10 common fitness myths

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SAS_Jakub
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10 common fitness myths

As some of you might know I'm a personal trainer now and I'm a really big advocate for health and fitness!

I just wanted to post what probably are the top 10 most common fitness myths to help dispel some of the rumors you hear in regards to weight training, eating and specific exercises.

Even for gaming, a healthier body means faster reaction times and more enjoyment. So get out there and get moving guys!

If you have any other health and fitness questions then by all means post away and ill answer them for you.

Enjoy!

Myth 1: You get stronger and fitter while you train.
Truth: Your muscles actually become stronger and more toned while you rest and recuperate from training. Think of all exercise as a kind of stress on your body and the process of getting fit as an adaptation to this stress. If you never take a break from exercising or if you repeat the same type of training day in and day out then you won’t see the results you want. What’s more, training too hard or too often may cause injury or illness.

Myth 2: The more exercise the better.
Truth: This follows from the first myth, but most of us tend to think that more of anything we have is always better. This is certainly not the case with fitness. As far as exercise is concerned, its quality not quantity that counts. In other words, it isn’t how many sets you do of a particular exercise but the intensity at which you work that gets desired results. With weight training, for example, the more you focus on the muscles you are working by lifting the weights in a slow and controlled manner, the better the workout you’ll have and the quicker you’ll see a change in your body.

Myth 3: Weight training will bulk you up.
Truth: This is perhaps the most common myth women fall for and it couldn’t be farther from the truth. In fact, weight training is often the easiest and quickest way for women to look leaner, more sculpted and toned. You’d have to be taking steroids to achieve the bulked-up look most body builders have, so don’t be afraid of weights. I encourage you to incorporate strength training twice a week into your exercise program because it will help protect you from injury, tone your muscles, help prevent osteoporosis and burn excess body fat, even when you are resting.

Myth 4: You burn more fat when you exercise at a low intensity for a long amount of time.
Truth: The most efficient way to burn fat is to combine intense training in short spurts with a nutritious diet. For example, 30 minutes of cycling in intervals, where you continuously vary your speed, intensity and pace, burns more calories than a slow one-hour walk. And it keeps burning them when you stop because your metabolism stays elevated for a few hours after you exercise. As for the best kinds of workouts, the most efficient calorie and fat burner exercises are cardio and weight training. Shorter but harder sessions between 20 minutes to one hour are much better for you than working out at a slower pace or intensity for a long time.

Myth 5: Weight training doesn’t give you a cardiovascular workout.
Truth: Strength training is actually an excellent way to work the heart and lungs. Next time you’re in the gym, try doing a slow set of squats, lunges or press-ups and see how you can take your heart rate to new heights. Another easy way to get your heart rate racing is by doing press ups over your head with a body bar or light dumbbells. But, if you ever start to feel lightheaded when doing any of these exercises, stop at once and rest.

Myth 6: If you workout, you can eat whatever you want.
Truth: You are what you eat. Nothing can change that. If you try to make up for sloppy eating habits through exercising more or at a higher intensity, you’ll probably overtrain and be more likely to injure yourself. You’ll probably also feel frustrated because you won’t be seeing the desired results. The only way to maintain weight and be fit is by sticking to a healthy exercise program and eating nutritiously. You simply can’t do one or the other and expect to look and feel great. If you eat little and often (about four or five mini meals a day), include a balance of protein, fruit and vegetables and carbs in your diet, and drink lots of water you’ll feel energized for your workouts and look and feel your best.

Myth 7: Sitting in the sauna helps you burn fat.
Truth: Saunas are great for one thing: releasing muscle tension. This is a great way to spend five minutes relaxing after a tough workout. However, sitting in the sauna depletes your body of water and, if these fluids are not replenished, can cause dehydration. It’s important to drink lots of water before and after you sit in the sauna, and while it might be an enjoyable experience it won’t help you burn fat.

Myth 8: Eating after 7pm will make you fat.
Truth: Absolutely false! It all depends on whether or not the body needs that amount of calories at that time. Keep in mind your body is constantly burning calories, 24 hours per day, just the amount varies.

