RCT
05-22-2002, 07:52 PM
I thought this was interesting.....
Six fitness myths you shouldn't buy
And six truths to take straight to the gym
Fairy tales and myths are perfect for before bedtime and around the campfire — but they have no place in the gym. In fact, if you buy into certain fitness myths, you may find yourself on the sidelines from an injury. Here, we bust the most common fitness faux pas, and tell you some shape-up truths to stick by.
Myth #1: "If I'm not sore the next day, I didn't work out hard enough."
Truth: The self-punishing adage, "No pain, no gain" simply isn't true. "You should only be sore for the first few days of a new exercise routine, because your muscles aren't used to the activity," says Wayne Westcott, Ph.D., fitness research director of the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, MA. In fact, if you exercise consistently, feeling sore means you've overextended yourself — you've gone above and beyond where you need to go, and it makes sense to take a day off.
Myth #2: "If I drink water when I exercise, I'll get cramps."
Truth: Guzzling fluids while biking, hiking, running or aerobicizing will not hamper your athletic performance, says Shay McKelvey, R.N., M.S., a spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise. In fact, it helps. "After an hour of exercise, your body can lose more than a quart of water, and if you don't replenish that fluid, you run the risk of dehydration," She says. More than simply making you feel parched, losing an excess of water during workouts can lead to exhaustion, muscle cramps, and a loss of coordination — and that can cause injury and heat stroke. To prevent dehydration, drink eight ounces of water right before exercise, and eight ounces every 15 minutes during your routine. Afterward, while you're stretching, gulp another eight ounces. And if your workout is particularly grueling, or lasts longer than 45 minutes, choose a sports drink like Gatorade to replace lost electrolytes (nutrients essential for nerves and muscles to function).
Myth #3: "If I don't make it to the gym three days a week, I'll never get fit."
Truth: Can't manage to work up a sweat on a regular basis? Don't toss your get-fit dreams out the window. While the Surgeon General recommends doing something physical for 30 minutes a day,the activity doesn't necessarily have to be hard-core, or take place in a gym. Say you exercise up a storm once a week in step class or you spend Sunday afternoons lifting weights. If you supplement those tougher workouts with other tasks throughout the week — say, toting your toddler through the mall, taking brisk lunch-time walk and scrubbing the windows — you'll reach your allotted activity level. In other words, everything counts, including taking the stairs, hoofing it in the parking lot, or pulling weeks in your garden. When you're super-time crunched and can't spare time for even one or two 30-minute sessions on the treadmill or in the weight room, run or walk for just 15 minutes, or do a single set in the weight room instead of two, and you'll be doing enough to maintain a healthy body, says Dr. Westcott.
Myth #4: "Weightlifting will make me bulk up."
Truth: Even if you wanted to get body-builder-type muscles, a woman's genes make it nearly impossible. "Women don't have enough testosterone to build the same kind of muscles that men can, so unless you're very muscular to start with, or you're taking steroids, you don't have to worry about bulking up," says McKelvey. Indeed, weight training is one of the best ways to stay slim. "The more muscles you have, the more calories you burn more calories throughout the day," says Westcott. Adds Lifetime Television's fitness guru Denise Austin: "Muscles work miracles on your metabolism. For every pound of muscle you add, you automatically burn an extra 35 to 50 calories a day."
Myth #5: "If I do enough sit-ups, I'll get rid of my pot belly."
Truth: Spot-reducing doesn't work. "If your body stores fat in your lower belly, no amount of crunches will get rid of that pouch," says McKelvey. Try spending less time doing crunches and more time on the treadmill, stair climber or bike to melt away excess flab. Another suggestion from Austin: "Instead of doing 10 or 15 minutes of crunches, try three to five minutes of exercises targeting different abdominal muscles as well as your lower back. Spend the extra five to seven minutes burning fat with a cardio activity such as running."
Myth #6: "If I strap on light arm and leg weights when I walk or run, I'll get more out of my workout."
Truth: Think that carrying one- or two-pound weights or fastening them to your ankles while exercising will boost your workout results? Don't bother, says McKelvey. Running with weights might burn a few more calories, but the added benefits are minimal. The downside? They'll slow you down and can throw off your gait, increasing your risk of back strain and ankle, knee, and hip injuries. Bottom line: Only use weights for strength training (see Myth #5).
