Dispelling Weight Training Myths

By Bruce Cohn
Concord Journal, July 2001
 
Let's address a number of common misconceptions about weight training.

Myth 1: “Lifting weights at a young age will stunt your growth.”
Fact: There is no scientific evidence that remotely suggests that weight training affects the growth plates in bones. In fact, the body responds to weight training by building bone density. Resistance training for youngsters should always be done in a supervised environment using appropriate weight and proper form.

Myth 2: “Lifting weights makes you muscle bound and inflexible.”
Fact: Proper weight training takes every joint through a full range of motion, thereby increasing the flexibility of both the muscles and the joints. Furthermore, the muscle building process (hypertrophy) does not cause any shortening of a muscle’s resting length.

Myth 3: “Girls who lift weights become bulky and masculine.”
Fact: The most important hormone needed for muscle building is the male sex hormone testosterone. Since females have very little of this hormone, it is very difficult for them to gain muscle mass and become bulky. Female athletes who are placed on weight training programs similar to their male counterparts experience relative strength gains without becoming bulky.

Myth 4: “ The only reason to weight train is to gain strength.”
Fact: Weight training builds muscle which is metabolically active tissue. This means that the body must expend energy in order to maintain muscle. Gaining a few pounds of muscle goes a long way towards burning up extra calories both at rest and during exercise. Weight training also combats bone loss associated with osteoporosis and improves posture and appearance.

Bruce Cohn is the Strength and Conditioning Coach at the Middlesex School in Concord. He runs FIT-TO-GO Total Sports Conditioning and is a nationally certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Bruce can be reached at 781-316-0061 or brucegym@rcn.com.