Let’s be clear, I’m not a competitive bodybuilder, triple certified diet / fitness guru, doctor, or college accredited egghead. I don’t play any of those on TV either. With that said, I have to tell you that the world of fitness and bodybuilding is riddled with myths and misconceptions. Heck and I thought the wine world was confusing.

So, let me clear up some of the most damaging myths to your muscle building progress and getting stronger.

1. There are supplements that are as effective as steroids. In reality, only steroids are as good as steroids. Nothing in the natural world is going to match what the chemical world has to offer (at least when it comes to steroids). In other words, don’t waste your money on products that claim to do what you can’t. As for the chemical stuff, this is not a path you want to follow.

2. To look like a professional bodybuilder, you have to exercise like a professional bodybuilder, no, not really. Who says professional bodybuilders know what they are doing? Look, most of them do, but it’s not a fact. Carrying 230 pounds on a 5’8 “frame requires more than a good routine and some protein powder.

3. If beginners are supposed to do a full body routine and an intermediate is supposed to split their workouts into 2, then hey, I should split my workouts 4 ways now – no, not really. More is not better. If you are seeing good results in 10 sets, it is not certain that you will see better results in 20 or 30 sets. Frankly, giving your maximum effort with the least amount of sets will yield the maximum results.

4. To grow, you have to eat big, huge, like Godzilla calories, okay, maybe. If you just want to get fat (see fat), then you should eat a large meal every 3 hours, why not? Veterans used to recommend mixing a quart of milk, a cup of powdered milk, 3 to 5 scoops of ice cream, and a weight-gaining formula (remember Weider No. 7) and drinking it throughout the day. Want to build permanent lean mass over time or pack a 60/40 mix of ground beef in 4 weeks?

5. Going for the bomb is sweet as is the burn. Getting that big pump with swollen muscles twice your size is great for the ego, but not so great for building muscle. If you want a good pump, do 25 curls with a dumbbell. But will it recruit the deep fibers that will make you strong and hopefully great? You want a burn; Spread your arms out to the sides and twist them in small circles about 100 times. Your delts will burn but they won’t grow. Heavy weights with a maximum effort of 6 to 10 reps with a couple of forced reps or pull / drop sets will build strength and muscles.

There are other myths out there that can stop it, absolutely. But as you work towards your fitness goals, consider these thoughts, compare them to your experience, and validate the truth of what I am saying.