Myth 9: You can take weight off of specific body parts by doing exercises that target those areas.
Truth: This concept is called "spot training" and unfortunately, it doesn’t burn fat. When you lose weight, you are unable to choose the area in which the reduction will occur. Your body predetermines which fat stores it will use. For example, doing sit-ups will strengthen you abs but will not take the fat off of your stomach. Similarly, an activity like running burns fat all over your body, not just your legs. You can, however, compliment a balanced exercise program with a selection of weight training exercises to gradually lose weight and tone the body.

Myth 10: Performing abdominal exercises will give you a flat stomach.
Truth: This is similar to the myth above. The fact is, the only way to get a flat stomach is to strip away the fat around the midsection. This is accomplished by doing cardio/aerobic exercise (to burn calories), strength training (to increase metabolism) and following a proper diet. Abdominal exercises will help to build muscle in your midsection, but you will never see the muscle definition unless the fat in this area is stripped away.

Train Hard - Fight Easy

SAS_Adze
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Just another myth I'd like to bust.

Myth 11: Spending a lot of time in the pub will make you really slim and rich
Nope, it turns out that quite the opposite is true. It turns you into a pie and you'll be broke as hell. That's the voice of experience. Damn holidays!

Blum 3

Merge
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Nice post

Good tips all around Jakub.

Anyone looking for a good cardiovascular/strength training workout should check out the training booklets written by Stew Smith. Stew is an ex-Navy SEAL and has successfully completed many other Special Ops training courses (Army Rangers, Green Berets, Marine Force Recon to name a few). I'm following his BUD/S workout and I have to say, it makes one hell of a difference. I can even have my standard 2 beers a day without adding anything to my gut! (This is fortunate, because I've become a fiend for Duvel and Newcastle, DAMN YOU WIZ!!!) Wink :glasses:

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SAS_Webmaster
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Good information, I know who to ask when I want to get in shape I-m so happy

Spidey01
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I'd love to get in shape, but if I put in the proper time I'd probably have to sacrifise the [SAS] (never!) or my hobbies (computers/programming/general geeky ness around computers / computer addict).

I spend over a hour a of my work day just going up/down stairs thats plenty good enough workout for me.

But I actually enjoy pushing my limit on the rare occasion I find a reason to do so, then I think about what the guys and gal's in our armed forces do, and I figure if they can do what they do till the jobs done, surly I can push my self a little harder untill I finish my job when I have some thing I'll kick into high gear for. I know they won't quit and they have a hell of alot harder things to do then I, so I figure the least I can do is try to apply some detimination to life out of respect for them.

Now when I don't see a reason for pushing the envolope then I'm a couch potato.

SAS_Jakub
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Well Adze you’ll be interested to know that you don’t get a “beer belly” from beer.

It’s actually from eating while or after drinking.

Alcohol is a toxin so when ingested your body wants to process it and get it out as soon as possible. It is priority number one!

So when you eat during or after drinking that alcohol is still being digested and your body doesn’t care that much about the other food and puts it to the side, meaning it gets stored as fat much much easier.

Whys it all go round the belly? That’s simple genetics, most men have a genetic disposition to storing fat around there bellies just like women have a genetic disposition to storing it around there thighs and bottom.

Just try not to eat fatty foods when drinking, I know that kebab shop always happens to appear but go and grab a bite before heading out for a heavy night.

Also Merge, iv read that program and yes its pretty dam good, definitely up there and the guy sure is a hard nut! My favorite military type program is the Australian, 13week special forces pre selection program (ill try and find a link but if you want it then just email) it is an a excellent program and will get you in shape.

However these are all programs for the hardcore fitness fanatic. Something I really wouldn’t recommend for normal fitness. A jog every other day, some pushups squats, jumping jacks and crunches will keep you in shape. A gym membership is also an excellent investment into your health!

I'm starting up another training business (TrueFit) so id love for all you guys to stop by http://www.truefit.org once it’s up and running and share in some fitness info.

Cheers

Sgt Jakub

Train Hard - Fight Easy

Rouge
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Well. I have implemented physical training in RvS already -- just ask the recruits.

If I am not satisfied with their on-screen performance, the team waits while they give me 20 RL push-ups on the floor by the computer.

Sit-ups and hang-ups are in the pipeline, so just be prepared.

I am also playing with the idea of 30 km off-track runs with bergen and weapon, and winter survival course, as I haven't noted any protests yet.

SAS_ :devil: _Rouge

Spidey01
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Your a mean one Rouge, I usually just assign related home work.