How to Build Muscle - 6 Muscle Myths

Listening to someone who doesn't know what he/she's doing will not get you anywhere. Worse, it can even get you into trouble. And things aren't any different when it comes to muscle building. So, I'm exposing here 6 muscle myths to lead you down the path to muscle building success.

Myth #1 - Stretching prevents injuries.

Contrary to popular belief, there is not enough proof to indicate or conclude that stretching before a workout reduces the chance of injuries. This is what the researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found after reviewing more than 350 studies and articles examining the relationship between stretching and injuries. What really prevents injury is doing warm up exercises as they slowly increase your blood flow and prepare your muscles for the more intense activities. But then again, if you want to keep your body's flexibility within the normal range, by all means do those stretches. But do then when you're already warmed up.

Myth #2 - Always workout with free weights.

The things is, sometimes machines are better, such as if you need to isolate specific muscles or if you still lack experience to perform free-weight exercises on your own. But as you gain more experience, it is advised that you do more free-weight exercises as they mimic athletic moves, thus making you use muscles that are otherwise "ignored" by the machines.

Myth #3 - Lifting incredibly slowly builds bigger muscles.

The only thing that lifting very slowly contributes to is a really long workout session and nothing more. Furthermore, research have shown that slow lifters are burning far less calories than fast lifters.

Myth #4 - You will build more muscle if you eat more protein.

According to experts, consuming more than 0.9 to 1.25 grams of protein per pound of body weight is a waste. Excess protein in your body eventually breaks down into amino acids and nitrogen which are either excreted or converted into carbohydrates and stored. What will really help you with your muscle-building goals is to have the right balance of protein and carbohydrates. Also, maintaining high amino acid concentrations in your blood will keep protein synthesis going.

Myth #5 - Never exercise a sore muscle.

If your muscle is not sore to the touch and if the soreness is not limiting your range of movement, by all means, go workout. In less severe circumstances, light exercises can actually alleviate some of the soreness. Light exercises stimulate blood flow through your muscles, which removes waste products and helps in the muscle's recovery and repair process.

Myth #6 - Not eating late at night is good for you.

Fact is, if you go to sleep without eating, your body will be forced to turn to your own muscle protein for fuel. What this means is your body is practically cannibalizing your own muscles. So, better end your day with a slow-digesting protein, such as a casein protein shake or cottage cheese. Research have shown that bodybuilders who drank a casein protein shake right before bed for eight weeks gained significantly more muscle than those who did so in the middle of the day.