Man performing goblet squats using PowerBlock Pro 100 EXP Adjustable Dumbbells with the Kettlebell Handle Attachment

Top 10 Myths About Weightlifting Debunked by Science

With countless forums and voices within the fitness community, finding the truth about training can be daunting. From scientific information that you have to decipher to fitness myths that were debunked years ago, that for some reason still see the light of day. With your job to filter out the myths from the truth, let’s put some tools in your arsenal to help.

Find the Facts, Throw out the Fiction 

When starting your fitness journey, you may start by doing a little research to figure out how to reach your goals. You read blogs, watch YouTube videos, the list goes on and the information is overwhelming. In one of these pieces of content, you see something along the lines of, “You need to do ‘X’ to get rid of fat in that area” or, “Ladies be careful not to weight train or you’ll look like a man”. So you follow the advice, yet see no change. These are just two examples of prominent fitness myths that resurface from time to time that do not have a basis in science. This leads you to do more research and you could want to quit before you get the chance to get started. So let’s break down the 10 biggest weightlifting myths so you can keep moving forward with your goals. 


The 10 Biggest Weightlifting Myths These 10 myths are the most prominent in fitness culture, stopping the potential start for some people and halting the progress for others. 

1: Spot Reduction Works 

The first myth is that you can Spot Reduce fat for specific body body parts. For example, performing crunches to help burn belly fat. This claim is unfortunately false. When we train any muscle group, we inherently gain muscle, and yes gaining muscle allows us to burn more calories daily, but it will not target fat loss in the area you trained that day. Fat loss happens systematically, and depending on your genetics you may lose fat in some areas faster than other areas of your body. The best course of action is to be in a caloric deficit, prioritize protein, and combine both weight training and some form of cardio. This will help you reach your weight loss goals. 

2: No Pain, No Gain 

The idea that your workouts have to be pain-filled is not a good one. When thinking about this, feeling pain during a workout is typically a sign of injury or that one is about to occur. Soreness during and even after training can be expected, but if you’re feeling a deep sharp pain that is not what you should be feeling. Let’s say in your set of bicep curls, your muscle is starting to feel tired and that it’s about to explode, that’s a normal feeling. Bodybuilders refer to that as the “Pump”. Post-training soreness is also to be expected, especially if you’re just starting out in training or starting to move heavier weights in your training. If you’re just starting out, ease into training, this way your body will begin to acclimate to this routine and the soreness won’t be as intense. Over time, your soreness will lessen and you can truly start going hard in your workouts. 

3: Lifting Weights Makes Women Bulky 

Even with all of the information we have out there for women and weight training, this myth still comes back with a vengeance. Women do not have the necessary levels of testosterone, a muscle-building hormone, needed to build bulky muscle tissue. So while weight training will help women build muscle, it will never be at the same rate that it is for men. There are great benefits to weight training for women.

Weight training helps build strength not only in your muscles but also in your bones. Increasing the density of your bones will help later in life when considering things like osteoporosis. Weight training will help build muscle for women and in turn, help burn more calories daily. Finally, weight training and sticking to your goals will help you create the look you want your body to have. Don’t shy away from weight training, and if you’re feeling intimidated by the gym, start small by building yourself a home gym with PowerBlock Dumbbells. 

4: You Need to Work Out Every Day 

When starting your fitness journey, it’s easy to dive in and go all out. No rest days, just training 7 days a week. While the motivation there is good, remembering to rest is an essential part of your journey. Rest will play a key role in letting your body rest and recover for next week's round of your workout split. Rest days will also help prevent burnout and give you time to spend with friends and family. Your goal in the beginning will be to have two rest days per week. That could look like working out Monday-Friday and resting Saturday and Sunday or working out Monday-Wednesday, resting Thursday, and working out Friday and Saturday with your final rest day on Sunday. These are just examples of what your workout and rest days could look like, set up your routine with what will work best for your schedule. 

