Every single culture on the planet has it's myths and, whether it be "Big Foot", or "The Lochness Monster", bodybuilding has it's fair share of myths too. Like a lot of myths most of them have some truth to them and some are have no truth to them whatsoever. Bodybuilders and fitness experts the world over have been trying to get rid of these myths but have failed. I may fail too, but I am going to give it one hell of a go. It's time to stop these myths once and for all!
A lot of myths about bodybuilding start within the bodybuilding community, but there are the odd few that start outside by the general public or medical industry. The myths I am going to touch on here are in no particular order. Let's start with a well known classic first of all:
Bogus Myth #1. "When you stop working out your muscles will turn to fat"This myth is mainly used as an excuse as to why people don't start a weight training program and are resenting those that have. My Auntie used to say this to me a lot when I started going to the gym at 16. There is no proven physiological mechanism by which muscles amazingly turn to fat when a person stops working out! What happens, however, when a person stops training, their muscle mass will decrease due to the lack of stimulation. People who do not exercise and eat too many calories get fat, it's not ground breaking stuff. So what you have here is often a lack of muscle mass coupled with an increase in fat due to an intake of excess calories and complete lack of exercise. The next time you look at someone who used to be nice and ripped but are now fat, it's not because there muscles converted to fat. They are fat because of the reason so many others are fat; too many calories and not enough exercise.
What if it was true? Is the fear of this crazy idea that your muscles convert to fat a reason not to start a bodybuilding program? If you stop washing you get dirty, but that's not a legitimate reason to never start washing in the first place is it! I have gained and lost a lot of muscle in the past, and I have known and worked with a lot of people who have gained and lost weight, and I have yet to see and truth behind the myth of muscles converting to fat. Let this be the end of this myth and let's here nothing else about it.
Bogus Myth#2. "Bodybuilders are not strong"This myth comes from people who haven't even stepped foot in a gym. Strength in people varies greatly, some bodybuilders can lift upto 800lb squats and 500lb bench presses. Some weights I have seen being lifted have to be seen to be believed. Not all bodybuilders are this strong, but any bodybuilder who is serious about lifting is considerably stronger than the average person, it's not earth shattering news that the more muscle mass you have the heavier you can lift. Some bodybuilders who I know enter both in weight lifting competitions and bodybuilding competitions and do really well in both of them. Don't get me wrong some bodybuilders are not as strong as they look, but some are much stronger than they look, some are unbelievably strong.
Bogus Myth #3. "Pro's eat strict diets all year round"This myth comes from the bodybuilding magazines and publications who want readers to think that these guys eat low fat healthy clean food all year round. This leads to many beginners trying to get all the calories they need from chicken, rice, veggies, etc. In fact getting the idealic 4000 calories from just clean foods alone is virtually impossible. This can be sometimes off putting and depressing for the newbies as they try and stuff themselves with healthy foods to make gains and they just can't seem to eat enough. For the truth of things: I have seen a lot of bodybuilders while off season who binge on fast foods and pizzas, no joke! This however should not be done for the average joe who is trying to build muscle and gain weight healthily. These pro guys are really strict when on season so they need a blowout when they're off season, who can blame them!
Obviously I can't speak for every bodybuilders off season diet because I don't know them all, some could have an absolutely spotless diet, but the majority I know don't. It is mainly an advertising myth mostly, as many bodybuilders say they carry much more body fat than they claim in these magazines. If you told these publications that they pulled into Burger King every other day they would not sell many issues. So you can see the advantage of how saying that these guys are clean all year round is to these big magazine companies.
Bogus Myth #4. "All Bodybuilders have small penises"I bet you've heard this one before havn't you? Now, I havn't seen any bodybuilders' manly assets, but it's been my thought that they tend to be like every other man in that department. Some are small, some are normal, and some are big. One fact, however, is that a big guy with a normal sized member would look smaller than a skinny guys normal sized member. It's all in the proportions.
Bogus Myth# 5 "Bodybuilders are all full of themselves"This one does have a bit of truth to it. Some bodybuilders can be full of themselves and can be the most narcissistic people you will ever meet. Some however can be very down to earth and humble people. Some cockiness and narcissism is sometimes par and parcel with the course of bodybuilding.
Bogus Myth #6. "Bodybuilders are all gay"This one is another stupid myth and is often started by those people who are envious of the bodybuilders physique and the attention they get from the ladies. It is my experience that bodybuilders are as often gay as the general public is, I know more gay people who aren't bodybuilders than I know gay bodybuilders. This is a really stupid myth and it should be put to rest right here right now. These are just some of the really crazy myths going round now that put people off trying to gain muscle, there are many more that are circulating around the general public and they will be covered by me in the future I'm sure.
See you down the gym then!Wesley McDermott is a bodybuilding and fitness expert and has over 5 years experience in the industry. If you would like to know anything on bodybuilding or you would like to know how to gain weight and build muscle more effectively visit his site herehttp://www.weightgain4you.com