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7 training myths every gamer needs to know
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1) CRUNCHES ARE KEY TO FLAT ABS
Meh.
Crunches might not hurt, but they aren’t going to get you that flat stomach or chisel out a set of model-like six pack abs.
Crunches actually burn very little calories because they’re such an isolated exercise.
Everyone has abs, it’s just a matter of how thick the layer of belly fat you have is covering them up. The real key to flat, defined abs is strength training with compound exercises, high intensity cardio sessions and eating a proper diet.
By increasing your lean body mass through strength training, you can boost your metabolism even while at rest.
And high intensity training creates an oxygen debt that forces your body to work harder and burn extra calories hours after you finish the short session.
Combine these with eating in a proper calorie deficit that supports lean muscle and melts away frustrating fat, and you’ve got yourself the real key to those flat abs you’re after.
2) MORE TIME IN THE GYM IS BETTER
This is an easy trap to fall into, and millions of gamers and trainees of all experience levels often do.
The chase for more and bigger and better can quickly become an ego driven marathon of ineffective workouts and wasted time in the gym.
The whole purpose of working out is to look, feel, and perform better in all the other areas of your life, so why on Earth would you ever spend more time than you need to in order to get those results?
Instead of falling into the simple-minded “more is always better” mantra, you should focus on performing the most effective, results-producing workouts, in the shortest possible time.
That means utilizing mostly compound exercises that work multiple muscle groups at the same time and training with high intensity to be more efficient and effective with your workouts.
If you really want to get the best bang for your buck, you should focus 80% of your time and effort on high intensity compound exercises and only 20% on smaller isolation exercises like bicep curls and standard crunches.
When you know how to properly structure your workouts, you should be able to get an incredibly effective, body transforming workout in within 45 minutes or less!
3) LOTS OF CARDIO IS THE BEST WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT
This falls into the same category as the previous myth. More does not mean better.
Likewise, performing endless hours of boring cardio, jogging on a treadmill or elliptical is not only a waste of your time, it’s not the most effective way to burn fat and lose weight either.
Most people get this wrong because they don’t realize a simple fact – Not all cardio is created equal!
If you really want to lose weight the biggest results are going to come from nutrition. You can’t outwork a bad diet.
Even on the training side though, most people get weight loss completely backwards.
They prioritize long, ever-increasing bouts of cardio and light resistance high rep workouts.
If you want real results, you need to do the complete opposite!
You should prioritize strength training first and foremost, because the more lean muscle mass you have, the more calories your body burns even while at rest.
Next, you need to realize the difference between cardio types.
You can perform longer, lower intensity sessions that just burn a few calories as long as the treadmill belt is spinning…
OR you can perform, short, high intensity, ultra-effective cardio sessions “H.I.I.T.” for short, that spike your metabolism through the roof hours and sometimes even days after you perform them.
The result is 3x time fat burning and weight loss results in less than 1/2 the time!
4) YOU CAN TARGET FAT LOSS FOR SPECIFIC BODY PARTS (LIKE BELLY FAT)
This myth has been going on far, far too long, and should be blasted into galaxies far, far away.
Every mainstream magazine or media article you look at seems to have the secret “flat belly fix” or “tummy toning miracle” that “obliterates belly fat in an eye-blink”.
Unfortunately, it is all BS.
As much as you hope and wish for this one to be true, you cannot target specific parts or areas of your body to lose fat in.
Fat loss is a wholistic process, which means when you start losing body fat, you reduce your total body fat % as a whole.
So the only way to really lose that stubborn belly fat or unsightly love handles is to lower your total body fat % to a low enough amount that you finally see the flat defined stomach with a tight pulled-in waist you really want.
And that amount is going to be different for everyone because we all store fat on our bodies differently based on our unique, individual, genetic make-up.
This is why some people can see visible six pack abs while others can’t even see an outline of their abs even when at the same body fat %.
So, forget the 3-step tummy targeting fat blaster, and instead focus on building lean muscle and reducing body fat % from your entire body.
You’ll reach your goals far quicker, with much less frustration, wasted time and effort.
5) YOU SHOULD WORKOUT EVERY DAY
Just like we’ve already discussed – more is not always better, when it goes for time spent in the gym… the same goes for days spent in the gym.
You absolutely do NOT have to, nor should you workout every day to get in, or stay in amazing shape!
If you don’t give yourself rest days, your body doesn’t get the crucial recovery time it needs to build or maintain muscle mass and your energy levels plummet.
Your muscles grow while you rest and recover and you need down time in order to be able to push yourself with full intensity.
So, although cramming in 7 days a week in the gym might help you get some quick results initially, you’ll burn out fast.
Ultimately, most people will get the greatest results from just 3-4 days per week of working out, especially if you’re a beginner or intermediate.
Even for advanced, highly experienced trainees, 5 days per week is the most I would recommend in order to achieve the greatest possible results physically and mentally for transforming your health & fitness.
Any more, and you’ll likely see your intensity drop as well as your enjoyment of working out, leading to poorer fat burning and muscle building results.
So, stick to 3-5 days, starting out on the lower end and gradually working your way up and you will be golden.
6) YOU NEED TO STRETCH BEFORE A WORKOUT
This one has been perpetuated for decades – you probably heard it way back in elementary in P.E. and it needs to be STOPPED.
It is true that you shouldn’t just jump right into workout at full intensity but static stretches before your workout is a recipe for bad news.
Not only have studies shown it can decrease your strength during your workout, it’s likely to put you at a greater risk of injury by placing your muscles in an unnaturally elongated state which offsets your body’s natural familiar movement patterns.
And if that wasn’t enough, when you start working out, you begin shortening those muscle fibers through active contractions during strength training so you completely erase any flexibility or mobility benefits you might have gotten from those static stretches by performing them before your workout.
Instead, dynamic warm-ups are where it’s at!
Your pre-workout goal should be to improve mobility, elasticity and activation in the muscles. This is best done with a dynamic warm-up, where you keep your body moving (instead of holding stretches still).
This will allow you to physically rehearse the movements you will be performing during your workout, prep your body for work and help improve range of motion to get a more effective workout in.
So, leave the static stretches to after your workout or a separate time altogether when your goal should be improving flexibility.
Perform a good full body, dynamic warm-up for 5-10 minutes to get the blood flowing through your whole body before your next workout and you’ll see your performance soar!
7) STRENGTH TRAINING MEANS MACHINES AND HEAVY WEIGHTS
When most people hear strength training, they instantly picture big complicated machines with pins and plates and all sorts of heavy weights.
Yes, these things can certainly be used for strength training.
However, strength training just means using resistance to work your muscles.
That resistance doesn’t have to come from a machine or heavy weight.
You can use your own bodyweight for killer bodyweight workouts, as well as smaller tools like resistance bands, medicine balls, dumbbells and kettlebells.
If you don’t think you can get a killer workout in using only bodyweight, give these Bodyweight Gamer Workouts a shot!