6 Common Weightlifting Myths Busted!

It’s hard not to get confused and intimidated by what you overhear from the discussion some of the so-called fitness enthusiasts were having on weight training in the changing room. Besides, the sight of scary looking grunting men with bulging biceps, lifting huge chunk of weights, disrupts the mental sanity of anyone who has stepped in the weight section for the first time. For decades, a good many people have been wary of going for this fitness activity because of the most common weight lifting myths that have been doing the rounds.

Look at these 6 common weight lifting myths

1. Weightlifting can cause serious injuries

Many beginners feel that weight lifting is injury prone and it can damage the larger muscle group in the long run, but studies have a different story to tell. Weight lifting does not produce more injuries compared to different exercise machines, rather, the injury rates are lower than in any other sport. Weight lifting is used for rehabilitation because it can prevent and fix injuries. The only way you may injure yourself, is if you use a bad technique or don’t control your ego. Use your head and you’ll be safe.

2. Weightlifting can raise your blood pressure

Your blood pressure increases when you lift heavy weights. But it returns to normal after finishing your set. That’s how lifting improves your cardiovascular fitness. People who lift weights with the focus on strength training have lower blood pressures than people who don’t exercise. Studies show that regular weight lifting lowers your systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

3. Weightlifting makes women bulky

Of all the most common weight lifting myths, this tops the list when it comes to being outrageous. Those muscular women you can find in muscle magazines had to use steroids, follow a particular meal plan and exercise accordingly to get to that point. As a woman, you can build muscle, get stronger and improve your physique. But you’ll never build as much muscle mass as men can because you have lower testosterone levels. You’ll always stay feminine unless you use steroids.

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4. Weightlifting decreases flexibility

This is another of the most common weight lifting myths that have made this fitness exercise so unpopular.

Years of sedentary lifestyle may have tightened your hips, preventing you to squat. A proper stretching before and after the workout is something which people don’t follow. Weightlifting makes you regain your flexibility and maintains it. The squat, particularly, will give your hip muscles a full stretch. But increasing your muscle mass or strength won’t reduce your flexibility at all.

5. Muscle turns to fat if you stop lifting

Muscle never turns to fat. They’re different tissues. If you stop weight lifting, you also have to eat less than before otherwise, you’ll get fat. Most of the people are on heavy protein and carbs diet when they are lifting heavy weights but they continue the same diet even after stopping the workout.

Some believe that if you train long enough, your muscles will never come back to their pre-trained state. This is probably linked to muscle memory: it’s easier to regain muscle than to build it from scratch.

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6. Weightlifting is boring

It is, if you go the gym without a plan, don’t pay attention to what you do when lifting and don’t get results. But it won’t be if you have a plan, get results and focus on how your body moves during a lift.

Weightlifting may seem like an uphill task in the beginning, especially if you have do not have the right guidance. Fortunately, gyms like Power World take great care of its members in their fitness journey. The unique ‘Help Me’ badge provided by Power World Gym makes sure that you always have a certified trainer at hand who will take you through the process step by step so that none of the above myths is in your way to fitness. In fact, why don’t you walk in at one of the Power World Gyms in Bangalore or Delhi NCR and avail a free two-day trial yourself? Give it a shot and let us know how it was. See you on the other side! Till then, stay fit, stay happy!