Some of you may already believe these myths having heard them from your trainer, physical therapist or even, shudder to think, your doctor.
Some of you are just embarking upon becoming brainwashed by the fitness industry. I hope I caught you in time.
Some of these myths are benign. Some are not.
All of them are false, meaning, they really are myths.
Perhaps you’re a trainer, PT or MD yourself and reading these makes you blow a gasket.
Good.
Here’s my phone number: 212 579-9320. Give me a buzz on your break or shoot me an email [email protected]. I’ll substantiate each and every one of these for you. My pleasure.
Here we go. There is no particular order. As they pop, I type:
- You need aerobic exercise everyday
- If you lift weights you still need aerobics
- Aerobics burn significant calories
- You need to stretch
- You need to warm up
- Aerobics makes your heart healthier
- Aerobics makes your lungs stronger
- Large muscles are tight and inflexible
- Heavy weights build bulky muscles
- Light weights build toned muscles
- Pilates will give you the long muscles of a dancer
- Cellulite is different from fat and needs different attention
- Abdominal exercises help back pain
- Functional training
- Balance training improves balance
- Everyone’s different and needs different programs
- Vary your routine often
- Multiple sets build more muscle than single sets
- Exercise at least 3 days a week for minimal gains
- Leg extensions are bad for the knees
- It’s bad to arch your back
- Free weights are better than machines
- Machines are better than free weights
- Isokinetics are superior to isotonics
- Training fast makes you fast
- Training slow makes you slow
- Positive skill transfers from one sport to another
- Weight lifting is bad for blood pressure
- Aerobic capacity is an indicator of your overall health
- Fitness testing accuratley measure fitness
- Walking is the best exercise for fat loss
- Walking is the best exercise for seniors
- Walking is exercise
- Swimming is orthopedically safe
- Non impact exercise means low force
- Lifting belts protect the back
- Abdominals need high repetitions (for many, ab classes are a sure fire road to back pain).
- Calves need high repetitions
- Muscles can have ‘imbalances’
- Women need different routines from men (I’ve never once seen a female muscle fiber).
- Children shouldn’t strength train
- Lack of physical activity is the cause of adolescent obesity
- Physical activity is needed to combat adolescent obesity
- Great bodies are built and not born
- Body sculpting
- Toned means cut
- You don’t need strength training if you’re very active
Next up: Nutritional myths. Get ready…
