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"Fitness Myths Exposed "

By Max Hoyt

Here is a collection of various fit myths you might have heard around your gym. Some of these are funny, but some of these fit myths can lead to real problems for fit minded people that take what they hear to heart.

Your metabolism slows down once you hit 30. Thirty is not some magic number that signals the downfall of your body. In fact, your metabolism slows down because you lose muscle mass as you age unless you do something to prevent it. The age that this starts varies from person to person. But rest assured because if you are active and include resistance training as part of fitness regimen, you can and will keep your muscle mass and therefore you will keep your metabolism up and not experience the downward slide that so many do.

No Pain, No Gain! WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!! This is a myth that should've died in the "80's", (along with big hair & Aquanet) but unfortunately we still hear this ethos espoused by so many in the gym and it is very dangerous. Pain is your body's way of telling you that something is wrong! When you feel pain during an activity, you should stop what you're doing and take stock of what you're feeling.

If you think you can, you can try and return to the activity you were doing, but if the pain is there again, then stop for good. If the pain persists after basic first aid (cold, heat, elevation etc.. depending on the type of pain) then go to a doctor. This fitness myth is dangerous because pushing through pain can lead to an injury that will sideline you for a long time versus a couple of days or a week. Remember, if you're hurt, you can't train!

Running is the best way to stay fit. Running (and cardio in general) is a necessary component of total fitness. It is not however, all you need to do. This myth doesn't take into account that resistance training has unique benefits that aren't provided by any other type of exercise. What running does for your heart, lungs and your circulatory system, resistance training does for your muscles, bones and joints.

Without going into all the details (you can reference the other article I presented called "12 reasons why everyone should resistance train" by Dr. Wayne Westcott. For the specific benefits) just realize that this myth provides you with only part of the fitness solution. A complete regimen to ensure total fitness: cardio work + resistance training + sensible eating habits. Those three tied together will lead you to a place of fitness and wellness.

Stay in your "Target Heart Rate" to burn more calories from fat. This myth is true, but the reasoning behind it is flawed. For years THR was the mantra in the fitness world. In the last few years, fitness professionals have learned that this approach is not the most affective way to get rid of extra weight.

When you are in your THR zone you will burn a greater percentage of your calories from fat. The total volume of calories will be lower than as if you ran with a higher intensity. The way you lose weight is by burning more calories than you take in. It does not matter whether the calories you burn are from fat, carbs, glycogen etc... Calories in versus calories out is what does it.

For example: say I burn 100cal in my THR zone (50-60% of my MHR) and 20% of those calories come from fat. That means I burned 20cal from fat. Now if I burn 200cal running at a higher intensity (85% of my MHR) and I only burned 10% of my calories from fat then I still burned 20cal from fat, but I burned 100 more calories in the same time! That means that at the end of the day when you came in under what your body normally gets to survive, your body will tap its fat stores to kick in the difference, that's how you lose weight!

You don't need to warm up if you're careful when you exercise. This myth was created by those that don't have the patience to do things the right way. They will justify themselves by saying that they are pressed for time. Well, if you're pressed for time, shorten your workout, not your warm up. Warming up before you exercise is the best way to be careful! Just a quick 10min warm up on the treadmill can suffice. You want to warm up your core temperature a little before you begin. Don't stretch too much before a workout because heavy stretching can cause micro-tears in your muscle that can then be worsened by heavy lifting.

The best time to exercise is early in the morning. The best time for you to exercise is whatever time you will be able to exercise consistently. Time of day is not important, getting regular exercise is.

If you drink water when you exercise, you'll get cramps. The exact opposite is true for this fitness myth. Not drinking enough water can cause cramping. Remember that thirst is your last indicator of your hydration level. That means that by the time you realize you're thirsty, you're already dehydrated! Make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day. The recommended amount is eight 8oz. glasses. Active people will need even more.

Women who lift weights will develop big, bulky muscles. Fitness professionals hear this one all the time. The reason women don't have to fear bulking up is because they don't have the massive amount of testosterone in their bodies that men do. Men have anywhere between 10x to 40x the amount of testosterone than women. Women body builders severely restrict their calorie intake, fat intake, and most supplement with testosterone to build the masculine muscle frame that most women worry about getting. Women that eat right and work out will develop muscle tone that is feminine in appearance, so don't worry ladies!

Exercising the same muscle every day is the fastest way to gain strength. If once is good then three times is better right? WRONG! This fitness myth is dangerous because overtraining a muscle is a major contributor to sports and gym injuries. All muscles need time to recover from the stress you place on them during your workout. The latest studies suggest that a muscle isn't fully recovered until 72hrs. after your last rep. If you are strength training and you have hit a plateau, take one week off from all lifting and when you come back I bet you that you'll notice a difference in your ability in the gym. I advise everyone to take a week off after six weeks of training for just that reason.

Not being sore means I didn't work out hard enough. When you first start a workout program. It's not uncommon to be pretty sore. However, as your level of fitness improves, you will find that your body heals faster. When you adapt to one level, you should increase the resistance to make sure you make steady progress, but you can't always rely on muscle soreness as your barometer. It's okay to be tight the next day from your workout but if you are sore for 3 or more days, then you did too much. Remember, no pain no gain is not the way to go. You can have muscle growth and strength gains with only mild soreness.

If I can't workout enough, I don't go at all. Okay, that's like saying you wouldn't want to win the lottery because of all the taxes you'd have to pay. There are ways to maximize your time in the gym. I train most of my clients for 30min sessions and we get a lot accomplished. I understand that the demands of a family and a job can make it hard (I have a two month old and I train full time) but remember; anytime you can get in the gym (or workout anywhere for that matter) it's a good thing. Not every session in the gym has to be Herculean in order to benefit your health & fitness. Sometimes it's a victory just to get into the gym and when you do that, you should be happy that you pushed to go, not upset because you couldn't stay for an hour!

I need to work my 'lower abs' to shrink my belly. THERE ARE NO LOWER ABS!! There are three muscles that comprise your mid section. Rectus abdominus, obliques (internal and external) and your transverse abdominus. The rectus abdominus has the "6-pack" look because of the way it lays over your ribs.

It's true that different exercises can make you feel the work more in the lower part of the rectus abdominus, but trust me, it's all the same muscle. If you want a 6-pack (it's very hard for women to achieve this look due to the amount of essential fat a women carries versus what a man carries) then you need to burn fat. You can't see the abs if they're covered by fat.

I can "Spot reduce" by training an area over and over again. YOU CAN NOT SPOT REDUCE! You have no control over where your body pulls fat from as you burn it off. Everyone has areas on them that are more stubborn than others. We all know that one spot that seems to resist our best efforts but the key is consistent exercise and nutrition for the long term. You can't live right for three or four months and then stop because you haven't achieved your goal. Real progress takes a long time!

Most people you see that have achieved great results have been working at it for around a year or more. The supplement ads want you to believe that you can do this much much faster but that's just not true. Some rare people can and they're usually the ones that you see in the magazines. Most people will achieve their results from long term effort. Don't believe the hype when it comes to a new you in three months. You can make great progress in that time, but can you imagine the changes in your body from a whole year of making the right choices? It's something powerful to see!

About the Author:

Max Hoyt is an IFPA certified Personal Trainer training in Orlando. He is a regular contributor to Ch.13 Health & Fitness TV segments. his website is www.orlandofitcamp.com