Muscle Fiction and Muscle Truth

If you've spent any time weight training, you are sure to be familiar with at least some of these myths.

1. 12 Rep rule

Your average training regimens feature twelve repetitions, the theory being being that this is somehow the "magic number" of repetitions for building muscle. The truth be told, this does not adequately work the muscles enough to build mass.

Heavy weights mean bigger gains in strength and muscle due to longer tension. Longer tension, of course results in more muscle mass. This is because it encourages growth of the muscle fibers, also building endurance.

Eight to twelve reps does not give you the tension levels that can be achieved by less reps with heavier weights, or the longer tension that comes from light weights with more reps. To create all types of muscle growth, change up your routine - both in terms of repetitions and the weights you use.

2. Three Set rule

The truth is there's nothing wrong with three sets but then again there is nothing amazing about it either. The number of sets you perform should be base on your goals and not on a half-century old rule. The more repetitions you do on an exercise, the fewer sets you should do, and vice versa. This keeps the total number of repetitions done of an exercise equal.

3. Three to four exercises per group

There is no particularly good reason for this rule. It's a far better thing to have more reps of one exercise than to do many different exercises per group. Stay focused; Try doing more reps, maybe thirty to fifty, broken up into sets (say 3 sets of 10, 2 of 20; you get the idea).

4. My knees, my toes

It is a gym folklore that you "should not let your knees go past your toes." Truth is that leaning forward a little too much is more likely a cause of injury. In 2003, Memphis University researchers confirmed that knee stress was almost thirty percent higher when the knees are allowed to move beyond the toes during a squat.

But hip stress increased nearly 10 times or (1000 percent) when the forward movement of the knee was restricted. Because the squatters needed to lean their body forward and that forces the strain to transfer to the lower back.

Try to think more about the position of your torso, and not so much about your knees. Keep your torso as upright as you can during lunges and squats. This means less stress on your back. A tip for staying upright: prior to squatting, press your shoulder blades together and keep them there. While squatting, try to keep your forearms at a right angle to the floor.

5. Lift weights, draw abs

The most important muscle group is not necessarily the transverse abdominis. Depending on which exercise you are doing, the most important muscle group can be any group at all. Most of the time though, the body will instinctively call the appropriate muscle group onto the field to keep the spine well supported. Focusing on the wrong muscle group can actually cause injuries, not to mention keeping you from lifting as much as you otherwise could.