HEALTH & FITNESS
FITNESS MYTHS VS FACTS
Some myths which fooled the smartest exercisers.
MYTH #1
MORE HOURS SPENT IN THE GYM LEADS TO BETTER RESULTS.
In reality: If you think making the gym your second home is a great way to get results, think again. Overtraining is a sure fire way to stop any muscle growth -- instead of your body rebuilding its muscle tissues, it,ll continue to break it down.This means you'll actually start to lose muscle. You need to train smarter, not harder. When you are in the gym, give 110%. Push your muscles, and then give them the rest they need to grow bigger and stronger. Make sure to do cardio training. If your workouts are taking much longer than an hour, chances are you are either wasting too much time between sets, or you're not training in the most effective manner.
MYTH #2
ALWAYS WORK A MUSCLE TO FAILURE.
In reality: While you may be tempted to push your body to the max during every single workout, this isn't the best approach since it can lead to overtraining. You need to create a proper, moderated workout -- have some hard days interspersed with some easier days that your body can use to recuperate. These "easy" days aren't wasted workouts; they can be used to focus on other aspects of your training, like muscle endurance by performing more reps with a lighter weight.
MYTH #3
THE MORE YOU SWEAT DURING EXERCISE, THE MORE FAT YOU CAN LOSE.
In reality: The harder you work out, the more calories you'll burn within a given period and thus the more fat you stand to lose. But how much you sweat does not necessarily reflect how hard you're working. Some people tend to sweat profusely due to heavy body weight, poor conditioning, or heredity. And everyone sweats more in hot, dry weather or dense clothing than in cool, humid weather or porous clothing.
Exercising in extremely hot weather or in a plastic "weight loss" suit will indeed make you sweat heavily and lose weight immediately. But that lost weight is almost entirely water; the pounds will return when you replenish your fluids by drinking after the workout. Further, you could develop heat exhaustion if you push yourself too hard in extreme heat or in plastic clothes which prevent sweat from evaporating and, in turn, cooling you off.
MYTH #4
SPORTS DRINKS CAN HELP YOU EXERCISE MORE SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY.
In reality: Sports drinks contain two main ingredients that are theoretically beneficial for exercisers: sodium, which helps the body retain water, and sugar, which the body burns for energy. But very few people exercise hard enough to sweat away much sodium or to use up their carbohydrate reserves, which the body converts to sugar. You'd have to jog for at least two hours, for example, before your carbohydrate stores would start to run low. So unless you're doing a marathon or other exhaustive exercise, plain water is all you need.
MYTH #5
STRENGTH TRAINING WON'T HELP YOU GET THINNER, SINCE IT BURNS FEW CALORIES AND ADDS POUNDS OF MUSCLE.
In reality: Strength training, using either weights, machines, or elastic bands, can substantially increase the number of calories you burn. A typical session, in which you rest briefly after each muscle-building maneuver, uses up calories at least as fast as walking does. Circuit training, in which you move quickly from one strengthening maneuver to the next, burns calories faster than walking does. And your body continues to burn calories for hours after either type of strength training. More important, the muscle you build consumes calories more rapidly, even when you're not exercising.
MYTH #6
WHEN YOU STOP EXERCISING, YOUR MUSCLES TURN TO FAT.
In reality: Just as fat can't transform into muscle, muscle won't transform into fat. Building muscle and losing body fat are two completely different processes and, while this can be done simultaneously, it is very rare. Most of the time, you need to focus on one objective before you can focus on another. This is so because, in order to gain muscle, you must consume more calories than you burn and, in order to lose body fat, you must burn more calories than you consume.
Lack of exercise does make the muscles shrink, reducing the body's calorie-burning rate. The lack of activity itself further reduces the number of calories you burn. So people who stop working out are indeed in danger of getting flabby.But that doesn't mean that muscle actually turns to fat - they're totally different types of tissue. Nor does it mean you're doomed to gain fat around the muscles after you stop exercising; you just need to cut back on the calories you consume. (Of course, the best way to stay slim is to eat a lean diet and continue to exercise regularly.)
MYTH #7
BUILDING MUSCLES REDUCES FLEXIBILITY.
In reality: If you strength train without moving your joints through their full range of motion, you can indeed lose flexibility. But strength training can actually improve flexibility if you do move your joints fully. Stretch after a muscle-building workout to help keep yourself limber.
MYTH #8
STRENGTH TRAINING TENDS TO GIVE WOMEN A BULKY, MASCULINE PHYSIQUE.
In reality: It's very difficult for most women to build large muscles. That's because women have relatively low levels of the hormone testosterone, which influences muscle growth. Both men and women can build firmer rather than bulkier muscles by working against lighter resistance more than 25 times rather than heavier resistance fewer times.
NO RULES ARE MEANT TO BE BROKEN- ESPECIALLY IF IT IS RELATED TO HEALTH.
HERE ARE SOME OF THE TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR WORKOUT :-
1 . Pre-gym snack :- Downing an energy bar before the gym can actually zap your energy. How come? Many of those bars are high in fiber, which is normally a good thing, but it takes forever to digest. And that digestion requires energy ? energy that would be better spent on your muscles. You end up feeling sluggish and having trouble pushing yourself. If you're ravenous beforehand, opt for a banana, which is digested super quickly and won't inhibit your gym time.
3. REAL Warm up :- Warm-up doesn't mean 5 minutes walking on a treadmill or a few light sets of the bench press before you start adding heavier weight. You should be sweating before your program. Or at the very least, your heart rate should be significantly elevated. Stretching is not warming up! It is, however, a very important part of warming up. Warming up is quite literally the process of "warming up" (i.e., raising your core body temperature). A proper warm-up should raise your body temperature by one or two degrees Celsius (1.4 to 2.8 degrees Fahrenheit) and is divided into three phases: ? general warm-up ? stretching ? sport-specific activity ?A cold muscle is an ineffective muscle. So a bad warmup will lead to a bad workout. Or at least you?ll never meet your potential. The choice is yours.? Need I say any more?
