subject: 5 Common Myths About Exercise And Fitness [print this page] The fitness industry has more myths and false information circulating than just about any other industry in the world. False information is circulated by drug companies, marketers, paid doctors or just plain uninformed people.
Here are five of the most common myths in exercise and fitness that simply are not true.
==> Myth #1: If Your Body Doesn't Hurt, You're Not Working Hard Enough
A lot of people feel as if they need to work themselves out until they hurt to get results. In fact, they often feel that if it doesn't hurt badly enough, they're not "really" trying and feel guilty as a result.
In reality, if you workout until you hurt every time, you might be doing more damage to your body than it can realistically handle.
The ideal goal with working out is to work your muscles to the point where they can repair themselves and get stronger. That doesn't mean working them to the point where they're screaming.
==> Myth #2: To Get Results Means a Lot of Time in the Gym
At any major gym in the world you'll find a few guys who seem to just live in the gym. A lot of people feel as if they need to dedicated ungodly amounts of time to working out if they want to see any results.
This couldn't be further from the truth. The reality is, if you have a well tailored workout program and a solid diet, you can see results from just a few hours a week.
In fact, in The Four Hour Body, Tim Ferris showed that it's possible to build six pack abs with just one hour of workout per week.
==> Myth #3: Building Muscle Means Getting Bulky
A lot of people want to have better looking bodies. However, for a lot of people the "bulky" muscular look simply isn't what they're going for.
There are many different kinds of workouts you can choose from. If you want to look bulky, that's certainly an option. However, if you want to go for a different look, all you need to do is change the way you workout to create that look.
You can use working out to create a slim look, a lean but muscled look, or even just the look of someone who's fit and healthy.
==> Myth #4: You Need Tons and Tons of Protein
This is one of the biggest myths propagated by the supplement industry. That if you want to build muscles, you need tons and tons and tons of protein.
The reality is, most bodybuilders probably get way more protein than they need. You don't need to drink whey in the morning, eat steak and drink protein smoothies to get fit.
==> Myth #5 - To Get Six Pack Abs, You Need to Do a Lot of Abdominal Workouts
Ab workouts are probably only about 25% of the ab equation.
If you want to get ripped abs, the first step is to remove your belly fat that covers up your abs.
To do this means doing mostly cardiovascular exercise that burns fat. It also means changing your diet up.
If you can lose weight throughout your whole body, then and only then should you start to work on your abdominal muscles. Without belly fat to get in the way, even a moderate amount of ab exercise can get you ripped abs.
These are five of the most common myths in the fitness industry. Make sure to check all your facts before believing them when it comes to your body - Even if the facts come from an "expert."
