscle growth?
There is some evidence to suggest that drinking alcohol immediately after a workout can impair muscle protein synthesis, but the amount that it does is unclear, and most likely of minimal effect. The same can be said of its impact on testosterone levels. Where there is some evidence implying that alcohol might inhibit testosterone levels in the short term, the overall effect is miniscule and not something worth worrying about.
Everything in moderation is fine, even alcohol. When it comes to muscle development, consistency and diet are the two biggest factors. If you go out for a night on the drink, drink water as you do, try and get a good night sleep, and don’t binge eat at 2am. And then, when you feel fine in two days’ time, head back to the gym and forget about the weekend. Or better, work extra hard so that when you do drink on the weekend (as you know you’re going to) it won’t make a difference to your gains.
THE TAKEAWAY
The world is a different place to what it was a decade ago. In many ways, this is for the worse, but I prefer to see the upside. With the internet being what it is, with social media being as dominant in the zeitgeist as it is, there has never been a better time for freely accessible information. I had to rely on awful magazines and gym-bros for my workout tips and ‘facts.’ But you don’t have to.
I suggest finding a couple of accounts on Instagram that preach smart, science-based programs which actually want to see you improve, rather than benefit from fear and clicks. My personal favorite is @apfau, but there are hundreds of others. And most importantly, don’t sweat the little stuff. Get in there. Give it a go. Stay consistent. And have fun.
