Hey guys,
I was talking to one of my clients last week about doing ‘the right exercise to get rid of problem areas’ and realised there are a few myths to do with fitness that are commonly spread. Although different things work for different people, there are many exercise theories that simply aren’t true.
Today, we’re going to bust 7 of them!
Myth 1: I don’t need to exercise to lose weight
Exercise, of any duration and any type is going to help increase the body’s metabolic rate. Think of it like two cars, sitting at idle at the traffic lights. One car (exercising person) has the air conditioner on, and burns more fuel. The other car does not have the air conditioner on (non exercising person), therefore burns less fuel.
Imagine this concept over the course of a day? A week? A month? A lifetime? It’s alot of fuel…
So how do I get the airconditioner running? Get it into gear with a brisk morning stroll before work. 10 to 20 minutes will do to begin with. Bored with walking? Why not try a quick circuit of situps, pushups and squats? It doesn’t need to be much, you just need to do it.
Myth 2: If I don’t lose weight, there is no point exercising
Exercise can definitely help you lose weight, but if you aren’t seeing results in that way, no need to throw in the towel! Exercise can improve your immune system, heart health, energy levels, strength and muscle tone! Get rid of that stress and anxiety and improve your sleep at the same time!
If you are exercising and not losing the weight, look at these important factors.
1. Duration: How long are you exercising for on average per day? If your total exercise is less than 30 minutes per day, this can be a major factor hindering your weight management.
2. Regularity: How often are you exercising? Do you have good weeks and then a week or two where not too much happens? If you are looking to improve your figure and are doing less than three exercise sessions per week, this could be an area of improvement.
3. Intensity: How hard are your exercise sessions? Generally, the more intense the exercise, the more energy is burned, therefore the more chance you may see some changes in your weight. However, there is a difference between thrashing the body, giving you lasting muscle fatigue and soreness, to burning lots of energy! Focus first on slower and longer and gradually stup up the intensity as fitness improves. In athletic preparation and periodisation, training programs will increase in either intensity or volume. rarely will both be raised at the same time.
Myth 3. Strength training makes women too muscular
As a spin instructor and trainer, this is such a common concern from women! How many cyclists do you know who are big bulky people? Not too many. Most are skinny, wraiths of people. The perception of the cyclist with the huge, muscular legs is generated by the showboats of cyclists, the sprinters. These are the ones who get the glory at the ends of the stages in a bunch sprint, or in the crazy dash for the line on the velodrome. These riders get the camera time, publicity and pictures, hence the perception of what all cyclists look like.
These cyclists have also spent many months or years in specific strength, power and sprint training to get the sort of mucsular physiques they have.
Your average male at the gym, even though he is in regular weights training, will not have an overly impressive muscular physique. So what am I saying? It is not easy to build a muscular physique. Many men who are in training to become more muscular, who have the aid of extra testosterone and other physical advantages, still struggle to put on muscle, even though it is their specific aim.
Women in weight training shouldn’t be too worried about adding weights training to their regime in fear of becoming too muscular. The benefits far outweigh the potential ‘bad’ side effects. Better bone density, muscle mass (fat burning potential), balance and strength!
Getting too muscular? Congratulations, your body adapts well to fitness. Try lowering your weights and maintain your fitness regime, or slow down the speed of your movements. Strength and power training is what builds your muscle size, not general resitance training.
Myth 4. The right exercise can get rid of problem areas
Unfortunately, hundreds and hundreds of sit ups will not burn away your spare tyre! Spot training, or focussing on a specific area in order to lose weight from that area in particular works very well for strengthening that area, but not for losing weight. Imagine you have a swimming pool and wish to take water from one corner only, so you get to work with a bucket in that corner, removing as much water as possible. To your surprise, nothing much happens to that corner of the swimming pool, the general water line just goes down!
This is the same as in our bodies. Any weight loss will occur in an overall fashion across your whole body. Sometimes, the part you wish to lose fat from will be the last to move, unfortunately. Want to move your guts? Move your legs!
Myth 5. Weight gain is inevitable as you get older
As you get older, your metabolic rate slows and general muscle mass deteriorates so you become a frail and overweight person. Right? Only if you let it go that way! Slowing metabolic rate and muscle atrophy (shrinking and loss of muscle) only will occur if you stop exercising. This is not inevitable. Ageing is not the end! Exercising and maintaining a balanced, healthy diet helps to prevent the middle age spread.
Myth 6. Exercise needs to be regular or you are wasting your time
As long as you are getting exercise into your day most days of the week, you will find positive changes to your health. Exercise every day, versus most days of the week will have similar results, however, exercising only once or twice per week or even none one week and intense exercise the next week is a poor mix. The body needs some habit patterns to fall into for best results. Aim for 30 minutes per day, or 3 dedicated sessions (about 60 minutes) per week for a good starting point in your training regime.
Myth 7. If you didn’t exercise when you were younger, it could be dangerous to start when you’re older
Never say never when talking exercise, it is never too late! Everyone can always benefit from exercise at any stage in their life, especially if you are sedentary. If you are sedentary and looking to start exercising and are;
Male over 40 or female over 55
Please have a talk to your doctor before beginning any execise regimes, and especially if you are planning on working with a trainer or at a gym. They will give you information on any possible risk factors for you, as well as some ideas for getting up and running.
There you go guys, hope some of those myths are now cleared up for you. Spread the word!
Good luck with your new fitness and health goals over the next few months. For those out there who are up for a challenge, why not try the Elite 200 Challenge?
Check it out here at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNbnhyv9xd0&feature=channel_page
Yours in health,
Nick
