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Top 10 Exercise Myths
There are a lot of exercise myths out there. Here are 10 of the most common ones.
1. Spot reducing is possible. Spot reducing is based on the flawed notion that it's possible to
"burn off" fat from a specific area of the body by selectively exercising that area. When you lose fat, you're
unable to choose the area in which the fat loss will occur. Your body determines which fat stores it will use,
and it uses fat stores over your entire body, not just one area. Exercising a specific area of your body will
build and strengthen the underlying muscle, but it will have no direct effect on fat loss in that area.
2. No pain, no gain. Many people incorrectly assume that exercise must be painful to be beneficial.
Pain is your body's way of telling you that there's something wrong, and exercising to the point of pain can
significantly increase your risk of injury. A serious exercise program will oftentimes be uncomfortable, but
it should not be painful.
3. The more exercise the better. This is one of those exercise myths that far too many people believe
is accurate. The truth is that you can get too much exercise, and it can lead to burnout and/or injury. When it
comes to exercise, you need an appropriate balance of training and rest.
4. Women who lift weights will bulk up. Many women use this excuse to avoid lifting weights, but
women don't have enough of the hormone testosterone (a key hormone for building muscle) to develop big, bulky
muscles. For more information on the subject of women and weight lifting, visit the
Weight Lifting for Women page.
5. Your muscles will turn to fat if you stop exercising. This is one of those exercise myths that's
been around for a long time. The truth is that fat and muscle are two different types of tissue, so one can't
convert to the other.
6. Stretching is a good way to warm up before exercising. You should never stretch cold muscles.
Stretching cold muscles can cause injury, and several studies have shown that stretching cold muscles slightly
decreases muscle strength and power for up to an hour after stretching. Warm up first, then stretch. Or stretch
after your workout. For more information on stretching, visit the
Benefits of Stretching page.
7. Low intensity aerobic exercise is best for weight loss. Low intensity aerobic exercise burns a high
percentage of fat compared to total calories burned, but high intensity interval training (HIIT) burns more total
calories. HIIT also causes your metabolism to be elevated for up to 24 hours after your workout is over, and the
higher your metabolism the more calories your body continually burns. Low intensity aerobic exercise has very
little effect on your metabolism. For more information on aerobic exercise, visit the
Aerobic Exercise Guidelines page.
8. Walking one mile burns the same number of calories as running one mile. Running requires a lot more
energy than walking and it burns around 40% to 50% more calories than walking.
9. Light weights on your arms or legs can boost your exercise benefit. Some people carry light handheld
weights or strap light weights around their ankles when they walk or run. But they shouldn't bother. It slows you
down, so you get less benefits from aerobic exercise, and it doesn't add enough weight to give you the benefits of
strength training.
10. You have to sweat to have a good workout. Sweating is not necessarily an indicator of exertion. If
you exercise in cold weather, you can work out hard and burn a significant number of calories while barely breaking
a sweat.
Don't be fooled by any of these exercise myths. Rely on proven information to help you meet your fitness goals.
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