High Point, NC 27265
3 Fitness Myths
If you’ve made a New Year’s resolution to exercise more or lose weight, you’re probably going to hear a bunch of advice from friends, family, or even people at the gym. While there’s a lot of good advice out there, here are some fitness myths you’re likely to hear.
1. Stretch Before You Work Out
The idea behind this saying is that by stretching you warm up your muscles, and that suddenly putting them under demand without doing so can cause injury. While stretching does promote flexibility, a British Medical Journal Study found there was no evidence to actually support this. In other words, stretching before exercise was not shown to prevent injury that would have otherwise happened. Ever heard that stretching prevents muscle soreness after the workout? That hasn’t been proven, either.
2. “No Pain, No Gain!”
It rhymes and is easy to remember, and has spread around as a mantra to encourage people not to give up mid-exercise. While its motivational aim makes sense, it’s misleading.
If you’re experiencing pain during a workout you’re straining something—and not in a good way. Either you’re doing the exercise wrong, or you’ve hurt yourself (or both). Don’t confuse this with muscle soreness, though. It’s common to be sore the next day from an intense workout, but if there is actual pain (beyond simple soreness) you’ve probably torn a ligament.
3. Belly Fat? Do Some Crunches!
Crunches help build abdominal muscles, but having those six pack abs involves shedding the extra weight as well. Some people do a ton of crunches and get frustrated that they don’t see the ripples. Cardio and changes in diet can help shed the extra weight here and reveal the muscles underneath.
Related posts:
