2024-02-11 03:00:00
When done right, exercise can be a true miracle cure. But if you follow the wrong advice, you might easily hurt yourself. Take the example of abdominal exercises: Once considered the gold standard of core exercises, we now know that they can make lower back pain worse.
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Fitness culture is rife with these misconceptions, thanks to ever-evolving science and influencers sharing tips based on “gym stories and stories,” said Brad Schoenfeld, a professor of exercise science at Lehman College in New York. “Once these opinions become public and consolidated, it is difficult to change them.”
We asked more than a dozen fitness experts to share the myths they hear most frequently from their students and patients and wish they might debunk once and for all.
1. ‘You should stretch before training’
Recent research has found that stretching before exercise is not effective in preventing injuries and may even have the opposite effect. It’s because stretching a muscle for more than 90 seconds temporarily decreases its strength. “You have temporarily weakened all the muscle groups you are trying to train,” explains Josh Goldman, associate director of UCLA Health. More effective, Goldman recommends, is a dynamic warm-up, a series of active exercises that get blood flowing and gently tense the muscles.
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2. ‘You need to lift a lot of weight to build muscle’
Not true, says Schoenfeld, who studies muscle growth. Research shows that lifting relatively light weights for 30 repetitions is just as effective at building muscle and strength as lifting heavier weights. But don’t avoid heavy weights for fear of “bulking,” says Jacob Sellon, a sports physician at the Mayo Clinic. “In fact, it takes a lot of effort to build Popeye muscles. “This doesn’t just happen with typical strength training,” he says.
Our body is dynamic and our joints can regenerate, especially when we exercise regularly
3. ‘Running destroys your knees’
Research has debunked the idea that running increases the risk of osteoarthritis and suggests it may protect your knees once morest the disease. In fact, not moving increases your risk of developing osteoarthritis, along with age, weight, and genetics. “Our body is dynamic and our joints can regenerate, especially when we exercise regularly,” says Goldman. “That said, running can cause knee pain or injury if you train aggressively,” says Jordan Metzl, a sports physician at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. “Increase the intensity slowly. And if you feel pain in your knees, go to a specialist,” he adds.
4. ‘Walking is enough to keep you fit as you age’
Walking is a popular exercise for good reason: It has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer, as well as the risk of premature death. And it’s easy to do. But walking alone isn’t enough to stay fit as we age, warns Anne Brady, associate professor of exercise science at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. Starting in your 30s, your muscle mass progressively decreases, she says, so she should also focus on strength training. “People can perform daily activities with a minimum of cardiovascular fitness. But when they do not have the muscle strength to carry out daily activities, that is when they lose their independence. Complement walking with at least two 20-minute strength training sessions per week,” she says.
(Also read: Strength training: know the benefits of these exercises on the body)
5. ‘Exercise adaptations are for beginners’
Choosing to do a less strenuous version of an exercise (for example, a push-up or plank with your knees on the floor) doesn’t mean you’re weak or a novice or going backwards, says Stephanie Roth Goldberg, a clinical social worker and therapist. New York City who works with athletes. It’s a sign that she is listening to her body and keeping it safe.
“Our bodies demand different things on different days,” he argues. “Modification exercises help us work on form and the mind-body connection,” she says.
6. ‘Runners and cyclists don’t need to train lower body strength’
A strength training regimen that includes squats, advanced squats, hip and pelvis, and leg raises can improve bone density and decrease the risk of injury.
Amanda Katz, a certified strength and running coach in New York, says, “Running on the floor or hitting the pedals strengthens the lower body, but not enough to stimulate significant muscle growth.” “A strength training regimen,” she says, “that includes squats, forward squats, hip and pelvis, and leg raises can improve bone density and decrease the risk of injury.”
7. ‘You need 10,000 steps a day to be healthy’
No. Exercise scientists have debunked it, but many still see it as a benchmark, reports Cedric Bryant, president and chief scientific officer of the American Council on Exercise. The myth dates back to the 1960s. A Japanese watch manufacturer produced a pedometer named 10,000 steps. “The research clearly does not support that there is anything magical regarding this goal,” Bryant says. Latest research suggests that the health benefits of walking appear to plateau at regarding 7,500 steps, but even 4,000 steps a day can reduce the risk of death from any cause.
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8. ‘An ice bath following training improves recovery’
It may protect once morest injury by helping to reduce inflammation. But there’s a problem: “Not all inflammation is bad,” warns Goldman. “Ice bathing slows or stops the repair process.” When you exercise, you create helpful inflammation by strategically stressing your muscles, and as your body heals, you gain strength. If you want to care for an injury, Goldman recommends applying ice or waiting a day before taking a cold bath, to give your muscles time to begin the repair process. For recovery following training, research suggests that saunas may be safer and more effective.
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