BY GEORGE NAVA TRUE II
WEIGHTLIFTER Hidilyn Diaz became the talk of the town when she became the first Olympic gold medalist from the Philippines. Unfortunately, that has not stopped some people from spreading locker room myths about bodybuilding. Here are some of them:
Weight training makes women look like men
False! Many women avoid lifting weights because they fear it will make them bulky and ruin their figure. They don’t want to look like men. On the contrary, many women train with weights who are sexy and don’t look like the female version of the Terminator.
Jacque Crockford of the American Council on Exercise said lifting weights is a great way to tone the body and shape up. It can help define and add the right curves without giving someone the physique of a professional wrestler. Crockford said the only time the latter happens is when you take large amounts of anabolic steroids and train like a bodybuilder.
Bodybuilders can eat anything
False! This is fueled by the belief that people who work out daily can put anything in their mouth and get away with it since they can burn all the extra calories they ingest. This is their excuse for gorging on unhealthy or junk foods. Nothing can be farther from the truth.
Eating the right foods is the key to bodybuilding and becoming fit. Nutrition and exercise work together so nothing can replace a balanced diet if you want to stay lean and healthy. Go for a variety of good foods and aim for the right amount of protein, fats, carbohydrates, and fibers in your diet.
Longer workouts are more effective
False! Spending a lot of time in the gym won’t help you reach your bodybuilding goals quickly, but that can be tiring and boring. Longer workouts can also lead to overtraining which experts advise against.
Studies show that shorter, high-intensity workouts are better. These help lower blood sugar levels and get rid of abdominal fat. The wise bodybuilder doesn’t spend the whole day at the gym but relies on proper nutrition, recovery, and smart training to become stronger.
No pain, no gain
False. This is one of the oldest bodybuilding myths that are not only misleading but dangerous. Many people think that they must break their backs or lift heavy weights until their muscles become sore or painful to benefit from bodybuilding. Experts said that the effectiveness of a workout doesn’t depend on the pain you experience at the gym but on how you exercise.
Like any form of exercise, bodybuilding is supposed to be fun. It shouldn’t leave you in pain or make you suffer.
Muscle soreness – known as delayed onset muscle soreness – often occurs six to eight hours after a workout. It’s your body’s way of telling you must rest until it can adapt and prepare for the same activity. This explains why the soreness is intense the first time you exercise and decreases with time.
Muscle soreness is not related to the effectiveness of a workout. It is a warning for you to stop and rest. Ignoring this warning is a sure way of hurting yourself.
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National Press Club and Philippine Dental Association awardee George N. True II has written two bestsellers based on his popular column which has been running for almost 40 years. For questions about health, email georgenavatrue@yahoo.com./PN
