Top 5 Myths About Fitness Exercises

fitness exercisesTop 5 Myths About Fitness Exercises

Ok guys, I want to tackle some big myths about general training and fitness. More specifically: the act of exercising. Here are the top 5 myths I run into pretty frequently:

Myth #1 About Fitness Exercises | Sports are for Pros

This idea applies only in the case of performance sports. The native qualities required for professional sportsmen (speed, skills, specific height, etc.) can only be developed, they can’t be formed by training. As long as the aim of a regular person is not performance, almost all sports can be practiced for keeping the body in a good shape. It’s all about dosing the training you chose, so that the benefits are bigger than wear and tear. Even the sports considered tough can be practiced in a ‘soft’ way (tae-bo, mini-triathlon, jogging, etc.).

Myth #2 About Fitness Exercises | Training is Tiring

This idea is true as long as it refers to consuming all your energy (muscular and hepatic glycogen), but it doesn’t mean that training gets you into that state of exhaustion which would slow down the process of recovery of the body. Even in performance sports, the purpose is to have rather effective than exhausting training, so that the body can get the stimulation necessary to qualitative progress from one training to the next.

Even more than in other sports, in fitness the sportsman is spared overexerting. However, the training must not become ineffective. People can come to the gym tired after a work day and leave relaxed (physically and psychologically) and not more tired. This is extremely useful for people with sedentary jobs, but also for those who make physical effort at work. They could use the training by choosing a type of effort meant to compensate the one involved in their job.

Myth #3 About Fitness Exercises | Training Takes too Long

Again, this idea is true if applied to performance, which can only be obtained by working a lot. But also in this case short and very intense training or training for relaxation and recovery are often performed. In fitness, you can get to 20-minute training, working only super-series of fast exercises, which could involve, directly or indirectly, all the muscles. Anyway, regular training shouldn’t take longer than an hour and a half. Otherwise, the body will get into the catabolic faze, when the cortisone secretions ‘cannibalize’ the muscles.

Myth #4 About Fitness Exercises | Any Type of Exercise is Good For Solving Your Problems

What’s true in this refers to some particular cases like excess of adipose tissue(fat). This tissue can be ‘melted’ by any kind of aerobic exercise (running, cycling, swimming) if this is continued long enough. Even in these cases it was clear that some exercises are more effective than others. There are situations when only a combination of exercises with a certain amount of each, can provide you with the results you expect. More than that, repeating the same exercise all the time can have as a consequence not only losing balance in the antagonist muscles and in the joints involved in training, but also stopping progress or even regressing.

Myth #5 About Fitness Exercises | You’re too Old

No more exercises! This is true only if we refer to extremely demanding efforts (really heavy weights, fast running, jumping, etc.). There are lots of exercises adapted to different ages. Their purpose is to keep and improve health and also to improve physical shape. The development of movement parameters for older people refers especially to muscular and cardio-vascular resistance as well as mobility of the joints. Because the final purpose of training is not preparing for a competition, the exercises can be organized gradually according to their difficulty, eliminating the risk of accidents. Because it’s based on perseverance, fitness can be adapted without problems for older people and even for people suffering from different affections specific to old age.

 

Best Cardio for Fat Loss

What type of Cardio is best for fat loss?

Depending on your fitness goals, the type of cardio you choose will vary. Not to say that one type is better than the next, but the specific cardio path you take might lead you to another destination or outcome that you didn’t want. So it’s important to understand the different ways that a person can go about cardiovascular training for fat loss.

Let me use a simple analogy that I’ve heard over and over during my training experience…

If you wanted to get from Point A to Point B, (let’s say its Phoenix AZ to New York) there are many different ways you can go about traveling to get there. The fastest way would be to fly, obviously. Other ways could include driving, taking a train, cycling, or even walking. Whatever way you choose to get there is up to you. Some are faster than others and some are slow and steady. The point is that all of these will get you to the same destination; it just depends on your individual preference and what works best for you.

It’s the exact same thing with cardio for fat loss. Cardio is just a vehicle to get you to your fat loss destination. The fastest way may give you quick results, but it could have its costs. With high intensity cardio, you might end up sacrificing some muscle to get to your ideal body fat percentage at a faster pace; just like flying across the country, the fees will most likely leave your wallet feeling empty.

So with that being said, how do you know which type of cardio training is best? Remember, your body is unique. Everyone will have their own way to get to Point B. My suggestion to you is to experiment with your various options. The key here is to not jump around from one to the next on a week-to-week basis. Try High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) for 3-4 weeks and record your results. This type of cardio involves intervals of high intensity for a short period (30 sec to 1 minute), then a slower pace for the next 2-3 minutes, then repeat. This is one of the best forms of cardiovascular training for fat loss. The reason why is because the body MUST HAVE oxygen present in order to call upon fat for fuel. If you stay on the same pace for the full 30-45 minutes of cardio, some fat may be called upon, but most likely your energy will come from your glycogen stores instead.

If you are a less experienced exerciser, this method may be too much to begin with. Simply walking around the block or on a treadmill may call upon your fat stores as well.

So if you like to play sports or train outside, do that. If you are a swimmer and you spend the majority of your time in the water, then do that. The best part is that HIIT can be applied to almost any type of cardiovascular activity, even walking. I’ve personally gotten my heart rate up to 210 beats per minute just from a walking interval; so I know it can be done.

My advice to you is to find a few cardio training methods that best suit your needs and goals. Try experimenting and see how your body reacts after a few weeks. Once you’ve done the elliptical, bike or treadmill, move on to something else. The body must be forced to adapt to new changes in order to progress. So keep the fat-loss ball rolling and you’ll see results in no time!

One last thing…

Diet and cardio go together like peanut butter and jelly. You won’t get results from just using one. Does a jelly sandwich sound good to you? Nah, me either. So make sure you’re burning off more calories than you’re taking in when you’re training for fat loss!

-Mitch Muller

CPT – MindsetFitness.net