Debunking the Top 3 Misconceptions of Strength Training

As a Certified Personal Trainer with the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP) and B.Sc. in Kinesiology, my coaching philosophy is embedded in science-based evidence and its application. However, this evidence doesn't always reflect the broader views of the population. Most of us know that we should exercise, but when it comes to how we should exercise, opinions are abundant on what's right and wrong. I have come to learn that education is a key piece in building healthy habits; it allows us to understand the why behind what we're told to do, and ultimately adopt behaviors that become routine. So in hopes to educate, this article speaks to one of the most frequently discussed topics in my field: the benefits of strength and resistance training (and why the things you've heard about it might be opposite from the truth).

Time and time again, I've been met with hesitancy to strength train due to the same misconceptions. And admittedly, amidst the conflicting information perpetuated in the media, I can understand the reluctance. Let's get to setting the facts straight and illuminate the science-based truth to the rumors you might have heard about strength training and what happens when you do it.

Let's first state the definition of strength training; exercises that increase muscle strength by making muscles work against a weight or force also referred to as resistance exercise (Phillips and Winett). For the purpose of this article, I'll use strength & resistance training interchangeably.

Misconception 1: "Weight Training Makes You Bulky"

Starting with the first and most common misconception there is: weight training makes you “bulky”. Increased skeletal muscle mass (aka lean tissue) is indeed a byproduct of effective strength training. However, if we consider this adaptation from a metabolic standpoint, we’ll find strong evidence that this increase in muscle mass not only won’t make you bulky but put you at an advantage for improved body composition (i.e. a healthy body fat % and increased lean muscle mass). I want to introduce a value known as our Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), which represents our daily energy expenditure at rest. Essentially, our BMR reflects the minimum energy it takes to keep the lights on, and is directly associated with variables including sex, age, and lean body mass (Markantes). Considering a day in our life, our BMR accounts for approximately 50-70% of our total daily energy expenditure, while the rest consists of our activity level and other biological processes. So why does this matter? Since lean body mass inherently requires more energy per unit to maintain compared to body fat, having more muscle means we produce a higher BMR (Markantes). Therefore, instead of "bulking", increased muscle mass as a result of strength training puts us at an advantage to burn more throughout the day, promote fat oxidation, and improve body composition. To support this conclusion, an exercise-intervention study was conducted with 60 middle-aged women placed under a supervised strength training program vs. a control group absent of strength training. The study found that the trained group increased their lean body mass and improved body composition (higher muscle and lower body fat), which was directly associated with elevation in BMR in the strength-trained subjects (Stiegler and Cunliffe).

Not only does weight training help us achieve long-term benefits from a metabolic standpoint, but it also provides a short-term boost as well. Energy expenditure during the post-training recovery period induces a short-term rise in our metabolic rate, up to even 24 hours after we’ve left the gym (Lecovin, Stiegler and Cunliffe). This post-training phenomenon is known as EPOC; Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption, when our muscles require more oxygen to recover, repair, and return to their pre-exercise state (Lecovin). More oxygen uptake = more caloric expenditure. So if you’re looking to optimize your time in the gym, forget the endless treadmill and find yourself a set of dumbbells. Yet another reason why we should not fear the so-called “gains” or “bulk” associated with weight training.

On top of all of this, it is notoriously more difficult and timely to build muscle than we may think. We certainly won't see the results of weight training overnight and the body requires repetition and consistency to see physiological adaptations at all. Five training principles decide the efficiency and effectiveness of a training approach or program: Specificity, Progression & Overload (or progressive overload), Reversibility, and Periodization (Kasper). Specificity refers to the idea that we must incorporate task-specific exercises or movements to induce a desired result. Rooted in our neuromuscular and metabolic adaptations, we must be intentional with our training routine to get what we want out of it (Kasper). For example, if we want to get bigger or “bulk up”, this requires a strategic repetition range, training frequency, and exercise selection that aligns with this goal. Subsequently, we require adequate nutrition to support these adaptations (i.e. caloric surplus accompanied by high protein intake to name a few). An intentional “bulk” diet. Already we've named numerous major barriers to bulking up, therefore making it unlikely that you will via strength training 2-3x per week.

