The benefits of working out on a regular basis are fairly obvious: increased health and decreased weight. But if you’ve been pounding the pavement or sweating it out in a studio for a while without seeing any benefits, you may have fallen prey to a fitness myth.
“Some myths are just harmless half-truths, but many others can actually be harmful,” Eric Harr, professional triathlete, personal coach and author of The Portable Personal Trainer said to WebMD. “They can cause frustration in working out and sometimes even lead to injury.”
So what are some of the most common? We’ve rounded up six, based on expert advice.
Myth #1. Crunches will give you a six-pack
Get rid of that ab cruncher, because it’s not doing anything for you. According to Don Saladino, a celebrity trainer who has worked with Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds and is owner of Drive495 gyms in New York, crunches or sit-ups can actually do more harm than good. Sitting at a desk all day puts your body in a constant state of flexion (a.k.a. being bent), he explained to Insider, once you head to the mat to do a sit-up, your body is further pushed into a bending motion which can lead to lower back injury. Planks and bear claws, where your core remains stable as you crawl forward or side-to-side, are much more effective.
Myth #2. Post-workout stretching will speed recovery
While a deep quad stretch can feel good after a long run, a 2012 study conducted at the University of Milan concluded that post-workout stretching or deep massages don’t do anything to speed muscle recovery. A group of nine participants engaged in strenuous activity for 40 minutes, followed by a random rotation of deep and superficial massage, and stretching over a 10-minute interval. Throughout the process, participants’ blood lactate concentration was measured and found to be at the same levels as in passive recovery. The bottom line: it may feel good to stretch after a workout, but it doesn’t help your body recover more quickly.
READ MORE: Alberta researchers debunk fitness myths
Myth #3. No pain, no gain
As far as fitness cliches go, this one might be the most dangerous. Pain is your body’s way of telling you something isn’t right – maybe you’re pushing yourself too hard or your form is wrong. According to a 2015 study from the University of Rhode Island that monitored the pressure placed on college-age students and athletes, ignoring your body’s signs for rest can lead to chronic pain and disability. It’s fine to feel your muscles burning – like the sensation in your quads from doing a lot of squats – but if you feel a sharp pain, stop what you’re doing. Too much muscle soreness the next day is also a no-no. If you’re having trouble moving or walking the day after a workout, give yourself extra recovery time.
Myth #4. If you’re not sweating, you’re not working out
When aerobics was the hot workout, sweating was an inevitability. But as fitness trends evolve and we learn more about the benefits of resistance training and low-impact exercises, a sweaty T-shirt is no longer an indication of maximum effort. “Sweating is our body’s way of trying to cool us down,” says Christine Tessaro, co-founder and lead instructor of Spokehaus spinning studio in Toronto. “Although we experience benefits from sweating, like detoxification, it’s not a good way to measure the effectiveness of a workout. The intensity and duration of an exercise are your best way of measuring your personal results.”
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Myth #5. Weights will cause women to bulk up
This is a common refrain among gym-goers and it’s patently false. “Gaining muscle and bulking up are due to heavy weightlifting and an extremely strict diet, and if you aren’t on a specific regimen you won’t get big,” Tessaro says. She also points out that muscle gain relies on elevated levels of testosterone, which women don’t naturally possess. “But if you want to effectively tone your body and shed fat, weight training should definitely be a part of your fitness routine.”
Myth #6. As long as you work out regularly, you can eat whatever you want
Unfortunately, if you’re naturally inclined to gain weight, nothing will allow you to eat with abandon – not even daily workouts. “If you are consuming more calories than you’re burning, you won’t see any results,” Tessaro says. “You need to focus on your diet just as much, if not more than, your fitness routine.” According to Tessaro, if your goal is to get into shape and shed pounds, you should focus 20 per cent of your efforts on working out and 80 per cent on your diet.
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