The DEBUNKING thread.........myths that need to be trashed

ninerbuff

Just recently I fit into clothes that I wore when I was about 10-15 pounds lighter than I am now. I am in the obese range but 27 pounds lighter than when I started however not quite as light as I was when I was wearing these clothes last. I have been exercising alot while losing weight. I have periods where I was in a weight loss plateau and continued to lose inches I thought because I was exercising. My only explanation is that I am as slim now as I was when I weighed less. I would expect that it is because I am fitter and have a greater % muscle than I did when I was lighter. I could definitely be wrong but how would you explain it. I am not talking about the size but the actual clothes I wore so it isn't the brand or style. I do not think that it is rare to find obese people on MFP. I think your post is great but now I have no explanation for this. Do you?

Obese people ARE one of the few who can put on a small amount of muscle while on calorie deficit. It doesn't hold true for the majority of people who are just trying to lose weight though.

ninerbuff

"Stretching prevents injuries."

After analyzing the results of six studies, researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could not find any correlation between stretching and injury prevention. According to Dr. Julie Gilchrist, one of the researchers involved with the study, "Stretching increases flexibility, but most injuries occur within the normal range of motion." Dr. Gilchrist goes on to say, Stretching and warming up have just gone together for decades. It's simply what's done, and it hasn't been approached through rigorous science."
Make no mistake: A stretching program is not without benefits. Seven of nine studies suggest that a regular stretching program does help to strengthen muscles. However, it does not appear to actually prevent injuries. Warming up prior to exercise and increasing blood flow to the muscles is actually more conducive to injury prevention. I'm not suggesting that you eliminate stretching. It is valuable and flexibility is certainly important as we age. However, we may be off base assuming it's an injury-prevention technique.

James_1954

"Stretching prevents injuries."

... Warming up prior to exercise and increasing blood flow to the muscles is actually more conducive to injury prevention. I'm not suggesting that you eliminate stretching. ...

That's interesting, and it's something I've read from time to time. I guess my question is: what does a "warmup" look like? Is it basically a slower or easier version of the activity we're warming up for, or what?

Thanks in advance for your answer.

joejccva71

Good stuff Niner.

I have another myth debuking thread regarding more on the nutrition side that I bump usually once a day. A mod messaged me and said he couldn't sticky it. Maybe we can consolodate our threads somehow lol.

ninerbuff

That's interesting, and it's something I've read from time to time. I guess my question is: what does a "warmup" look like? Is it basically a slower or easier version of the activity we're warming up for, or what?

Thanks in advance for your answer.

If you're warming up for a run, a light slow jog or fast walk to start is a good. If you're going to lift weights, you do the movement with light weights for about 15 to 20 reps to get the blood and recruitment of muscle active. Usually a 5-10 minutes of light cardio is a good way to warm up for just about any exercise activity.

ninerbuff

Good stuff Niner.

I have another myth debuking thread regarding more on the nutrition side that I bump usually once a day. A mod messaged me and said he couldn't sticky it. Maybe we can consolodate our threads somehow lol.

Post it here!

James_1954

If you're warming up for a run, a light slow jog or fast walk to start is a good. If you're going to lift weights, you do the movement with light weights for about 15 to 20 reps to get the blood and recruitment of muscle active. Usually a 5-10 minutes of light cardio is a good way to warm up for just about any exercise activity.

Thanks! I'll try that.

One more question (and, if you don't feel like getting used as a free trainer-consultant, I understand): Most of what I do right now is cardio and all-lower-body (cycling and the elliptical). THis is because I've been troubled lately with some aching in the muscle on the outside of the upper arm (not the biceps, which is in front, and not the triceps, which is in back, but on the outside of the arm. It's the right arm only. I pretty much suspended my arm-related exercise, thinking that I need to rest it. But, after several weeks of resting it, it still aches. If this was you, would you go back to working it, do you think? (I'm 57 years old, and my whole musculo-skeletal is increasingly becoming a collection of minor aches and pains, which I mostly ignore unless they start feeling dangerous.)

Thanks again.

joejccva71

Good stuff Niner.

I have another myth debuking thread regarding more on the nutrition side that I bump usually once a day. A mod messaged me and said he couldn't sticky it. Maybe we can consolodate our threads somehow lol.

Post it here!

It's quite long bro.

JNick77

[ If you're going to lift weights, you do the movement with light weights for about 15 to 20 reps to get the blood and recruitment of muscle active. Usually a 5-10 minutes of light cardio is a good way to warm up for just about any exercise activity.