Let’s take it a step further & discuss Progressive Overload. This principle supports that any training adaptations require an increase in training variables (intensity, duration, frequency, volume, etc.) to induce this adaptation. In other words, we need a gradual increase in training stress to support tissue overload, to continue getting better (Kasper). Training places an imposed demand on the body, therefore forcing our body to adapt to meet this demand (Kasper). And without progressive overload, our body becomes accustomed to training variables. This is all to say that, if you wanted to bulk, it would take relentless overload to obtain enough muscle growth to reach that point. Meanwhile, training adaptations are subject to Reversibility: removing the stimulus means we lose adaptations and revert to our baseline performance level (Kasper). In other words, you must keep up the work if you want to see change. I say this to further support the idea that it is in fact very difficult to achieve a true “bulk”, in hopes to settle your fears of it.

Bulking is one challenging and intentional result of strength training. If we design our training variables to get results that we do want while avoiding a bulking diet, you’ll very easily avoid it. If you find yourself unsure how to design your training variables for the result you wish to see (what rep range to be working in, how often to train, how to overload, etc.), training with a coach is one of the best ways to ensure your goals align with your methods. As a personal trainer and health coach I am here to discuss these goals and navigate the most effective steps moving forward. Please click here to book your one-on-one assessment.

Misconception 2: "You Already Have To Be Strong To Lift Weights" (Or Look a Certain Way To Do it)

I’ve noticed a common belief that to lift weights, you must already be strong or athletic in appearance. In reality, strength training is highly adaptable and can be modified to fit just about anyone’s experience level and ability. There is always something you can do. The key is adjusting your program and exercises accordingly and progressing as the body adapts. If a certain exercise looks intimidating, there is almost always a regressed form of that exercise to start with. This is where having a coach may be beneficial; it's hard to get going when you don't know where to start and are unsure of what is safe or appropriate for your ability.

In fact, another hesitancy often lies in the fear of injury or movement restriction associated with injury puts the body at risk during strength training. The last thing we want is to worsen a condition, right? This is quite the opposite. There is strong evidence that resistance exercise is a highly effective treatment for musculoskeletal pain, given that is it specifically adapted to the condition in question. Resistance training strengthens inhibitory pathways and the immune system, and preserves cartilage and joint integrity, as well as tendon and bone properties (Maestroni et al.). To further this point, weak muscle groups are responsible for reduced joint integrity while strengthening surrounding muscles act to preserve joints. Given its mechanical role, musculoskeletal tissue adapts and responds to mechanical forces by converting a load into cellular responses, which in turn, promotes structural changes in tissue mass, structure, and quality (Maestroni et al.). Rather than causing or worsening the injury, strength training is the perfect intervention to prevent them and promote body longevity. Regardless of where you start, strength training leads to improvement in the overall strength of major muscle groups, proper activation of key muscles involved in day-to-day movement patterns, maintenance of good posture and spinal integrity, and chronic pain management.

Let’s take chronic lower back pain as an example; this is one of the most common types of chronic pain experienced by the general population, yet the cause is not isolated to the back alone but is due to a weak & underactive core. Through implementing core exercises under proper coaching, we work to strengthen the muscles that control the maintenance of a neutral lumbar spine (i.e. anti-extension & anti-flexion, aka less hunch or arch in the low back). This resultingly places less stress on the spine, alleviating chronic pain and encouraging movement longevity. Just because the core wasn't strong to begin with, doesn't mean it can't be trained to get there (and no 6-pack necessary to start).

