This is part two of my series on weightlifting and supplements. Last time, I explained my history of weightlifting. Today, I am going to be discussing some misconceptions and misunderstandings that many people have about weightlifting.
Before we begin, I need to remind you that I am not an expert. If you or your child have some serious questions, talk to an athletic trainer, weightlifting coach, or doctor. My advice should not be used in place of the word of a trained professional. It is just advice.
So, here we go:
- “Weightlifting will make me muscle-bound, slow, and inflexible.” Shh, stop talking please. This is false. You can lose flexibility, but it isn’t from the weightlifting. It is because you are not stretching properly. When weightlifting, you need to stretch before and after. Stretching when you wake up in the morning helps a lot, too. Otherwise, your muscles will tighten up from all the work and reduce your flexibility. You can become slower, but that is from the mass you are gaining, not from reduced flexibility.
- “Weightlifting will make you gain weight.” Once again, false! This is only true if you eat and lift to gain weight. If you lift to tone, by doing high repetitions and low weights, you won’t gain a ton of muscle. Also, if you maintain a healthy, low calorie diet, you will gain little or no weight. Meanwhile, lifting and eating to gain will make you gain.
- “Weightlifting is bad for your joints.” Well, no. This isn’t true. Just like becoming inflexible, stretching matters. Properly stretching is so important. Stretching will help preserve your joints. Also, proper form is critical. If you follow proper form, the stress on your joints is reduced. Following proper form also allows you to get maximum returns, so there is no reason not to follow proper form.
Weightlifting is great, but there are many misconceptions holding people back. Hopefully, these can help you overcome them. Soon, we will discuss supplements.