When you start exercising and going to the gym, you hear all sorts of theories about how to get the best fitness results and the best body shape. Some of these may be true but many are nothing but fiction.
To make sure you don’t get confused or fall for false information, we put to bed some of the most common exercise myths.
Myth 1: Weight training builds bulk
This is probably the most widely-believed fitness myth amongst women and yet there’s really no truth to it. Sydney-based personal trainer Roza Bacelas explains, “Only intense weight training with heavy weights builds bulk and it is much easier for men to do this because they have more of the muscle-building hormone testosterone. Some body builders also use medications to get the full-on physique they’re after.
“For a quick and easy way to get a leaner, more sculpted and toned look, aim for two to three weight sessions per week featuring lots of repetitions with light weights and resistance exercises. Regular weight training will make you stronger and strengthen your bones, helping to prevent osteoporosis. It will also help burn body fat, even when at rest. Make sure you get some help to get the technique right, then go for it.”
Myth 2: You have to train all the time to see any benefit
Not true. Proof that a little regular exercise goes a long way comes from one of this years’ Biggest Loser contestants Sharif Deen. Six months after the show Sharif has continued to eat well and exercise regularly, aiming for one hour of exercise five times per week. By following this regime, his body shape has continued to improve and a recent analysis calculated his body fat percentage to be an ultra-lean 7.9 percent.
The more muscle you have the higher your metabolic rate, so you burn more calories even at rest. And just in case you’re worried that your muscles will turn into fat if you cut down on your exercise, that’s not true either – your muscles will just get smaller.
Myth 3: Exercise makes you eat more
Not necessarily. Researchers from Aberdeen University say, “Studies have shown that for most people who do moderate or intense exercise, there’s no immediate or automatic increase in hunger and eating. This means that taking up exercise will cause an energy imbalance that leads to weight loss.’’
If you’re the type of exerciser that feels entitled to eat more as a reward after exercising, focus on foods that are rich in fibre, healthy fats and water, yet low enough in calories that you don't sabotage your workout benefits. Use your online diary to help you.
Myth 4: Running will ruin your knees
Not so. A recent 14-year study of 500 individuals from California’s Stanford University found that running might actually protect the joints from damage and that regular runners in their 50s and older had 25 percent fewer knee and other musculoskeletal-type pains (including arthritis) than non-runners. It may be that running regularly helps the body get used to this type of activity and so the joints, tendons and muscles cope better with the demands of it.
Myth 5: Exercise strains your heart
Not necessarily. It’s true that if you haven’t exercised for a while, you’ll need to check the suitability of a new exercise regime with your doctor first, but Canadian research suggests that not exercising is actually much more risky to the heart and general health. They found that men who exercise strenuously for two hours and 20 minutes a week have a 40 percent lower risk of developing heart problems.
Myth 6: You can spot-reduce fat from any part of your body
Unfortunately not. Exercising helps you cut centimetres and fat from stubborn areas like your bum, tum and thighs, but there’s little evidence that you can spot-reduce fat with diet or exercise. So, while sit-ups will help strengthen your abdominal muscles, they won’t reduce tummy fat. The only way to shift this is to work it off by cutting calories and doing high-intensity cardiovascular exercise, like running or cycling. Some parts of the body, such as the bottom and thighs, may be more resistant to downsizing than others due to the absence of fat-burning enzymes in these areas.
Myth 7: You don’t need to sweat it to lose it
Sort of. You can burn substantial amounts of calories just by being a little more active each day, but if you want to shape up you’ll need to work a bit harder. Research by the American College of Sports Medicine suggests that staying healthy requires at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week or 20 minutes of vigorous exercise, such as jogging, three days a week. Remember too that muscles respond to the ‘overload’ principle i.e. there comes a time when you have to push the duration or intensity of your exercise workout if you want to get to the next fitness level.