This explains there are more elements involved in muscle strength than muscular size alone; however the myth is true to some extent as one will get stronger with more muscle mass if the aim of training is for strength improvements.

Of course, body builders will have increased strength abilities since the cross-sectional area of their muscles are far above the average individual. Now think of martial arts professionals...they are exceptionally strong even though they are relatively small, mainly because increased size will limit their speed potential thus their training focuses on power (speed and strength). The take home message: everybody has their own unique potential for strength development and size alone does not determine this. Fitness Myth #10: It's better to exercise on an empty stomach in the morning. Since the body needs energy to exercise, it will need to tap into alternative energy sources such as glycogen (stored in the muscles and liver), fat and protein if exercising in a depleted state. One would assume that this will mean more fat being used as an energy source; however research suggests that the amount of calories burnt from fat is the same even if you did not eat before the work out. The body enters 'survival mode' and begins to convert protein from muscles into energy, consequently resulting in reduced muscle mass. Do this often and your metabolism will slow down. Due to the fact that you have less energy, this also affects performance during exercise so you are most likely not to achieve the results you would have if you had eaten before. 

A study also indicated that eating before your Alpha Xtreme morning workout is linked to eating fewer calories throughout the day than would be the case if you skipped your pre-exercise meal. Therefore, contrary to popular belief, it is important to consume some food before your workout. This could be a piece of fruit around 30 minutes prior to exercise but it also depends what intensity you will be training at. This relates to a workout at any time of the day, especially if you haven't eaten for more than a few hours; and beware of those energy bars which are stacked with way too many calories. When you get involved with an activity, would you rather be confused or be a master? Duh.... Well, when it comes to fat loss, fitness, injury prevention and functional strength building, your muscles and your metabolism feel the exact same way. So, stop confusing them! Choose muscle mastery over muscle confusion every time. Muscle confusion has gotten all the hype lately with everyone from personal trainers to popular infomercials telling you that confusing your muscles by rotating among different exercise routines is the "missing link" that explains why you haven't achieved the toned, muscular body you want. Unfortunately, the realities of muscle confusion plans don't live up to the hype. While it's true there are important reasons to vary your workouts, variety is completely different from jumping from one exercise routine to the next before your muscles have the time to adapt and realize the potential a properly designed exercise routine can deliver. 

A FAR BETTER STRATEGY THAN MUSCLE CONFUSION: MUSCLE MASTERY Muscle mastery involves training your muscles to be able to handle an exercise routine to your fullest potential. Muscle mastery is far more safe, efficient and effective than muscle confusion. It allows you to work towards mastering an exercise routine which sends the important metabolic message that improving your strength and endurance, along with a toned, fit body are vital to your survival. HOW TO MAKE MUSCLE MASTERY WORK FOR YOU To be successful using muscle mastery for improved fitness in a short time, you want to train using an exercise routine that sends a clear, consistent message to your body expressing how you want it to look and what abilities you want it to perform. Then, through repetition of carefully designed routines, develop the best exercise technique you possibly can. For consistent results, you should gradually increase the difficulty (repetitions, weight lifted, speed) of your efforts as your skills allow. For example, if bigger, more defined arms are part of your goal, then exercises such as resistance training for your various arm muscles should be included in your muscle mastery plan. 

If you are also a tennis player, then arm exercises that will increase your tennis ability and reduce the risk of injury should also be included. This approach ensures that each muscle group has a plan to deliver the look you want as well as the functional strength you need. After evaluating all the muscle groups in your body, you will arrive at a comprehensive plan that features just a few different workouts. As your mastery of these workouts increases, so do the specific results you set out to achieve. And, the best part is that it's actually hard to truly master any exercise routine, so, in most cases, you can continue to produce results with short routines (under ½ hour) that you enjoy for quite some time. ANOTHER KEY TO MUSCLE MASTERY: INJURY PREVENTION It's also worth mentioning that muscle mastery greatly reduces the risk of injury. Your muscles gradually adapt to your routines as your "way of life" which allows steady improvement and very low risk of injury. These benefits make a strong case for muscle mastery as the best approach to exercise for weight loss and improved fitness. DRAWBACKS AND RISKS OF MUSCLE CONFUSION PLANS To further support the strength of a muscle mastery program, let's review some of the drawbacks and risks of a muscle confusion program. MUSCLE CONFUSION IS, WELL, CONFUSING TO YOUR MUSCLES AND METABOLISM Most muscle confusion plans suggest that you've realized your potential on each routine and should abandon that routine for a completely different one after just a few short weeks. 

