Friday, November 7, 2014

Fitness and Health Lies I've Believed

I was listening to a patient the other day tell me something about how running is the "only" way he can lose weight.  It made me stop and think what "fitness lies" I've believed in the past.

Some are genuine lies.  Lactic Acid is building in my body and slowing me down.  This at one point was a genuine "fact," since disproved, but in the 80's this was commonly taught in school.

Some are straight lies.  I think the earliest of my fitness lies was me believing my older brother that if I drank the 1/2 and 1/2 mini containers you can find at McDonald's that you would be fast.  I was probably 5 at the time.  I think I drank those things like candy for several years.

Here is a list in random order.

You have to squat if you want to be fast.  Squatting was the king of all exercises.

Benching was a true test of strength and nothing else compared.

Fat was bad for you.

The best way to put on weight was as much calories as possible, quality of the food didn't matter.

Working out till you puked was a sign of an amazing workout.

Working out till you were exhausted and can't do a single more rep is what it takes to make progress.

2 hour workouts are hard core and effective.

Aerobic work was bad for me and would make me slow.

Rest is for the weak.

Gulping down a protein/carb shake with in a magical window of time after my workout was vital.

Olympic lifts are the only way to train for power.

HMB was worth my money.

Creatine was the only supplement I would ever need to take.

That there exists a magic workout program that will deliver everything I could dream about.

That there are special exercises that will deliver all I dream about.

Grip strength really isn't that important.

Coffee is bad for you.  Stunts your growth.  (Crazy!!)

Lifting to momentary failure all the time is a great way to lift.

I don't need 8 hours of sleep.

I'm sure there are things now I believe that in 4-5 years will be quite different.

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