With the conflicting information related to fitness and training available on the internet, it can be hard to separate what’s fact and what is a myth. Whether you want to tone up, slim down, or boost your mood, you’ve likely taken a stab at tweaking your fitness routine. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of fitness advice out there that won’t help you meet your goals and could do more harm than good. Here are some of the workout myths that should be cleared so that you can have a healthy lifestyle.
‘No Pain, No Gain’
It is acceptable if it feels uncomfortable and hard work when you are two-thirds of the way through a spin class or even five minutes into a mountain climb. However, if you feel a sharp pain in your right knee every time you cycle or run, then it is probably a really good idea to stop and instead of categorizing it in ‘No Pain, No Gain’ you should also see a physiologist.
I can reduce fat in one area.
No matter how many crunches they do, someone with 20% body fat will never have abs like someone with 8% body fat. To lose weight quickly, you’ll need to burn as much fuel as you can with intense exercises like squats, dips, pull-downs, deadlifts, and shoulder presses while following a strict and healthy diet.
‘Sit-Ups Are The Best Exercise To Flatten The Stomach’
Sit-ups, crunches, and curls, literally any movement in which you curl your torso forward, work the ‘six-pack’ or rectus abdominis (RA) muscle in the front of the torso. However, working this muscle doesn’t flatten the stomach and will certainly not give you abs. Deep below the six-pack lies a thick, corset-like strap of muscle that goes all the way around the waist, from back to front.
The More Water You Drink When You’re Exercising, The Better’
While it’s true that our body needs fluid increases markedly during exercise, but it isn’t necessary to glug down gallons of water to stay hydrated. In fact, the ‘glug’ approach is counter-productive as the body can only deal with so much fluid at once, and if you pour in too much, you’ll simply pee it right out, or in case of a heavy workout, you might through up.
Running a marathon is the ideal way to get fit.
Running fast and hard for just 5 to 10 minutes a day can provide some of the same health outcomes as running for hours can. People who run for less than an hour a week as long as they get in those few minutes each day see similar benefits in terms of heart health compared to those who run more than three hours per week.
