Getting in shape and being fit has become trendy as we see our favorite celebrities changing their eating and exercise habits to improve their bodies. There are best practices for achieving a better body and improving your health but there also have been myths surrounding exercising that have swirled around for far too long. It’s time to bust common exercise myths that we’ve held on to.
1. Stretching before a workout prevents injury . We’ve always been told to do leg or arm stretches, which are called static stretches, before beginning a workout to prevent straining or injuring the muscles, but this has been proven to not be very helpful for the body. Research has shown that it is better to allow our bodies to warm up before we complete static stretches and then do dynamic stretches such as arm or leg swings which still involve movement. It is better to warm up by doing a light run or walk on the treadmill or any other elliptical.
2. Crunches are the best exercise for the core. Crunches are quite possibly the oldest known abs exercise that you can complete at home or at the gym. This exercise has historically been said to be the best and fastest way to get a popping six pack, but research has shown that crunches aren’t as great as they seem to be.
Physicians say that crunches are not bad for your core but abs muscles are designed to work most efficiently when you’re standing upright, not lying on your back in the crunch position. To set your core on fire, try exercises such as core stabilizers, standing obliques or the warrior balance.
3. Pain means results . Often, we equate pain or soreness with a
great workout and that can be true especially if you haven’t worked out in a while. But just because you do not feel pain or soreness after every workout does not mean you did not work out hard enough. In fact, if you are feeling pain during or after a workout you should adjust your technique as you should not feel pain.
4. To lose body fat you should only target problem areas. Logically it makes sense that if you want to lose weight in your stomach then you should only do exercises that will help you lose weight in your stomach. But this method does not apply to the science of the body. Because fat cells are distributed all over the body, striving to lose overall body fat works better than targeting certain areas that contain more visible fat than others. Circuit training is a great way to lose overall body fat.
5. You need to work out for hours each day in order to see results . We all know those people who spend hours in the gym every single day in an effort to get the body they want. Well studies have shown that working out every day does not allow results to show any faster and in fact, our bodies and muscles need rest as they are being broken down during each workout. It is better to work out a couple of days a week and on off days get in a few minutes of walking or jogging.
If you want to get into shape and begin exercising, don’t feel pressured by the many exercise myths floating around. Start simple and build as your strength increases and it won’t take long to achieve the body you desire.
Lisa Hammond is a 24-year old faith and lifestyle blogger from Cleveland, OH. With a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Cleveland State University, Lisa’s goal is to become a journalist, speaker, and author motivating women across the world.
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