5: Cardio Is the Only Way to Lose Weight 

Cardio is a phenomenal tool to incorporate into your fitness routine for two reasons, one it helps your cardiovascular health and fitness, and two, it to deepen your caloric deficit. However, cardio alone is not the only way or most efficient way to lose weight. When your goal is to lose weight, your primary focus should be to eat in a caloric deficit. There are a lot of tools out on the internet that help you determine what your daily caloric goals should be based on your activity level, age, height, and gender. Once you figure that out the next step is to start weight training. Studies have shown that weight training burns more calories for the next 24 hours than a single cardio session. This has to do with the fact that your body needs to recover from that workout, using more calories so the body can continue to perform. Then as you are gaining muscle, your body's metabolism will increase to hold onto that muscle, resulting in you being able to eat more calories. After those two pieces are put into place, add in cardio however many days a week you’d like to help deepen that caloric deficit so you can reach your goals faster. 

6: The More You Sweat, the More Calories 

Have you ever been to the beach and noticed that you’re sweating even though you’re just bumming around in the sand, not putting a lot of effort into any sort of activity? Sweating is a natural process your body does to cool down, doesn’t matter if you’re being active or enjoying a beautiful summer day. Now you may say that you’ve weighed yourself after a brutal cardio session and you’ve lost weight, which is amazing! But for the most part, that weight you’ve lost is water weight and not unwanted body fat and could be gained back. A great way to help prevent this yoyoing in weight is to make sure you’re getting plenty of water throughout the day and taking care to get plenty in while you’re training for optimal performance. 

7: Crunches Are the Best Way to Get Abs 

Similar to the spot reduction of fat segment, crunches alone will not make your abs show. Reducing your overall body fat will get your abs to show. It is extremely important to note that this does not mean that you shouldn’t still train your abs. Just like every other muscle group, you need to train them so that when you do reach your weight goal, they’re seen. Simple exercises like a weighted crunch, planks, and leg raises will help develop your abs so that when it is time to go to the beach, they are popping. 

8: You Have to Stretch Before Exercise 

Warming up before your workout is needed to perform at your best, however, stretching is not an ideal warm-up before weight training. Recent studies have shown that static stretching decreases muscle strength when done before training. This is because your muscles are cold. Think of a rubberband that’s been in the freezer for the last 24 hours and you pull it out and try to stretch it, the rubber band breaks. This isn’t to say that you’re going to tear a muscle if you stretch before training. The rubber band, much like our muscle tissue, is elastic and when it's at room temperature or higher, that elasticity is strong and can resist the pull against it. With your muscle, stretch taxes the muscle in a cold state and it loses some of the strength it had.

People stretching after their workout using PowerBlock ADjustable Dumbbells & Kettlebells

Before your workout do bodyweight movements or add more lighter sets of your first movement to help prepare your body to train. After training, spend some time stretching your muscles and lengthening them. This will help with mobility, flexibility, and recovery. For more on warming up and cooling down, check out our blog post. For more information on warming up before training, check out our blog post on how to properly warm up and cool down.

9: Protein Shakes Are Essential Post-Workout 

Once you’ve finished training it’s important to get proper nutrition in. One myth that floats around is that the best way to get your post-workout nutrition is through protein shakes. While this is a great option, it isn’t the only option. Getting a high-protein meal with good carbs and veggies will do the same thing as a protein shake or smoothie. The goal is to make sure your body is fed after the workout. Some workouts may be more challenging than others and you may not feel hungry enough to eat a standard meal after, that’s when a protein shake is a great fit. Remember, supplements like, protein shakes, help fill in the gaps in your nutrition, they do not replace the food our bodies need. 

10: You Should Avoid Heavy Weights as You Age 

Our final myth is not lifting heavy as you age. This couldn’t be further from the truth. As we age training our muscles is important for overall health but also for keeping our balance and bone density. Having strong muscles helps us with day-to-day life, but training them allows our bodies to adapt to the challenges we face as we get older. The stabilizers in our joints need to be challenged so that we can move properly and keep our balance so we don’t fall. Training with heavier weights, regardless of age, keeps our bones strong so they don’t easily break. General fitness is as important when we’re young as it is when we’re old. 

By debunking these myths, you can approach your fitness journey with confidence and clarity. Focus on evidence-based practices to stay on track and reach your goals!