Top Workout Myths

In this article I want to go over some of the common workout and fitness myths that many people still believe and act according to. The reason why you need to know about these myths is that they can actually stop you from achieving your desired fat loss and fitness results.

Myth #1 – Doing crunches or sit ups will get you flat abs

This is probably the most common myth of them all and one of the most misguided ones. The idea that you can get a six pack or totally flatten your abs by investing the majority of your workout time in doing crunches or sit-ups may seem logical by it’s totally misguided.

The thing that’s stopping you from having flat abs is not weak stomach muscles but excessive abdominal fat. Once you burn off the fat, you will see your ab muscles. Then, toning them will make them look firmer and more defined. However, until sufficient fat is burned away, you won’t have a good looking stomach no matter how strong it is.

Ab exercises aren’t the most effective workouts to burn body fat so they don’t really help you to achieve your goal. Other strength exercises and intense cardio workouts are far better at fat burning and so should receive the bulk of your time and attention.

Myth #2 – Targeted exercises are the way to get a lean body

This is a myth which is also illogical. Why should working a single muscle group, such as doing bicep curls be more effective than working a group of muscles such as with squats?

Targeted exercises are less effective than compound exercises simply because the latter employ more muscle tissue and place a greater effort on your body. If you want to burn more calories with your workouts and to tone more of your muscles, do more compound exercises and leave the targeted ones to the end of your workouts.

Myth #3 – Women Will Get Bulky By Lifting Weights

This is one of the most harmful myths of them all and something which is holding a lot of women back, in terms of their fitness goals. Women are naturally fearful that if they lift heavy weights that they will build bulky, masculine muscles. The chances of this happening are very slim.

The fact is that most women are not made to build big muscles simply because their body does not create enough testosterone. They are not made to become bulky on a hormonal level. This is why good strength training programs for women such as the Venus Index or Fit Yummy Mummy, for instance, all use intense weight lifting and strength workouts and the only result for most women is a more toned and shapely figure, not a bulky one.

The reason why this myth is particularly harmful is that these strength workouts are the best way to boost your metabolism and burn body fat, exactly what most women want.

Myth #4 – The More Time You Workout The Better

This seems logical: the more time you exercise the more calories you’re supposed to burn. However, most people who spend a lot of time at the gym don’t really workout all the time. They talk to other people, try to pick up women, stare at the TV, and just pass the time. You can probably get the same amount of work that they do in 30% of the time. Don’t believe me? Try this 10 minute home workout and see for yourself

If you take 15 minutes and really push yourself hard you can probably get better results than most people do in an hour. By doing circuit workouts and reducing your rest time to a minimum, you keep your heart rate high all the time, and push your body to a higher level of exertion.

These kinds of short and intense workouts can also create an “afterburn” effect in which your metabolism remains high for over a day after you’ve completed your workout. Many fitness plans such as the 1000 Calorie Challenge and the 31 Day Fat Loss Cure are built on the principle of these short workouts.

Myth #5 – You Need to Workout Every Day To Lose Weight

This is both true and false. Let me explain: while I do advocate being active on a daily basis by doing a short morning workout or taking a daily evening walk, you do not need to do a serious workout every day. In fact, if you make each of your workouts as intense as I like to make mine, you probably won’t be able to. Your body will need the rest. 3 – 4 strong workouts each week are quite enough to lose fat fast. Trust me on this.

In Conclusion

I will likely add to this list pretty soon as the list of myths goes on and is constantly expanding as more “disinformation” becomes accepted as truth. If you know of any more workout myths, share them in the comments below.