4. When to Stop :- A certain amount of discomfort during exercise is normal and inevitable?after all, you are challenging your body to do more than it is accustomed to. And you can expect to have some sore muscles after a vigorous workout; often the soreness doesn?t show up until a day or two later, especially with strength training. But pain and other symptoms that occur during exercise can be warning signs that something is wrong. You should stop exercising right away if you: But pain and other symptoms that occur during exercise can be warning signs that something is wrong. You should stop exercising right away if you: ? Have pain or pressure in the left or middle part of your chest, or in the left side of your neck, left shoulder or left arm ? Feel dizzy or sick ? Break out in a cold sweat ? Have muscle cramps ? Feel sharp pain in your joints, feet, ankles, or bones ? Notice that your heart starts racing or beating irregularly If you start to experience these problems during high intensity aerobic exercise, it is best to immediately slow down. Allow your heart rate to drop gradually before stopping completely, since an abrupt stop can cause problems with blood circulation and fainting. However, in cases of severe and sudden pain, stop immediately, seek help, and follow up with your doctor.
5. Shorten Your Workouts :- Want to crank up your metabolism? Then don?t become part of this trend: 94 percent of people rest for more than 5 minutes between sets, while chatting with friends or watching TV. If you want to lose your gut, it takes hard work and a lot of sweat. That means shorter rest periods. How short? Anywhere from 10 seconds to 60 seconds, but no longer. Do more work in less time, and you?ll be surprised how much you?ll change your appearance.
6. Today is not a Shoulder Day :- Unless you?re a bodybuilder or, well, a bodybuilder, there?s really no reason to do a body part split. The most common complaint I hear from guys is, ?I have no time to work out.? And that?s valid. You have a busy lifestyle, with work, friends, family, and your fantasy league. So if time is a premium, why are you focused on spending five days a week in the gym? Especially when those five days focusing on a different body part will accomplish less than what you could do in three days targeting your entire body. Or you can try splitting your workouts between upper and lower body. Other options exist, too, but whatever your choice, just start looking at your body as a group of interconnected muscles, and not individual parts that you can isolate.
7. Stay Focused :- Warm-up doesn?t mean 5 minutes walking on a treadmill or a few light sets of the bench press before you start adding heavier weight. You should be sweating before your program. Or at the very least, your heart rate should be significantly elevated. Stretching is not warming up! It is, however, a very important part of warming up. Warming up is quite literally the process of "warming up" (i.e., raising your core body temperature). A proper warm-up should raise your body temperature by one or two degrees Celsius.
8. Keep Quiet :- Please do not talk to someone while they are doing a set. I don?t care how smart you think you are. Do NOT bother them. That is all.
9. Change the Pattern of Workout :- Are you sick and tired of lifting the same weight, day after day, week after week? Then, do something about it. Most people create their own plateaus by not pushing themselves to work harder. They settle on using the same weight, doing the same number of sets and reps. or, even worse, they stick to the same workout they?ve been doing for the last 10 years. Times have changed, and so should your workout and your attitude. You need to progressively challenge your body to work harder. Sometimes, the smallest changes can lead to the biggest results.
10. Enjoy your Workout :- Fitness is supposed to be enjoyable. If you can?t get excited about looking better, having more energy, improving your sex life, and fighting off every disease that threatens to shorten your lifespan, then I don?t know what to tell you.
11. Don?t overindulge afterwards :- Hey, there's nothing wrong with replenishing yourself after a strenuous sweat session ? in fact, it's recommended you get some protein and carbs in your system within an hour of working out. What you don't want is to totally undo all the hard work you just put in, which is extremely common. A recent study found that people tend to overestimate the number of calories burned and underestimate the number of calories consumed. To keep yourself from eating so much your workout becomes pointless, make sure you check the label of whatever you're eating and aim for something in the 150 calories or under range.
12. Regularly weigh yourself :- You might have been told not to worry about the number on the scale or heard that weighing yourself regularly is obsessive. But the scale is actually a key tool for ditching ? and keeping off ? fat. Experts have found that people who weigh themselves regularly lose more weight than those who don't. It could be because we can actually see the pounds come off (motivation to keep exercising) and we also get a concrete reminder that eating unhealthily for a week straight has consequences.
RIGHT AGE TO START GYM WEIGHT TRAINING
If you are under 13, you should be too young to start intense weight lifting. Don't let this put you off exercise though, as low impact exercises such as push ups and chin ups can be a great way to start. At 15 or 16 depending on your natural development, most teens can start using exercises such as squats and deadlifts. Ensure that you get advice on how to do these correctly, as incorrect technique of these may lead to injury. Besides developing good form early means this generally will stay with you in later years, plus there is an old saying which goes "good technique equals good gains" so keep this in mind.
Include protein and complex carbohydrates as they are the best source of energy and muscle building nutrients to help you gain muscle whilst at the same time keep you healthy. Rest is crucial to developing muscle. Without adequate sleep, (8 hours a night) you will not repair and grow muscle to as well as what's possible. You will also lack energy for your next training session. So be sure to rest after training and as a general rule do not train a body part whilst it is still sore from an earlier training session. As a beginner, ensure you persist with your scheduled workouts, and do not put them aside for other plans. Results come with dedicated consistency.
Starting training at a young age is a great way to get fit and stay healthy. So bring with you a determined, patient attitude & get advice so that you use the right exercise technique.