5 Myths About Strength Training: 5 Reasons Now is the Time

Mar 31, 2021

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Warning! If you believe any of these myths about strength training, my goal is to turn your thoughts before you're finished listening. If you're here, happening to read the show notes, and you're not strength training, I made this with you in mind.

But, there are three other women that I want to reach. Are you here?

the woman who thinks yoga, Pilates, or walking are enough
the woman who thinks she has to do Crossfit or follows a trainer who insists on "functional" only workouts
the woman who is "lifting regularly" but never reaches muscular fatigue.

>> Myth #1: You don’t have time.

You will have to plan the time, but my question is how much time do you think it takes?

A quality workout is one where you reach muscular fatigue with major muscle groups. You can do it in 10 minutes or less if you have to, but a great workout requires about 30 minutes.

>> Myth #2: You’ll get hurt.

Your chances of getting hurt are much higher from frailty, falls, pulled muscles and poor balance due to weak muscles than from strength training.

>> Myth #3: You need a lot of equipment.

You need a few pair of dumbbells and an exercise ball. Substitute some water bottles and backpacks full of books if you need to.

>> Myth #4: You will bulk up.

There’s really a very small chance you have enough hormones to get bulky now.

>> Myth #5: You need to lose weight first.

Of all myths about strength training this one will prolong the problem you have more than others. Weight loss will happen from increasing metabolism.

The only way to do that is to strength train. Contrary to popular belief cardio will not help you boost metabolism long term. Minimal evidence exists to show small changes in muscle from HIIT in post menopause women.

Making Progress?

If these myths about strength training don't fit you, but you're thoughts are, "I never see results anyway?" it's not that it doesn't work. It's that the way you're lifting/resting/and eating aren't working together.

>> Reason #1: No other exercise will improve the way you age like strength training.

Countless studies point to strength training’s power to reverse aging effects of genes, reverse mitochondria damage, prevent Alzheimer’s, enhance muscle, bone and brain health and so much more.

>> Reason #2: Muscle loss accelerates during late-stage perimenopause and early post menopause.

The sharp decline in estrogen at this time removes the stimulus from estrogen for muscle. That stimulus has to come from a new and significant stimulus.

>> Reason #3: Bone loss is inevitable without strength training.

You can’t out-run, -Zumba, or -yoga your bone density losses. It requires a minimum effective stress of continued overload. Yoga might get you from 0-10 if you've come from the couch. It won't get your from 11-100.

>> Reason #4: Frailty, falls, and fractures lead to mortality.

Your weight – high, low, or average doesn’t exclude you from being frail due to what is called sarcopenia.

>> Reason #5: Muscle strength is much more within your control than fat loss.

Muscle strength is something you can monitor, manipulate, and control while fat loss has many variables, a chief one being stress. Then there’s inflammation. Your body won’t potentially shed fat with high stress and or inflammation. Myths about strength training negate this big piece of information. The better podcast would have been myths about fat loss.

Of course we know them, but the biggest? Is that if you lose weight you will be healthier, and live longer. Truthfully, you may or you may be more frail, and guaranteed of regaining weight. Your future self depends on strength and muscle.

Help Right Now

If you’re listening to this on the day I release it March 31, STRONGER is open. If you’re hearing it later you may get on a notifications list. Strength training is not one of those things that can be put off until there’s time, until it’s convenient. Disease, stress, and therefor muscle and bone losses continue even when you’re not looking and busy. They have a hey day when you say you don’t have time or energy to exercise or eat right.

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