Instagram is full of people telling you what’s right and what’s wrong, but who’s there to tell you what’s true? That’s why Trojan Fitness is here! We have experienced personal trainers in Northwood who can help you separate the good advice from the bad.
Resistance training is better than cardio for losing weight
Over the last few years a plethora of PT’s and fitness influencers have commented that resistance training is better for weight loss. Their views are based on the fact that resistance training builds muscle, and having more muscle means a higher resting metabolism. While this is correct, putting on 1 kg of lean muscle mass is likely to only burn an extra 20 calories per day! For this strategy to be effective you would need to add a lot of muscle mass, which for some people would be very difficult. At Trojan Fitness we believe the best weight loss strategy is a combination of cardiovascular and resistance training, you will get the unique benefits of both.
Detoxes and cleanses are good
Detoxes and cleanses are marketed as a magic fix by some influencers but cutting out entire food groups or ignoring hunger cues can affect your body and mind. You need a balanced, nutrient dense diet that fits with your goals and workout plan. There is no quick fix but with patience and habit changes you’ll gain a more fulfilling result.
No pain no gain
Pushing yourself and being in pain are two different things. You should always listen to what your body is trying to tell you as pain whilst training could signify a possible injury. Learn to differentiate between the signals your body is giving you and build intensity progressively.
Don’t squat past your toes
This is one of the most common myths in the fitness industry today. Instructors routinely tell their clients that letting your knees pass beyond your toes in bad for them. This advice was based on an old research study that in later years became irrelevant. If you have healthy knees, good technique and progress your training correctly, it’s perfectly fine to let your knees track past your toes. In fact to achieve a deep squat its essential, allowing you to maintain an upright posture with a neutral strong spine.
Women should lift lower weights and do more reps than men
There’s a common belief that women shouldn’t do heavy weightlifting. This is totally untrue, how you want to workout has nothing to do with your gender, sex, or age. The way you work out is mainly dependent on your current fitness level and goals. This biased thought is based on people suggesting that women will become bulky and manly if they lift heavy weights. Women have many times less testosterone (anabolic hormone key to muscle synthesis) than men, meaning its many times harder to build muscle tissue. If a healthy male and female did the same workouts, 9/10 times
the male would build significantly more muscle. Some women will find it very hard to build any significant muscle at all, even lifting heavy weights frequently.
There are many more fitness myths out there but as long as you do your research and talk to a professional, you’ll have a great fitness journey. If you want further advice or need help starting your fitness journey, get in touch with our personal trainers at Trojan Fitness.
