7 Exercise Beliefs That Just Aren’t True

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When it comes to working out, there are almost as many internet rumors as there are about weight loss and healthy eating. With all this information circulating the web, it can be confusing to separate fact from fiction when it comes to the truth about exercising.

Just because your friend did the squat challenge and ended up with a bum of steel doesn’t mean that this works for everyone, and there’s nothing worse than hitting the gym without getting the results you desire.

Despite what you may have heard, some widespread beliefs about working out are just not true. Next time you hear these seven workout misconceptions, you can rest assure that they are just common myths.

1. You Need To Eat A Ton Of Protein

Many people think it’s necessary to load up on a protein-heavy shake post-gym, but you probably don’t need as much of the nutrient as you think you do. According to research, 20 grams is about all you need to eat after a workout to maintain and build muscle. More than that doesn’t have much benefit, and excess protein consumption converts to fat.

protein photo
Photo by Nick Harris1

2. Cardio Is How You Lose Weight

If you’re ditching strength training in favor of a run because you think it’s the only way to shed pounds, think again. Although cardio does help burn fat, strength training adds muscle mass, which can help increase your metabolism. Doing high-intensity circuits can actually be more effective than even doing cardio.

treadmill photo
Photo by Mr.TinDC

3. You Need To Stretch Before Exercising

It’s not uncommon to see people stretching before a workout, but it turns out that doing static stretches before a workout can actually have a negative impact on your performance, including your strength and power. To avoid injury, do “dynamic stretches” instead, which involve active movements that mimic your workout. Unlike static stretches that involve holding a stretch for a longer time, dynamic stretches can improve strength, agility, and endurance.

stretch photo
Photo by ejmc

4. You Can Spot Train A Specific Spot On Your Body

It’s tempting to believe that doing squats will give you a big butt or doing crunches can give you the abs of your dreams, but unfortunately that’s just not the case. Trying to lose weight in one specific area of your body is not possible. Even when athletes train with only one leg, for example, there is still no difference in body fat in the other. Fat gets broken down all over your body, and everyone differs in where they lose weight first.

abs photo
Photo by Ruxor

5. You Shouldn’t Eat Before A Workout

Luckily, you don’t have to exercise on an empty stomach for better results. Despite what many people think, working out before eating doesn’t burn in any more fat in a 24 hour period than working out with food in your stomach.  In fact, eating before a workout can actually help fuel your workout and give you a better post-workout “afterburn.”

food photo
Photo by Michael Stern

6. If You Don’t Sweat, Your Workout Wasn’t Good Enough

Leaving your workout drenched doesn’t make it any better than if you were to walk away completely dry. How much someone sweats depends on their body as well as the environment, and workouts like pilates that don’t make you break a sweat can still have effective results.

sweat photo
Photo by Fit Approach

7. Weight Training Makes Women Look Bulky

Women are often afraid to weight train because they fear that they’ll end up looking like The Hulk, but ladies, there’s no need to worry. Because women have significantly less testosterone than men, they are less likely to bulk up. If you’re monitoring your diet and burning fat, you should end up looking more muscular and defined, but not jacked.

More to Explore

top 10 exercise myths infographic
Lifehack

Health, Wellness & Fitness
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About the Author
Carina Wolff
Carina is a health and wellness journalist based in Los Angeles. When she’s not writing, doing yoga, or exploring mountains and beaches, she spends her time cooking and creating recipes for her healthy food blog, Kale Me Maybe. Carina is also an ongoing writer for Bustle, Reader's Digest, FabFitFun, and more.

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