Les stéréotypes

Gymnastics destroys flexibility!

In theory, one might think that weight training tends to increase muscle stiffness and therefore decrease flexibility. It is therefore expected that a body-builder will be incapable of large-amplitude movements. In fact, many people have this image of the muscular brute who has difficulty moving.

And yet, in reality, all this is false. The truth is that, unless you train any old way, bodybuilding doesn't make you less flexible. In fact, the opposite is true. This is because full-amplitude movements tend to stretch the muscles, helping to maintain good flexibility and joint mobility. What's more, many weight-lifters add the following to their workouts stretching sessions this allows them to become more flexible. Some bodybuilders can do the splits without difficulty.

Gymnastics is the art of pumping yourself up!

According to some, there are "real muscles" and "fake muscles". Real muscle is acquired through hard work. For example, a lumberjack would have real muscles. A bodybuilder, on the other hand, would have fake muscles, i.e. arms and legs inflated with air, or made up solely thanks to protein powder, a supplement to which people tend to give a miraculous role. In short, the bodybuilder's muscles are merely aesthetic and have no strength.

Yet muscle size and strength go hand in hand. Someone with big, lean arms is bound to have more strength than someone with thin arms. Perhaps this prejudice is due to the fact that most exercisers train to gain optimal volume. They could get even stronger by changing their training format, by lifting heavier. But that doesn't mean they don't gain strength.

S'il était aussi simple d'obtenir autant de muscles, tout le monde serait énorme !

Weight training makes you slow!

It's a common misconception in martial arts and athletics clubs. That's why these athletes don't do weight training in the gym, for fear of losing speed. In fact, they're depriving themselves of a real asset to their sport.

In fact, when weight training with heavy loads, it's the fast fibers that are most solicited, as well as the anaerobic alactic pathway. These two parameters are responsible for better performance in terms of speed. To make things clearer, imagine you can push 200 kilos with one arm. Now, imagine that you repeat the same gesture with an empty arm, and your movement will inevitably be faster because your impulse force will be more powerful.

The same goes for a runner. His speed depends on the force he can put into his leg to push off the ground. It's not for nothing that some of the world's greatest sprinters, swimmers and martial artists are also gym-goers.

Weight training is dangerous, especially for teenagers

There's a misconception that weight training is risky for everyone, and that it can stunt growth in teenagers. That's why we advise against it.

Yet bodybuilding is no more risky than any other sport, provided you take care to perform the movements correctly. What's more, it has no impact on growth, as long as you don't load your body too heavily to preserve your joints. It can even be beneficial and support healthy development.

Il n'y a aucun lien entre musculation et croissance dans l'adolescence si vous êtes bien accompagné. C'est ainsi le rôle du renforcement musculaire que vous avez sûrement pu avoir réalisé au collège.

Gymnastics kills intelligence

This prejudice is tenacious, to the point where some people immediately judge you as stupid, given your physique. Perhaps it stems from the few gym-goers who only go to the gym to impress on the beach or impose their physique on everyone else. It's probably the same principle that can make people think that a combat sportsman is necessarily a thick brute. In fact, most of them do it just to let off steam, to defend themselves and to boost their self-confidence.

Yet bodybuilding is a discipline that requires intelligence and knowledge. To achieve good results, it's not enough to follow the advice of a coach, as in most other sports. You also need to adapt your training to the particularities of your own anatomy, draw up an appropriate nutrition plan, possess anatomical knowledge... In fact, the body-builder is generally more cultured than many other sportsmen and women.

La musculation est chère

Aïe aïe aïe, absolument pas, ça dépend clairement de ce que vous faîtes et de la discipline que vous choisissez. Vous pouvez facilement vous muscler sans matériel, une chaise, un tapis, n'importe quoi ! La musculation au poids du corps est une discipline à part entière. Commencez avec des pompes, des abdominaux, et autres exercices. Rien ne vous empêche d'aller dans des parcs de street workout ! Vous verrez, il en suffit de peu pour pratiquer !

Rendez-vous sur la rubrique "Disciplines de la Musculation" pour en découvrir plus sur la musculation sans matériel !

Podcast sur le renforcement des liens sociaux autour de la musculation : "Comment la musculation nous rassemble-t-elle ?" : 

Podcasten collaboration avec Everyone ACF