Nowadays we have access to a wealth of knowledge when it comes to health and fitness, but amongst the helpful advice, there are some common myths which have emerged. From the real secret to getting abs to the amount of exercise you should be doing, we take a closer look at the facts and debunk the myths that could be hindering your workout…
There are common exercise myths which could hinder your workout.
Myth: You should do your cardio before strength training: Do a short, non-intensive warm-up and start with strength training you do your cardio before strength training, you’ll have less energy to do full sets. Try a gentle warm-up to get going, then focus on doing your weights before you move on to cardio.
Myth: Doing 100 sit-ups regularly will lead to abs
Truth: It's better to do a variety of exercises that involve your waist too. Crunches may be one of the favoured exercises, but they aren't always the best way to help achieve a toned stomach as they only involve a small section of your abdominal muscles. Add planks and roll-ups before the sit-ups and you could see a dramatic difference.
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Lifting weights can be an effective way to burn calories
Myth: Cardio is the best way to lose weight
Truth: Weights are an effective way to burn caloriesStrength training often burns more calories than cardio, depending on the duration and intensity of your workouts. You burn the majority of your calories through your resting metabolic rate (RMR). Weight training preserves your RMR by preserving lean body mass, which contributes to the calories you burn in a 24-hour period independent of physical activity. In other words, you continue to burn calories long after you’ve worked out.
Myth: A workout should be at least 45 minutes long for your body to feel the benefits
Truth: Any time spent exercising will help Just doing a few jumping jacks or squats for ten minutes will immediately raise your heart rate and give your body a boost of exercise.
Try mixing sit-ups with other exercises if you're looking to get abs
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Myth: No pain, no gain
Truth: You don't always need to ache after a workout. Pushing yourself is great, but within limits – workouts should not always leave you feeling sore. You should feel a little discomfort, but if you're experiencing pain it could be a sign of injury – make sure you don't hurt yourself.
Myth: Stretching before can prevent injury
Truth: Always stretch after exerciseYou should stretch when you’ve finished as when you’re working out your muscles shorten as they are in a contracted state. If you spend five minutes stretching you’ll get them back into their original state, therefore preventing injury.
For more information head to MuscleFood.com