You Don’t Have to Be Strong to Be Big
This is a great one to open with because it’s one that could easily be believed either way. I know guys who could make a case for it being true or untrue. The truth lies somewhere in between because the phase is relative. A lot of being big and being strong and that intersecting or not is about fast/slow twitch muscle activity, which is genetic. It also has to do with height, limb length, and the torque that resistance exercises put on limbs. But the truth is, to get big, you do have to lift big. So saying that you don’t need to lift big to get big – even on AAS – is a big fat lie. You do. And when you lift heavy weights, your muscles get bigger. So, you’ll never see a guy who is 5′9″ and 240 pounds, who is a wimp or weakling. Sure, he may not have spent half of his time in the gym as a power lifter and may not clean and snatch, but he certainly is no weakling.
You Have to Maintain a Correct Caloric and Macronutrient Balance to Build Muscle
A lot of protein and supplement manufacturers often say this because it suits their agenda to sell supplements. But the truth is, just as obesity is in no way correlated to the number of calories a person is eating (maybe initially, but not in the end once the metabolic rate has shifted), it is also not necessarily correlated to the ability to pack on size. Largely, packing on size is genetic. I know so many guys who do everything wrong – on AAS or not – and they still build muscle to do battle. Other guys are making diet logs, bringing food with them to eat every 3 hours, putting away the weight gainer shakes, and they can’t put on size to save their lives. This is particularly true with AAS, which in theory doesn’t make sense…to not increase the composition or amount of food…and still have lean mass increase.
You Can’t Get Bigger if You Don’t Train Each Body Part Twice Weekly
A lot of us know this is false, because we know that intensity and other factors are what contribute to the most mass gains. And sometimes, against all logic (in our heads), we work out less and gain more lean mass. It’s the same with having pizza the night before you step on stage. You’ve dieted for 16 weeks and aren’t capable of “blowing it” by pounding fatty, cheesy, salty pizza the night before, but it’s exactly what you ought to be doing in order to succeed.
You Should Only Rest For a Short Period in Between Sets
This is one of the biggest lies told because rest times are so personal and so relative. It also depends upon what you are trying to do. If you are trying to pack on size, setting a rest time doesn’t account for the intensity of the workouts or the heaviness of weights. Still though, some adhere to this silly “take only 45 – 60 seconds between sets and get back at it”. Truth is your body tells you how much you need – provided you aren’t sitting around chatting and goofing off. But if you’re anything like me and you finish a set of squats with 405 for 10-12 reps, you may need a little longer than 45 seconds. Trust me, this rule doesn’t apply.
High Reps Cut You Up and Low Reps Add Size
This is another fallacy. We tell our women this so that they won’t start adding bulky size to an untrained frame. We also know that the faster our women move through a workout, the quicker their butt and hips will diminish. But it isn’t a hard, fast rule for everyone – particularly for men. Since we lift heavier, and more intensely, training high reps with heavy weight has a totally different outcome than training with light weights for high reps. Who could put on size doing that? Exactly. Our women benefit from it, but we don’t. But only because they lift lighter and less intensely unless they are going for the bodybuilding or fitness stage. Plus, different body parts really respond well to higher reps, like calves and abs.
Doing Isolation Exercises Will Reshape a Muscle Group
The biggest example of this fallacy and myth is the biceps. Guys will always perpetuate this by saying, “Oh yeah dude, I did concentration curls and my biceps got a hammer on top and really split and changed shape”. You just have to roll your eyes. Sure, isolation is great, and it is a great way to boost intensity on an occasional basis, or more frequently, depending upon how well you respond. But, doing them won’t be the secret weapon you’ve always been seeking. They’re just one exercise. No single exercise will ever deliver you from mediocrity or bad genetics.
A Low Carb Diet is the Only Way to Lose Fat
Actually, though it’s a great diet for most, it’s not the best diet for everyone. Eating lower glycemic carbs, being consistent with diet and being conscious of what you put in your mouth and how much, is key to looking great and losing fat. Low carb is only a temporary fix. It is a great kick-starter for anyone’s metabolism if healing a fat body is in order. But if you are trying to stay on it permanently, without reincorporating carbs back into the picture, you’re asking for trouble. Fat will just pile back on if you even think about other foods. Remember, the old timers never dieted this way. There is more than one way to skin a cat.
Supplements are Bullshit
Some are. And some companies are determined to rip you off with any concoction they can get their hands on. But the truth is, you don’t have to buy it. Do your research. Talk to guys who have used it. Get on those posting boards and share in others’ experiences. Keep in mind that many of these supplement companies don’t ever test their formulas, they just slap it together and hope it sticks when they throw it hard against a wall. The proof is in the pudding. Use it once and see if you get good results. You’re only out a few bucks that way.
Carbo Loading Will Make you Look Full and Tight and Good
Carbs can’t make muscle bigger than they actually are. Water volume does that, but carbs are only a means by which water is transported. Do you look fuller? Yes. Does it always work? No! Talk to anyone who’s competed for more than 2 or 3 times and they’ll tell you that carbo loading as a concept isn’t exactly foolproof. Getting the water, sodium and carb balance right is difficult. Don’t play around with it for the first time at contest time. Play around a few weeks out to see how it works for your body and what the right balance of carbs per hour and day actually is. Water is a tricky part of pre-contest prep and carbs can make that even harder. Best to get lean 2-3 weeks prior and just “eat into the show”.