5 Muscle Myths That Need To Be Dispelled

Author: Jim Plummer

There are plenty of muscle myths out there. Here are five of the most common ones, and the truth behind the fiction:

1. Muscle will turn to fat if you stop exercising.

This muscle myth has been around for a long time. The truth is that muscle and fat are two different types of tissue, so one can’t convert to the other.

The reason why this myth persists is because many of us have seen muscular people who, once they stop exercising, become fat. But the reason why they become fat isn’t because their muscle has turned into fat, it’s because they have stopped working out but have continued to consume the same number of calories as when they were working out. So they end up losing lean muscle mass because they are no longer exercising, and they end up gaining body fat because they are consuming more calories than their new sedentary bodies need.

2. Muscle weighs more than fat.

This is another muscle myth that’s been around for a long time. The truth is that muscle does not weigh more than fat – one pound of muscle and one pound of fat both weigh one pound.

But muscle is more dense than fat, which means that one pound of muscle takes up less space than one pound of fat. This is the reason why you can have two people who are both the same height and weight, but the one with more muscle and less body fat will look leaner than the one with more body fat and less muscle.

3. Muscle loss is inevitable as you get older.

Muscle loss is not the normal result of aging, it’s primarily the result of a sedentary lifestyle. If you don’t use your muscles they waste away. Once the average sedentary person reaches age 65, they will have lost up to 40% of their lean muscle mass compared to when they were young adults.

Multiple studies have shown that older people respond very well to weight lifting and are able to build lean muscle mass very effectively. Even people in nursing homes have been able to increase lean muscle mass when put on an appropriate weight lifting program.

4. Women will develop big, bulky muscles if they lift weights.

The reality is that most women don’t have enough of the hormone testosterone (a key hormone for building muscle) to develop big, bulky muscles. Without using steroids to unnaturally alter their testosterone levels, it’s not possible for most women to develop big, bulky muscles.

It’s important for women to realize that lifting weights will not give them a big, bulky body, but instead it will give them a strong, firm, toned body.

5. Muscle has no effect on fat loss.

Actually, building more lean muscle mass is one of the keys to fat loss. This is because muscle is metabolically active tissue, which means that the more lean muscle mass you have the higher your metabolism will be. The higher your metabolism, the more calories your body burns to maintain itself. The more calories your body burns to maintain itself, the more body fat you lose.

In conclusion, now that these common muscle myths have been dispelled, make sure that weight lifting – the best way to build and maintain lean muscle mass – is a part of your fitness program.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/fitness-articles/5-muscle-myths-that-need-to-be-dispelled-4867547.html

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