Muscle Myths28 Feb

We can all fall into the trap of believing everything we hear about how to build muscle; anything from how heavy your weights should be, to how many reps you should be doing.

Here are some of our top muscle myths!

1. Lifting weights slowly increases muscle gain better than lifting weights quickly.
   Slowly lifting weights doesn’t necessarily increase your muscle gain more than when lifting at a faster pace. Lifting weights at a slower pace doesn’t activate the muscles as much as a slightly quicker pace. However, this doesn’t mean that you should be lifting weights at a fast pace at all, keeping a steady and moderate speed when lifting weights will give you the best performance overall.
2. Eating more protein will help you build more muscle.
   The amount of protein you intake and how often you exercise will both add to the overall progress of your muscle gain. Protein doesn’t help you gain the muscle though; it stimulates muscle building and any extra protein that the body doesn’t absorb; your body will get rid of.
3. To build muscle, you should always work out with free weights only.
   Learning what is best for your body will take time; however, resistance and weight machines can help you focus on one area of your body and help you build muscle there! If you’re starting at the gym, trying out the machines instead of the free weights will help you understand what exercises will best target the areas you want to.
4. Using heavier weights helps you bulk up more.
   Unfortunately, how heavy the weights doesn’t necessarily help decide on how much muscle you will build. Your genes will influence how big your muscles grow and bulk up. Lifting lighter weights for more reps will give you just a good result as lifting a heavier weight for fewer reps.
5. Never exercise sore muscles.
   Exercising sore muscles isn’t dangerous unless you push yourself too much. If you’re sore, keep exercising but know your limits and take it easier!

Remember, always be safe if you’re using the free weights or machines. If you’re ever struggling, you can always ask a member of our incredible staff for help! If you want a personalised programme on how you can get started with weights, our Focus Move Evolve programme will be a great place to start. If you want something a little more advanced, why not try one of our Personal Trainers; with our new deal, you can pay for five sessions and get one for free, or have a group session at a cheaper price.

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