Have you ever read Chritian Thibaudeau's work on Neural Ramping? If not you should check it out because I think it's actually a more effective method of warming up for your lift. He actually promotes starting with some kind of explosive movement with very light weight to get the nervous system activated and then moving onto the Neural Ramping. For example you'd do something like,

Activation work: Power clean from the hang @ 60% of your normal work weight for 2 sets x 2 - 3 reps:
If you're Bench Pressing and your maximum work weight for this session is 200lbs then it would look something like,
Feeler set @ 90lbs
Set 1: 140lbs
Set 2: 160lbs
Set 3: 180lbs
Set 4: 200lbs
Begin your workout.

Each set is suppose to be completed with momentum. Ever since I've started doing this I feel like my core pressing lifts have become more productive.

ninerbuff

Thanks! I'll try that.

One more question (and, if you don't feel like getting used as a free trainer-consultant, I understand): Most of what I do right now is cardio and all-lower-body (cycling and the elliptical). THis is because I've been troubled lately with some aching in the muscle on the outside of the upper arm (not the biceps, which is in front, and not the triceps, which is in back, but on the outside of the arm. It's the right arm only. I pretty much suspended my arm-related exercise, thinking that I need to rest it. But, after several weeks of resting it, it still aches. If this was you, would you go back to working it, do you think? (I'm 57 years old, and my whole musculo-skeletal is increasingly becoming a collection of minor aches and pains, which I mostly ignore unless they start feeling dangerous.)

Thanks again.

If it's the outside of your upper arm it's either the biceps or triceps. Does it hurt more when curl up or push down?

ninerbuff

Have you ever read Chritian Thibaudeau's work on Neural Ramping? If not you should check it out because I think it's actually a more effective method of warming up for your lift. He actually promotes starting with some kind of explosive movement with very light weight to get the nervous system activated and then moving onto the Neural Ramping. For example you'd do something like,

Activation work: Power clean from the hang @ 60% of your normal work weight for 2 sets x 2 - 3 reps:
If you're Bench Pressing and your maximum work weight for this session is 200lbs then it would look something like,
Feeler set @ 90lbs
Set 1: 140lbs
Set 2: 160lbs
Set 3: 180lbs
Set 4: 200lbs
Begin your workout.

Each set is suppose to be completed with momentum. Ever since I've started doing this I feel like my core pressing lifts have become more productive.

Actually I've done this with clients who are athletes. Haven't done it with "standard" clients because most aren't ready for some explosive training.
Most of the athletes (mostly high school trying to get scholarships and some first year college athlete's) are either in swimming or football.

James_1954

Thanks! I'll try that.

One more question (and, if you don't feel like getting used as a free trainer-consultant, I understand): Most of what I do right now is cardio and all-lower-body (cycling and the elliptical). This is because I've been troubled lately with some aching in the muscle on the outside of the upper arm (not the biceps, which is in front, and not the triceps, which is in back, but on the outside of the arm. It's the right arm only. I pretty much suspended my arm-related exercise, thinking that I need to rest it. But, after several weeks of resting it, it still aches. If this was you, would you go back to working it, do you think? (I'm 57 years old, and my whole musculo-skeletal is increasingly becoming a collection of minor aches and pains, which I mostly ignore unless they start feeling dangerous.)

Thanks again.

If it's the outside of your upper arm it's either the biceps or triceps. Does it hurt more when curl up or push down?

I actually don't think it hurts any more when I'm working it (either way that you mentioned) than it does at rest. When it's at rest is when I notice it. Sort of a dull, chronic ache. Sounds to me like it wouldn't hurt to work it.

KristensMom314

So my question is this: what are some good exercises to get out of the darn water retention phase?

MzPix

I appreciate everyone who has contributed to this thread. Even the disagreement in discourse is educational and allows us room to make informed decisions.
I truly believe that part of being healthy is learning how to make all the knowledge applicable in the real world and this thread contributes to that.
Thank you to everyone who has already and in advance to those who will continue to share information here with others!
:flowerforyou:

TrishJimenez

So you are saying that since I am in a calorie deficit I am not going to build muscles or get stronger even if I lift weights?

JNick77

So you are saying that since I am in a calorie deficit I am not going to build muscles or get stronger even if I lift weights?

You can't get stronger but you won't gain appreciable mass. For muscles to get stronger they have to grow a little but we're not talking mass like bodybuilders or even female bodybuilders at that.

