Exercise Myths
Ross McNeill, Personal Trainer at Champneys Gym in London, helps expel some of the old wives tales attached to raising your heart beat
Happily, myths such as "no pain, no gain" and "spot reducing" are disappearing, but some popular exercise misconceptions are proving harder to kill-off. Below are some of the most persistent and some you may not have come across before:
Unless you're going to work out hard and often exercise is a waste of time.
This is the number one reason why some people don't exercise at all. Research continues to show that any exercise is better than none. For example, regular walking or gardening for as little as an hour a week - the stuff you probably already do - has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease.
You'll burn more fat if you work at a lower intensity.
This is nonsense. If you're exercising to lose weight, what matters is not the percentage of exercise energy coming from fat but the total energy spent. In plain English, how many calories you burn during the activity. So, the faster you walk, step or run, for example, the more calories you'll use per minute. If you're just beginning a programme or you're returning to exercise, you may find that high-intensity exercise is difficult to sustain, so you may not be able to exercise for very long at higher levels. So it's safer and more practical to start out at a lower intensity and work your way up gradually.
If you exercise long and hard enough you'll always get the results you want.
Not necessarily so, because in reality genetics play an important role in how people respond to exercise. Studies have shown a wide variation in the way different people respond to the same training programme. So your development in terms of strength, speed and endurance, may be very different from that of other people you know. Blame your parents!
If you exercise you'll lose weight.
Exercise alone isn't the answer. Weight gain or loss depends on many factors including what you eat and genetics. Everyone is different - that's why we create bespoke programmes - and no two people will loose the same amount of weight using the same exercise program. It is possible to be active and overweight. So although exercise alone cannot guarantee your ideal weight, regular physical activity is one of the most important factors for successful long-term weight management.
If you want to lose weight stay away from weights because you'll bulk-up.
Most exercise experts believe that cardiovascular exercise - running etc - and strength training are both valuable for maintaining a healthy weight because weight training helps maintain muscle mass and decrease body fat percentage.
Overweight people are unlikely to benefit much from exercise.
Studies show that obese people who participate in regular exercise programmes have a lower risk of all-cause mortality than people who don't regardless of their weight. Both men and women of all sizes and fitness levels can improve their health with modest increases in activity.
Home workouts are fine but going to a gym is the best way to get fit.
Some people find it easier to stick to a home-based fitness programme. Trendy exercise programs and facilities are not necessary and the "best" program for you is the one you will do most frequently.
If muscle isn't used it turns to fat.
Rubbish! Muscle and fat are two completely different types of tissue and one cannot change itself into the other!
Cardiovascular exercise is the best way to reduce body fat.
There is no magic formula for reducing body fat. But there is a simple equation you should remember: to lose fat you have to take out more energy than you put in. So the answer lies in the combination of the right exercise programme and a calorie-controlled diet, which has been designed to promote fat loss. Remember! Resistance training can increase muscle mass which, in turn, can increase the metabolic rate of the body helping to burn up more calories throughout the day.