The truth is you were just starting to see some benefits for your efforts. By jumping around you cut short and even confuse the consistent messages to your muscles and your metabolism that are needed for the biggest changes to your body and fitness. MUSCLE CONFUSION GREATLY INCREASES THE RISK OF INJURIES For you weekend warriors who always go too hard too fast on an exercise program, muscle confusion plans can be downright dangerous. New exercise routines increase the chance of injury. Most people dive right in at full speed when they are not ready, plus the different body positions and movements of each routine makes injuries far more likely. It's also very easy to push cardio oriented exercise too hard with a new routine in the hopes of seeing faster results. Dangerous. THE EMPHASIS ON FAST RESULTS BY MUSCLE CONFUSION PLANS MAKE RESULTS HARDER TO ACHIEVE AND SUSTAIN To really benefit from muscle confusion, each new exercise routine should include a properly designed "phase-in" period. This period should require a decent amount of time at lower intensity while your body adapts. But the slower phase in means slower results and most muscle confusion plans promise huge results in only 90 days. 

These short term promises often require "insane" workouts that are not safe for many people. Even if you can do them most people cannot possibly expect to sustain them over the long haul, even if some short term results are achieved. MUSCLE CONFUSION DOES HAVE IT'S PLACE - AFTER MUSCLE MASTERY IS COMPLETE But wait, isn't muscle confusion a tried and true bodybuilding technique? Bodybuilders have incredible bodies. If it works for them it should work for you right? Doubtful. Muscle confusion is great for body builders who plateau on certain exercises. They plateau and need different techniques for additional growth BECAUSE THEY'RE ALWAYS FREAKING EXERCISING. In other words, they use muscle mastery first, then gradually employ muscle confusion into their workouts, only when needed. A bigger question for those who rely on bodybuilders' success to support muscle confusion is: Are you prepared to follow a bodybuilder's regimen? 4 to 5 days a week in the weight room for a couple of hours at a time, daily cardio workouts during "cutting" phases plus an incredibly strict nutrition plan? If so, then you should consider muscle confusion in your fitness plan. Not for me. The world I live in is all about eating the foods I love and how little exercise I have to do in order to achieve my weight loss and fitness goals. 

Safe to say most people would be thrilled to get fit using the shortest workouts possible, especially since they are lucky to get in 2-3 workouts a week. This time commitment is all you need for outstanding strength and fitness using a muscle mastery program. Here's the point to remember. For those of us who are not committed bodybuilders, it will take months or longer to take any exercise routine to a level where even a little muscle confusion is needed in order to improve results. And you can improve all throughout those months emphasizing muscle mastery. SAME WORKOUTS OVER AND OVER. BORRRRIIING. OR IS IT? Muscle memory fans still not convinced are sure to bring up that doing the same few muscle mastery routines over and over can can get stale. Consistent workouts are simply not as fun as the endless variety of routines that are hyped by muscle confusion plans. Those folks just don't understand muscle mastery plans. Instead of changing the entire routine to exercises that increase your risk of injury, that might not be as effective or that you don't like as much, muscle mastery plans offer a better way to keep things interesting. You can split up your routines to a few short workouts, then vary the number of repetitions, sets, rest periods or the speed you do the exercises. In addition, muscle mastery plans include perhaps the biggest motivator that muscle confusion plans can never match: The excitement of improving on your personal best at an exercise.