Everyone seems to have their own theory on the do’s and don’ts of gymming. We separate the wheat from the chaff
While you may think you know a lot about fitness, experts say that most injuries occur due to misinformation you gather from unreliable sources – a friend, colleague or something you saw on television. Avoid believing everything you hear. Experts say there are loads of myths in fitness that might actually cause injury and stop you from getting the best workout. injury.
Myth 1 : Running on a treadmill puts less stress on your knees than running on the roads
It doesn’t matter if you run on asphalt or on your treadmill. Running impacts the knees because your body weight relies on your joints, which causes stress. Try to reduce this impact by varying your workout instead of running for a long time at a stretch.
Myth 2: Ab machines help get rid of belly fat
While there are loads of advertisements in the market claiming to get rid of that stubborn fat around your waist, don’t believe all of them. While an ab-crunching machine will help strengthen muscles around your middle and improve posture, only a strict diet and exercise regime will help you burn off that fat. Experts suggest to follow a workout that includes both cardiovascular and strength-training factors that will decrease your overall body fat content.
Myth 3: An aerobic workout boosts metabolism even after you finish working out
While this is true to some extent, the amount is nearly not as much as you’d like to believe. It is true that your metabolism continues to burn at a slightly higher rate after you finish an aerobic workout, but the amount is too small to be taken into consideration. You’ll probably burn only about 20 to 30 extra calories in the day.
Myth 4: Swimming helps lose weight quickly
Swimming regularly is good way to increase lung capacity, tone your muscles and even help de-stress you. However, it isn’t going to really help you lose many pounds. Since the water supports your body, you’re not working it as hard as you should be. Swimming also makes you feel hungry, which makes it possible that you might end up eating more than usual after a swim.
Myth 5: Yoga helps relieve all types of backache
Yoga helps when your backache is muscle-related because the stretches and positions can help. However if your back problems are related to a ruptured disc or other similar problems, yoga is not the answer. What you could ideally do is check with your doctor if yoga will really be able to help you.
Myth 6: Working up a sweat is a must
Don’t think that sweating is necessary when you workout. It is possible to burn a number of calories without breaking a sweat: Light weight training or walking for instance
Myth 7: Re-starting your regular routine after a break
Never make the mistake of trying to accomplish too much too soon. Even if you feel okay while doing it, you are harming your body of doing too much too soon. If you’ve had a break of a few days/ weeks between a workout, you may feel tempted to go back to your normal regime on day one itself. While you won’t immediately feel the strain, you’ll feel it in time.
Myth 8: You can’t go wrong on machines
While it may seem that an exercise machine will automatically put your body in the correct position, that will happen only if the machine is properly adjusted for your weight and height. Have a fitness expert tell you what setting is apt for you instead of trying to figure it out yourself. You’ll avoid the risk of injuries this way.
Myth 9: Pain is good
Don’t believe in the no pain-no gain theory. While some amount of soreness a day after working out is normal, searing pain while working out is not a good sign. Experts say that an exercise should not hurt while you’re doing it. If you’re in pain, you’re either not doing the exercise correctly or are putting pressure on an injury you already have, which is causing you pain.
