Top 10 Fitness Myths

In this modern, increasingly fitness crazy world, there are a variety of myths being commonly treated as fact by many people. Despite the popularity of the following myths, there is reliable evidence disputing each and every one of these claims.

10. No Pain, No Gain

While this first myth is one of the most widely believed fitness fallacies, it also can be one of the most dangerous. Although soreness during and after an intense workout session is common, true pain is your bodies signal that something is wrong and you need to stop whatever you are doing. In the event of serious pain during a workout you should stop and contact your doctor if the pain lingers.

9. I am X years old and therefore can no longer gain muscle/be fit

It is true that older people may not have as much energy as they had when they were young. But that does not mean that only people in their 20′s and 30′s can be fit. To find a counter example to discount this myth, one must look no further than the legendary Jack LaLanne. At the ripe age of 70, the famous "godfather of fitness" fought strong winds and currents as he swam 1.5 miles while towing 70 boats with 70 people from the Queen’s Way Bridge in the Long Beach Harbor to the Queen Mary, all while handcuffed and shackled. Currently, Jack is 93 and still exercises 2 hours a day and is extremely fit. And you think you can’t get in good shape at 50 years old?

8. Cardio is the only way to lose weight and stay fit

Cardio, especially high-intensity interval training, is a great way to burn calories and improve heart and lung health. But it is certainly not the only way to be healthy. In fact, many top bodybuilders only lift weights to keep their toned, muscular physique. A prime example of such a bodybuilder is Michael O’Hearn (aka "Titan" on American Gladiators), who only does cardio during the off season. But while weight lifting can be an alternative to aerobic exercise, cardio is still a great way to stay fit.

7. Isolation exercises, such as sit-ups, can spot reduce fat

I don’t care how many sit-ups and crunches you do, it is simply impossible to lose fat in only one spot. Many people still believe that they can do ab exercises to lose stomach fat. In reality, fat loss is a total body thing, so you can’t pick and choose where you want to burn fat.

6. Building muscle and losing fat are mutually exclusive events

This myth has its roots in the general rule that in order to gain muscle one must eat more calories than are consumed and consume more calories than are eaten to lose weight. While this rule is technically correct, it is still possible to gain muscle while losing fat. Previously mentioned bodybuilder Michael O’Hearn defies this myth, as he constantly trains to build muscle and yet is still very lean. In fact, research has shown that extra muscle helps you burn fat because your body needs to use energy to even have muscle.

5. Exercising the same body part daily is the fastest way to build strength

False False False False False. False. Training a specific muscle every day can actually be harmful. To understand why training so frequently is harmful, one must first understand how muscles work and grow. When you work out, you are actually causing microtrauma to your muscle fibers. When microtrauma occurs (from weight training or other strenuous activities), the body responds by overcompensating, replacing the damaged tissue and adding more, so that the risk of repeat damage is reduced. This process is called muscular hypertrophy, and if you do not give your body enough time to fully repair the damaged muscle fibers, you are in fact doing harm to your body. Instead of working out the same muscle daily, one should allow at least one day of recovery for the muscle.

4. Women who lift weights will get as muscular as a guy

Many women have this fear that if they life weights, especially heavy weights, they will develop manly musculature. But in reality, women have difficulty building large muscles, as they do not have nearly as high of testosterone levels as men do, and therefore do not respond as well to strength training.

3. Performing low-intensity cardio for long periods of time is the most effective way to burn fat.

Every single time you go to the gym, you can find someone on a treadmill walking or slowly jogging for ridiculously long amounts of time. Sure you can do this, and sure you will burn calories, but it is such a waste of time. While a 160 pound person can burn about 1000 calories/hour by running, in the same amount of time they would only burn about 200 calories walking. Therefore, you only need to run 12 minutes to burn as many calories as you do walking for one hour. But this is not the only downfall of low-intensity cardio. Studies have shown that low-intensity cardio over long periods of time can decrease upper body musculature. So whats the alternative? HIIT. High intensity interval training is a very efficient way of training that works by alternating between periods of high intensity and medium-low intensity.

2. Stretching significantly helps prevent injury

Of all the myths on this list, this is by far the most believed. If you ask 5 people whether or not stretching prevents injury, i garentee you that 3 will say yes. In a recent study, researchers Robert Herbert, Ph.D., and Marcos de Noronha, Ph.D. of the University of Sydney conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 10 previously published studies of stretching either before or after athletic activity. After analazying all of the data, they concluded that there is little evidence to support the claim that stretching prevents injury. What actually prevents injury is warming up.

1. There are shortcuts to weight loss/muscle gain.

I don’t care what infomercials say, and I don’t care what all the magazine covers say either. Their is no secret diet, workout, food, or pill that will magically make you drop 20 pounds in a week. Yes, some diets are better than others, but often what works for one person won’t work for the next. When it comes to fitness, everyone is different, and therefore there is no secret that applies to everyone. And even if there was, would they be selling it for 3 easy payments of $19.99? NO! They would charge an absolutely absurd price. But really people, there are no secrets, just hard work. And that’s what this blog is all about, showing you the real ways to get fit, not the gimmicks.

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