Six fitness myths you shouldn't buy
And six truths to take straight to the gym
Fairy tales and myths are perfect for before bedtime and around the campfire — but they have no place in the gym. In fact, if you buy into certain fitness myths, you may find yourself on the sidelines from an injury. Here, we bust the most common fitness faux pas, and tell you some shape-up truths to stick by.
Myth #1: "If I'm not sore the next day, I didn't work out hard enough."
Truth: The self-punishing adage, "No pain, no gain" simply isn't true. "You should only be sore for the first few days of a new exercise routine, because your muscles aren't used to the activity," says Wayne Westcott, Ph.D., fitness research director of the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, MA. In fact, if you exercise consistently, feeling sore means you've overextended yourself — you've gone above and beyond where you need to go, and it makes sense to take a day off.
Myth #2: "If I drink water when I exercise, I'll get cramps."
Truth: Guzzling fluids while biking, hiking, running or aerobicizing will not hamper your athletic performance, says Shay McKelvey, R.N., M.S., a spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise. In fact, it helps. "After an hour of exercise, your body can lose more than a quart of water, and if you don't replenish that fluid, you run the risk of dehydration," She says. More than simply making you feel parched, losing an excess of water during workouts can lead to exhaustion, muscle cramps, and a loss of coordination — and that can cause injury and heat stroke. To prevent dehydration, drink eight ounces of water right before exercise, and eight ounces every 15 minutes during your routine. Afterward, while you're stretching, gulp another eight ounces. And if your workout is particularly grueling, or lasts longer than 45 minutes, choose a sports drink like Gatorade to replace lost electrolytes (nutrients essential for nerves and muscles to function).
Myth #3: "If I don't make it to the gym three days a week, I'll never get fit."
Truth: Can't manage to work up a sweat on a regular basis? Don't toss your get-fit dreams out the window. While the Surgeon General recommends doing something physical for 30 minutes a day,the activity doesn't necessarily have to be hard-core, or take place in a gym. Say you exercise up a storm once a week in step class or you spend Sunday afternoons lifting weights. If you supplement those tougher workouts with other tasks throughout the week — say, toting your toddler through the mall, taking brisk lunch-time walk and scrubbing the windows — you'll reach your allotted activity level. In other words, everything counts, including taking the stairs, hoofing it in the parking lot, or pulling weeks in your garden. When you're super-time crunched and can't spare time for even one or two 30-minute sessions on the treadmill or in the weight room, run or walk for just 15 minutes, or do a single set in the weight room instead of two, and you'll be doing enough to maintain a healthy body, says Dr. Westcott.
Myth #4: "Weightlifting will make me bulk up."
Truth: Even if you wanted to get body-builder-type muscles, a woman's genes make it nearly impossible. "Women don't have enough testosterone to build the same kind of muscles that men can, so unless you're very muscular to start with, or you're taking steroids, you don't have to worry about bulking up," says McKelvey. Indeed, weight training is one of the best ways to stay slim. "The more muscles you have, the more calories you burn more calories throughout the day," says Westcott. Adds Lifetime Television's fitness guru Denise Austin: "Muscles work miracles on your metabolism. For every pound of muscle you add, you automatically burn an extra 35 to 50 calories a day."
Myth #5: "If I do enough sit-ups, I'll get rid of my pot belly."
Truth: Spot-reducing doesn't work. "If your body stores fat in your lower belly, no amount of crunches will get rid of that pouch," says McKelvey. Try spending less time doing crunches and more time on the treadmill, stair climber or bike to melt away excess flab. Another suggestion from Austin: "Instead of doing 10 or 15 minutes of crunches, try three to five minutes of exercises targeting different abdominal muscles as well as your lower back. Spend the extra five to seven minutes burning fat with a cardio activity such as running."
Myth #6: "If I strap on light arm and leg weights when I walk or run, I'll get more out of my workout."
Truth: Think that carrying one- or two-pound weights or fastening them to your ankles while exercising will boost your workout results? Don't bother, says McKelvey. Running with weights might burn a few more calories, but the added benefits are minimal. The downside? They'll slow you down and can throw off your gait, increasing your risk of back strain and ankle, knee, and hip injuries. Bottom line: Only use weights for strength training (see Myth #5).