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9 Fitness Myths Busted
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5. Crunches are the best way to get those six pack abs
Although crunches will tone your abs, it’s true, but to get those truly flat abs you need to burn off fat. So more important than crunches will be those fat burning exercises. Research has shown that simply doing crunches alone, even if they are done five days a week, they had no effect on those deep core fat stores. To get that 6 pack you need to do high intensity interval training. Also, doing planks and bridges will burn fat as well as work those abs, much more effectively than doing endless crunches. Find out other exercise you don’t have to do any more.
6. Running ruins your knees
Well, this is another long standing myth. Running will not ruin your knees. In fact, long term studies show that osteoarthritis of the knee is not more common in adults who run compared to those who don’t run. Now, there is some truth that women are more likely to suffer a knee injury when running because they have a natural imbalance in the strength between the quadriceps and their hamstrings. So, for women especially, strength training is very important if you love to run.
For those who love to run, the key is moderation. Don’t run more than 20 miles per week and spread it out over three or four days, and no more than 5 miles an hour. Actually, this is great advice because if you run longer or faster than these recommendations, you lose a lot of the benefits of running anyway. Read also
7. Stretching is essential for fast recovery
Stretching actually has very little to do with the muscle fatigue after a workout. Although stretching after your workout will help with flexibility, it’s not necessary for recovery. Cooling down after a workout is really nothing more than a personal choice.
8. You need to exercise a minimum of 45 minutes at a time
For many, many years the gold standard of aerobic exercise has been to work out at a moderate pace for at least 45 minutes at time. Recent research, however, has proven that there is a better way.
Rather than do the slow, time consuming work out, it’s been shown that a high intensity interval training is far more efficient, as well as being more economical time-wise.
Although there are many versions of HIIT, the basic idea is that you do some high intensity, maximum exertion for short periods, followed by a quick “recovery” period. For example, you can walk at a moderate pace for 5 minutes, then run as fast as you can, ( or do burpees or jumping squats) for 30 seconds, then continue walking for 60 seconds, followed by another 30 seconds of running or burpees. Follow this routine for 5 or 6 sets and you are done!
SEE ALSO: Breaking Exercise Myths Infographic
9. The more time you dedicate to exercise the better
Although many people really should dedicate more of their time to exercising ( sorry, folks, that 10 minute walk you do at lunchtime 5 days a week just doesn’t cut it) but for those who really do exercise regularly, you need to take time to recover.
Exercise feels good but when you over do it, you can actually do your body more harm than good. Allowing your body to rest at least one day per week is absolutely essential to your long term success. Your body needs time to rebuild and restore itself. No matter what type of exercise you do, always listen to your body and give it time to rest.
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