Exercises are getting more popular day by day. People are becoming fitness freaks and are ready to explore several options! It seems as if people are in continuous search of newer and advanced methods of fitness regimes. With the rising popularity of exercises, myths are also on the rise. Myths are the misconceptions or false beliefs which are not based on any scientific rationale. What you hear is not always true.
Here are some of the most popular myths in the world of exercise and fitness.
1. "No Pain No Gain".
Pain is a warning sign that indicates any potential harm to the body. You should not feel any type of pain during or after exercise. If you feel pain, it means you are on the wrong track. One must be able to differentiate between pain and discomfort. When you begin a new exercise, an initial mild discomfort is normal and it is due to muscle soreness (DOMS). Don't force your body to continue with a workout if you perceive any kind of pain. Remember, if there is pain there will be no gain. With a proper and planned exercise regime and a maintained exercise log, one can gain without pain.
2. Need of Frequent Hard Workouts
This type of misconception is de-motivating and it keeps a lot of people away from an exercise program. But remember the old saying "something is better than nothing". Research suggests that even a minimal level of physical activity can help you diminish the risk factors of cardiovascular diseases. So, even if you do not have much time, go for some physical activities.
3. No Sweating No Result
Often people believe that sweating is related to hard work but, sweating is just a body's thermoregulatory mechanism to cool it and does not necessarily indicate the sign of exertion. One may sweat profusely at certain intensity of exercise in summers and may not even sweat with the same intensity in winters! It may be wrong to judge one's workout effectiveness on his/her degree of sweating. Also, there are individual variations and certain other determinants of the degree of sweating.
4. More Exercises More Results
Excess of anything is harmful and so are exercises! To certain extent one may be benefited by overtraining. But the same potentially increases the chances of getting injured. One must be aware of his/her potentials and fitness levels. Exercises work on the principle of overloading and not overtraining.
5. Women Not Meant for Weight Training
Weight training is an important component of exercise, which many woman fear to! This is because of the common belief that lifting weights will make their muscles look masculine! But the fact is that women do not have sufficient testosterone to add to the bulkiness of their muscles. Weight training will strengthen and tone their muscles. The muscles will look lean, toned and tight.
6. Spot Reduction
This myth is spread all over the fitness world like a forest fire. You might have come across many exercise equipments like abs cruncher etc. in fitness centers. Training with these equipments through isolated exercises is believed to reduce your hips, thighs, abdomen etc. Physiologically it is impossible to isolate the body part and reduce the locally stored fat. Research has proved that fat mobilizes equally during exercises from all areas of the body. Isolated exercises will help you to strengthen the particular body part and you may find decrease in girth, as a result of increased muscle tone. But there is no loss of fat from that particular body part. The best way to burn fat is to follow a well planned exercise regime which includes both aerobic exercises and strength training. This will decrease the overall body fat.
7. Yoga, the Safest Workout
Yoga is a vast term and it includes various exercises and postures. Some of the exercises are vigorous and physically demanding. Failing to adhere to the right practices may give rise to many problems. One must be well aware of what to do and what not because some of the postures in yoga can aggravate problems like back pain, cervical spondylosis, knee pain etc. You should abide by the instructions of a qualified instructor to facilitate safe workouts.
8. Joining a Gym is Important for Weight Loss
It's a common feeling that you need to join some fitness classes or go to gym to lose weight but, practically speaking home based fitness program has been proved to be equally effective in losing weight. To lose weight you need to burn calories, which can result from any physical activity whether it is done at gym or at home. What matters is your consistency! Sticking to your fitness regime religiously is the key to success.
9. Age is a Constraint
Many old people feel that it's too late to start with exercises. But they can safely participate in exercise programs. With regular exercises one can lead an independent and healthy life. Along with that, there is a generalized sense of wellbeing and improved quality of life. In case you have any health related problem consult your physician. It is never too late to join a fitness program!
Although people have become much aware about fitness, still many misconceptions keep them away from exercising! Some myths are harmless but some have the potential to harm you. There is no point in believing things which are untrue and ineffective because with belief, comes various expectations!
A nice informative article.