Dmax12

Deleted due to it being said a few times before :-)

TrishJimenez

So you are saying that since I am in a calorie deficit I am not going to build muscles or get stronger even if I lift weights?

You can't get stronger but you won't gain appreciable mass. For muscles to get stronger they have to grow a little but we're not talking mass like bodybuilders or even female bodybuilders at that.

Oh well I dont want to build bigger muscles. I just want to get toned and stronger and have maybe some definition. So I look good in a strapless dress? That is attainable on a calorie deficit?

TrainingWithTonya

So you are saying that since I am in a calorie deficit I am not going to build muscles or get stronger even if I lift weights?

Yes, you will get stronger and yes you will gain lean tissue. It just won't be actual muscle fiber growth (either in size of the existing fibers or in adding additional fibers) until you are providing adequate nutrition and have been training for a long period of time. The first strength gains you will experience are actually neural adaptations in the muscles. They are strong enough now to lift more then they think they can but the nervous system doesn't allow it because of lack of use. Think of it as your muscles are currently the Little Engine That Could. They haven't climbed the mountain yet, so they don't think they can make it. After attempting little hills first, they realize that yes, they can climb that mountain. Each lift with a small weight is an "I think I can" toward that bigger weight. The first one, you only use a few of the available muscle fibers, and on the second effort, you'll use a few more muscle fibers and so on and so on, until you are using all the muscle fibers that are available. So, when you first start a weight training program, you will notice strength gains rather rapidly, because the nervous systems start to engage and allow for more muscle fiber recruitment and therefore more weight and reps with your lifts. During this time your body will also adapt to needing more glycogen in the muscle to fuel the lifts because weight lifting is anaerobic, which is primarily using carbs as fuel for the movements. That first time you lift, there's not much glycogen stored in the muscles. The second time you lift, though, they will be ready and have a little extra glycogen in there for when you lift so that they don't fatigue as fast. If you keep it up, they will keep storing more glycogen (in 3 times as much water) so that they are ready for you to do your toughest workout. This is what confuses a lot of people, because they feel the glycogen and water in their muscles as firmer muscles and when they do a body composition analysis, it comes up as lean body mass since it isn't fat being stored. Since it appears as lean tissue on the body comp and the muscles feel firmer, it was believed for years to be muscle growth. Some trainers, due to lack of knowledge, will still tell their clients they are building muscle. Others will tell their clients that so that they don't confuse them with the science or scare them into thinking they need to avoid water retention. We actually want this type of water retention as it is best for performance. The storage of glycogen and water will plateau after 3-6 months usually, when the muscles get to their set point of maximum glycogen storage. At this point in time, then the neuromuscular system goes to work again and tells the brain that we can't get any stronger (via recruiting more fibers or storing more fuel) without the current muscle fibers growing or adding more muscle fibers. At this point, then the protein in the foods we eat is not only needed for the repair of any damage in the muscles caused by exercise, but also for the added muscle. Unfortunately, too many people are scared by the added weight of the glycogen and water and think they have to cut weight and may opt not to eat adequate carbohydrates to get to this point. If there aren't enough carbs in the diet, then this stage doesn't get reached. Then instead of having adequate glycogen in the muscles, the body has to break down protein to convert to glucose to use to fuel the lifts, so that protein isn't available to build more muscle. It's kind of a double whammy to muscle building because the neuromuscular stimulus isn't there and neither is the extra protein to build the muscle fibers. But if you eat enough carbs to replenish your glycogen stores, train heavy with your weights, and eat adequate protein to have it available, you can build muscle even on a calorie deficit. But the deficit has to be small and the training has to be targeted to use what is being consumed properly to pull from fat stores in the body for any weight loss.

Dmax12

Heres one I liked...
"I don't want to bulk up, I just want to tone up!"

Uh, flex.
Say hello to your muscle.
Now, you can either leave it as it is and simply burn fat via cardio. Or you can do strength training, build the muscle up a bit, and burn off less fat to get it to show through.

There is so such thing as toning. You either build muscle and burn fat, or you simply burn fat. Be happy with what you have under there or go build more.

hmm, I have read many different articles on this, though yes you can only build or burn, the way in which you build can be controlled. Lifting heavy weights at low reps will result in simple bulk, but by using lighter weights at higher reps with targeted moves will result in a specific muscle getting the bulk of the work Vs. the surronding/supporting muscles. This can be clearly seen when looking at an olympic weight lifter Vs. a professonal body sculptor.