Misconception 3: "Strength Training Is The Same 5 Exercises Over & Over"

The third misconception we'll discuss is the idea that strength training is the same set of exercises over and over again until we get bored. One of the five training principles mentioned above, known as Periodization, is the concept of cycling through training variables (i.e. activity, rest, frequency, intensity, and duration) to maintain optimal training stimulus, continue to see adaptation, and avoid overtraining, injury, and burnout (Kasper). Periodization involves dividing up your program into phases, each having an intentional focus that varies from one to the next (Lorenz and Morrison). For example, periodization for a basketball player would involve dividing one year of training into phases based on pre-season, in-season, and off-season times. The concept of periodization applies regardless of training for a particular sport, as the benefits are multi-dimensional. From a physiological standpoint, periodization and variability in our exercise program help us to avoid hitting progress plateaus. Here we experience the feeling that we’re “still working as hard as I used to” yet feeling stuck in the same place or seeing no reward. In other words, once we adapt to a stimulus and get good at it, we must introduce a new challenge if we wish to keep seeing results. Considering periodization from a mental standpoint, avoiding physical plateaus lowers our likelihood of experiencing demotivation to continue exercising. New challenges that lead to continued results are encouraging. So, the misconception that strength training becomes repetitive and boring should be further from the truth. If we're training effectively, we must have both variation and consistency to see real results.

The Bottom Line

Now that we've set the record straight, let's summarize the key takeaways:

• Not only will you avoid becoming "bulky" from strength training, but you'll improve your body composition via the metabolic advantages associated with increased muscle mass.

• It is very difficult to get "bulky". A significant gain in muscle mass requires relentless consistency and progressive overload as well as an intentional diet to facilitate these gains.

• You do not already have to be strong or fit to start lifting weights, everyone starts somewhere, and there will always be an adaptation for any ability or experience level.

• Strength training is anything but repetitive & boring, and in reality, should have variability to see both physical progress and overcome mental barriers to adopting healthy lifestyle behaviors.

Thank you for tuning in, and I hope this helps us all address our hesitations surrounding strength training. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have further questions or wish to inquire about one-on-one training. Let's get lifting.

References

Kasper, Korey. “Sports Training Principles.” Current Sports Medicine Reports, vol. 18, no. 4, Apr. 2019, pp. 95–96, journals.lww.com/acsm-csmr/fulltext/2019/04000/sports_training_principles.2.aspx, https://doi.org/10.1249/jsr.0000000000000576.

Lecovin, Geoff. “(EPOC) Exploring Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption.” Blog.nasm.org, blog.nasm.org/excess-post-exercise-oxygen-consumption#:~:text=EPOC%20is%20the%20result%20of. Accessed 12 July 2023.

Lorenz, Daniel, and Scot Morrison. “Current Concepts in Periodization of Strength and Conditioning for the Sports Physical Therapist.” International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, vol. 10, no. 6, 2015, pp. 734–47, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4637911/#:~:text=Periodization%20is%20an%20overall%20concept.

Maestroni, Luca, et al. “The Benefits of Strength Training on Musculoskeletal System Health: Practical Applications for Interdisciplinary Care.” Sports Medicine, vol. 50, no. 8, 20 June 2020, pp. 1431–1450, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-020-01309-5.

Markantes, Georgios K. “Basal Metabolic Rate - an Overview | ScienceDirect Topics.” Sciencedirect.com, 2016, www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/basal-metabolic-rate.

Phillips, Stuart M., and Richard A. Winett. “Uncomplicated Resistance Training and Health-Related Outcomes.” Current Sports Medicine Reports, vol. 9, no. 4, July 2010, pp. 208–213, https://doi.org/10.1249/jsr.0b013e3181e7da73.

Stiegler, Petra, and Adam Cunliffe. “The Role of Diet and Exercise for the Maintenance of Fat-Free Mass and Resting Metabolic Rate during Weight Loss.” Sports Medicine, vol. 36, no. 3, 2006, pp. 239–262, https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200636030-00005.