I got a ton of emails and a lot of good feedback about this two-part series, so I figured I might as well throw this idea out; is there interest in a third installment?
If so, post some myths that you’d like to see “debunked” and I’ll see what I can do. Given my schedule, it’ll probably be a few months, but let me know what you think nonetheless.
Thanks!
I think it would be an awesome idea,You covred some of the best myths about upper and lower body training but I think there’s a few more you could cover. Please please please keep it exercise movement related
[quote]bigpump23 wrote:
You covred some of the best myths about upper and lower body training but I think there’s a few more you could cover.[/quote]
Such as?
Heck I think you covered them all. Those articles were awesom.
Will try to think of a juicy one, though.
[quote]Eric Cressey wrote:
bigpump23 wrote:
You covred some of the best myths about upper and lower body training but I think there’s a few more you could cover.
Such as?[/quote]
not sure of these count as myths but
leg extensions bad on the knee or no? I’ve read arguements for and against
Should the spine be flexed with a heavy weight on it(crunch machines or people putting plates behind their neck)
These may not be as juicy as your orginial 10 but I for one would love to hear your thoughts. I’ll look inot some more “hardcore” ones
Dunno if it’s a myth, but is the common belief that legs must be worked with more reps founded? Same goes for abs. Why 4x8 (as an example) for pecs and back but 4x15 for legs and 2x30 for abs?
If it’s founded; is there some rough guidelines as to what rep ranges are best for which muscles?
Not too shabby so far, fellas. We might be able to make this work…
I would like to hear your rep ranges for body parts. What’s a good range for strength gains and building mass?
ABS
LEGS
BACK
ARMS
CHEST
SHOULDERS
PENIS… ok maybe not that one…
OD
EC, I would love to see a Part 3 to this series.
Once again my professors in my rehab. exercise class are referring to upper and lower abdominals. You could cover that.
If you had already addressed that in the earlier articles (which I did read, was impressed with and even sent to peers) then let me preemptively apologize.
Anything new about equipment that could possibly injure someone. I read a little tid bit that Mel Siff wrote stating that contrary to popular belief, elliptical machines were not good for people with pre-existing joint conditions, and in the long run, not good for general exercise populations as well. If I have overreached on that one, feel free to correct me (Facts and Fallacies of Fitness is not within arm’s grasp)
On a side note, I recently heard from my friend Jamie Hale that you were in Lexington not too long ago for a “Ways of Wellness Expo.” He told me it was quite shitty, and as I had to work that day, was not able to take in the joy. What did you think of that thing?
How about warming up and stretching.
Some people swear by a proper warm up and stretches, sometimes doing 3 or 5 sets of warmups before the actual “work” exercise.
Waterbury (IIRC) says that warming up is hogwash and does his first bench set with 315 pounds. The idea being that our bodies, in nature, don’t have time for a warmup when, say, a bear pounces on you.
I’ve seen some recommend that you stretch a muscle between sets. Some recommend to stretch the antagonist muscle between sets and some, of course, say that any stretching will make your weaker on subsequent sets. Thoughts?
I’ll end with something that has been repeated quite a bit recently: You should end your sets with the heaviest weight possible. In other words, don’t do 6x6 at 245 and then do 2x20 at 185 because your muscles will “remember” the 2x20 at 185 and will adapt to that.
It sounds wrong.
Following that reasoning, a sprinter that does a few dozens 100 meters dashes shouldn’t walk afterwards, because his muscles will “remember” the walk and not adapt to his sprints. Same with heavy squatting: Make sure you get carried out of the gym on a stretcher, so that your legs don’t remember you limping to the showers and adapt to that. Basically, I want the see the studies that back this “myth” or have it expunged from all articles.
the topics im curious about aren’t necessarily myths, but ideas upon which there isn’t nearly-unanimous consensus. such as…
intensity. what is it? is it percentage of 1RM? is it proximity to concentric failure? is it the amount of power produced with higher speed movements? i find confusion inasmuch as i know that both near 1RM strength work and max velocity medicine ball work are both high on the CNS fatiguing scale, yet intensity is in relation to max strength right?
abdominal training. im a hyoooge fan of charlie francis and what he represents and he favors training the “moderate to low intensity red fibers” of the abdomen far more than “high intensity white fibers” of the abdomen. his reasoning is that abdominal posture during 100 meter sprinting will be best addressed (excluding sport-specific sprinting) by doing very high rep abdominal work (500-1200 reps a session on low intensity days). why will this affect a ten second race though? wouldn’t you wanna strengthen the white fibers since they produce the most power (ten seconds being all that’s needed)?
rep ranges. 3 minutes for mitochondria? what’s the importance? 50-100 reps for slow twitch? is this for preventing injury, improving posture, improving circulation and nutrient transfer? i thought strengthening tendons and ligaments was for injury prevention? what rep ranges for that? what is the importance of lactic acid? what’s the importance of glycogen depletion?
rounding back. why is this a bad thing? because of injury susceptibility? but max effort deadlifts are often with rounded backs. wouldn’t it be better to blame injured backs on muscle imbalances, poor tension and length relationships, going too heavy, etc. than simply rounding the back. last time i checked, the spinal erectors are muscles just like the quadriceps are muscles, and while squatting it’s okay to lengthen the quads (if done wisely).
i might have more although these may not be what you’re looking for.
[quote]wufwugy wrote:
[/quote]
This and “if you do deads, squats and overhead presses, you’ll break your spine. NO, I DON’T CARE IF YOUR TECHNIQUE IS PERFECT!!! YOU WILL”
I find it kinda funny: all overhead press discussions on this site are about shoulder health, not spine injury… Now really, isn’t it a lot of work for your while body to press 220lbs overhead?
Good question on the leg extensions - one of my favourite quad finishing exercises - is it bad on the knees? Sure i read it somewhere, can’t remember now! 
A gym instructor told my girlfriend to never lock out a joint when performing a lift. I know this is crap, but I would to see some science to back up my attempt to tell my gf that locking out a joint is not harmful.
I think the same instructor also taught her to do squats only on her toes and not to bend her knees past 90 degrees but that is a whole other can of worms!
When doing a shoulder press, is it bad for you to bend your back, almost like you are doing a bench press?
When squatting and deadlifting, should you be pulling your stomach in, leaving it or pushing out with it?
From what i understand if you’re TA is correctly firing when you do a deadlift and squat it will automatically tighten which is the most stable position for the body so there is no need to pull your stomach in or push out with it?
I’ve never been to Kentucky in my life, and haven’t been at any wellness expos of late - much less shitty ones. I actually haven’t been in touch with Jamie for a few months, in fact. Not sure where he got that information.
[quote]the MaxX wrote:
On a side note, I recently heard from my friend Jamie Hale that you were in Lexington not too long ago for a “Ways of Wellness Expo.” He told me it was quite shitty, and as I had to work that day, was not able to take in the joy. What did you think of that thing?[/quote]
I just pray that you keep it exercise movement realted
Another myth and I know you covered it some what already. But that certain exercises are bad for your Rotator cuff. I’m guessing just a general myth
[quote]Eric Cressey wrote:
I’ve never been to Kentucky in my life, and haven’t been at any wellness expos of late - much less shitty ones. I actually haven’t been in touch with Jamie for a few months, in fact. Not sure where he got that information.
the MaxX wrote:
On a side note, I recently heard from my friend Jamie Hale that you were in Lexington not too long ago for a “Ways of Wellness Expo.” He told me it was quite shitty, and as I had to work that day, was not able to take in the joy. What did you think of that thing?
[/quote]
Well then, I’m gonna have to ask him just who he was talking about at that one.