| Why is it that so many myths and downright idiocies | | | | little (if anything) for the following reason: |
| become commonplace acceptances within the | | | | Muscles are Incapable of being "Confused" |
| bodybuilding and fitness industries? Does it stem from | | | | Sorry to be the bearer of bad news (there's good |
| widespread use of anabolic steroids - resulting in | | | | news to follow), but muscles cannot be confused, |
| general ignorance among those considered to be | | | | baffled, perplexed, puzzled, or even "bewildered" in any |
| experts by mere exhibition of their overdeveloped | | | | way. That goes for the entire body (with the exception |
| musculatures? Is it perpetuated by fitness trainers | | | | of the mind, of course) as well. Despite the claims of |
| who'd like nothing more than to convince their clients | | | | marketers who are looking to cash in on the rehashing |
| that there's more esotericism to working the body than | | | | of an old buzzword, we cannot "muscle confuse" our |
| one might originally suspect? These questions might be | | | | way to a better shape. |
| worth contemplating if you're one of the many people | | | | The reason: muscle is merely comprised of contractile |
| who are dissatisfied with their body improvement | | | | tissue made of two proteins - actin and myosin. This |
| efforts. | | | | makes it pretty simple stuff that's responsive to sound |
| Nothing could undermine those efforts more than any | | | | principles of "precision overload" and "optimized |
| bodybuilding principle that holds the same level of | | | | recuperation." |
| erroneousness as the "muscle confusion myth." The | | | | The 'Muscle Confusion Myth' can slow down progress |
| attempts of some to make it a credible and | | | | Some gym-goers and home workout enthusiasts are |
| scientific-sounding muscle building principle go back a | | | | changing their routines on no less than a weekly basis. |
| long way - at least forty years. And yet anyone with | | | | The rationale behind this is the chasing of that elusive |
| an inkling of understanding about the mechanics of | | | | evidence that their muscles are being adequately |
| muscle anabolism would quickly surmise that 'muscle | | | | confused and that the resultant 'muscle pump' they |
| confusion' is a myth at best and a well-conceived | | | | perceive will be an assurance of bodybuilding progress. |
| farce at worst. | | | | Sadly, they're often slowing down their progress and |
| In my twenty-five years of natural bodybuilding, I've | | | | wasting valuable time that could have been spent |
| observed that a belief in the muscle confusion myth | | | | doing something better - such as simply hitting the |
| can severely hamper progress. I've also noticed that | | | | beach and enjoying the results of effective |
| adherence to a principle that runs contrarian to 'muscle | | | | bodybuilding. |
| confusion' can send bodybuilding and fitness progress | | | | The muscle confusion myth can slow progress by |
| skyrocketing. More about that in a few moments. | | | | creating what I've termed "feedback confusion." |
| The idea behind 'Muscle Confusion' | | | | Whatever goals we have in our lives - whether that's |
| No doubt you've heard the 'muscle confusion myth' as | | | | building a better body or building a beautiful house in the |
| the premise behind many common workout sayings: | | | | country, etc... whatever - we need to become |
| "You've got to change your routine a lot or your | | | | sensitive to feedback in our strategies. Excessive |
| muscles will get used to the same one and stop | | | | changing of a bodybuilding or fitness routine can make |
| growing." | | | | meaningful feedback nearly impossible to read and |
| "You've got to 'trick' your muscles and keep them | | | | interpret. |
| guessing." | | | | Here's what Works better than trying to "Confuse" the |
| "If muscle growth hits a plateau, you have to 'shock' | | | | Muscles |
| the tissue in order to resume progress." | | | | Let's take a look at a big secret I've discovered from |
| "Changing your workout routine often will give you a | | | | over two decades of bodybuilding experience with |
| better 'pump', which leads to more muscle growth." | | | | average genetics and absolutely no steroid use. Here it |
| The sayings above might be completely laughable | | | | is in a nutshell: |
| except for one thing: Like many myths and | | | | "The workout routine needs to be somewhat rigid |
| misconceptions, the 'muscle confusion myth' evolved | | | | (once optimized) and the recuperation time between |
| out of a truism that obviously became distorted over | | | | workouts needs to be flexible (even while being close |
| time. Muscles CAN become "adaptive" to whatever | | | | to optimal)." |
| you throw at them. However, what they become | | | | Most bodybuilders and workout enthusiasts do the |
| adaptive to that requires constant augmentation is the | | | | opposite and experience lackluster results. They "mix |
| "volume load" - NOT the exercise selection or workout | | | | up" their workout routines (creating 'feedback |
| sequencing.So if the muscles are not 'volume | | | | confusion') and nearly go into a depression if they miss |
| overloaded' and adequately recuperated between | | | | a workout because they think it will result in a setback. |
| those volume overload sessions (workouts), they | | | | Their rest days between workouts are rigid - as if |
| simply stop making progress. | | | | they've made a pact with their muscle tissue and the |
| Key point: If only one of those two requirements is not | | | | tissue has agreed to recuperate in the time that's been |
| optimal, muscle building will hit a plateau. In other words, | | | | allotted. Evidence that this thinking is erroneous is |
| if the muscles are hit with enough intensity during | | | | presented every time a bodybuilder or fitness |
| workouts yet recuperation between workouts is | | | | enthusiast says the following: |
| inadequate, muscle growth will come to a screeching | | | | "I took two weeks off from my workouts and I |
| halt. Conversely, if muscles aren't hit with sufficient | | | | thought I'd get weak and I came back stronger." |
| intensity to stimulate 'volume overload', progress will | | | | Could that be because it's the recuperation phase |
| likewise cease to exist. | | | | that's most susceptible to variables that can change its |
| Failure to understand this basic principle of bodybuilding | | | | time requirement? |
| and fitness has led many body improvement aspirants | | | | My advice: Use that as your clue to success and |
| to buy into the tenets of 'the muscle confusion myth.' If | | | | leave the "muscle confusion myth" to those who |
| their progress stops, they're told to simply "change their | | | | choose to be... well - "perpetually confused. |
| routine." Yet a simple change of routine typically yields | | | | |