No Pain, No Gain? Fitness Myths You Shouldn’t Believe

The fitness world can be a little strange from time to time. What seems like sage wisdom often turns out to be entirely wrong when put to the test. 

In this post, we take a look at some of the most pervasive fitness myths and what you should do instead. 

Myth 1: No Pain, No Gain

Many fitness enthusiasts believe that you have to be in pain to make progress towards becoming an athlete. After all, right from the earliest age, we’ve been taught that effort is the barometer of success. 

But that’s not actually true. When put to the test, there doesn’t seem to be a link between pain and gain. Instead, what matters is adaptation. 

Pain can actually be a red flag. It may mean that you’re training too hard or that you have an injury requiring CBD muscle balm. It can also mean that you’re not giving your body enough time to recover from the punishment it’s receiving. 

Myth 2: Lifting Weights Will Make You Look Like Arnie

If you think you’re going to wind up looking like Arnie after lifting a few weights, think again. That sort of bulk requires changing your entire life and eating about 6,000 calories per day. 

For most people, lifting weights will simply result in a faster metabolism and a leaner, more athletic appearance. You’ll gain shape, but you won’t necessarily gain size unless you do it continually for months at a time and constantly add more weight. Most women will find it extremely difficult to gain a substantial amount of muscle because of their hormonal environments in their bodies. 

Myth 3: Your Muscles Will Convert To Fat If You Stop Training

There is no physiological process to convert muscle into fat. It simply doesn’t happen. Instead, what happens is that the muscle shrinks through lack of use and the affected person begins to eat foods that encourage fat storage. Optically, therefore, it looks like there has been a loss of muscle mass. 

However, if a person gains weight, muscle itself will usually remain the same size. Fat over the top of it will continue to grow, leading to a bulkier appearance. 

Myth 4: If You’re Not Sore, You Didn’t Train Hard Enough

Many gym goers believe that you need to be sore the day after training to “prove” that you trained hard enough. But that’s not true either. 

It turns out that burning pain after a workout is usually a sign that you need to get into better shape. It can also mean that you pushed it too hard. 

If you’re hobbling around the day after a training session, ask yourself whether your routine is sensible for your level of fitness and lifestyle. Also, make sure that you’re building strength in peripheral tissues, not just global muscles. 

Myth 5: You Should Avoid Working Out On An Empty Stomach

In the past, the thinking was that you needed “fuel” for your body before a workout. But now there’s evidence that working out fasted might actually be better for you and provoke more adaptation.