Busted! Don’t Believe These Fitness Myths!

In the world of fitness, myths and misconceptions are plenty, and many accept them as the fundamental truth. Unfortunately, a few long-held beliefs concerning different exercise types are difficult to dispel and continue to be followed by many. Falling prey to these misbeliefs, however, will do more harm than good as it can result in an injury or disrupt your fitness goals. 

To help you continue along your path of fitness and take away any obstacles that come up in the form of misconceptions, as certified personal trainers in Kanata, ON, Fleming Fitness has debunked three of the most widely believed fitness myths.

Myth 1: Core exercises can help you lose fat from a specific body part.

Many people think that by doing core exercises like planks and crunches, they can reduce stomach fat. In reality, this is false. By working the core, you are strengthening the muscles in your core, but not shedding fat around your midsection. However, to achieve your fitness goals, you need a proper plan with the right nutrition and exercise. 

Myth 2: Long, slow cardio burns more fat than high-intensity intervals.

This is far from the truth. Comparing a sprinter’s body to a long-distance runner will sum it up. But why is this so commonly believed? Many people believe this because the cardio machine has a “Fat Burning Zone” that indicates fat is burnt at lower intensities or when your heart rate is lower. When we exercise, our body uses fat and carbs for energy. If the intensity of activity is low, fat becomes the number one source of fuel. However, as the intensity increases, your body turns to carbs (sugar) for a quicker source of energy. But you are still burning more fat at a higher intensity than lower. Let us explain. Let’s say you go for a walk (low intensity and in “the fat burning zone”) for one hour and burn 300 calories. If your body was using 70% fuel from fat and 30% from carbs, you burn a net of 210 fat calories and 90 carb calories. This is why it is called the “Fat Burning Zone” because 70% of the fuel is from fat. You’ll notice for this instance that you burned 210 fat calories. On the flip side, if you did fifteen intervals of high intensity/sprints for sixty minutes and burn 800 calories which were 30% fat and 70% carbs, your net is 240 fat calories and 560 carb calories. The high-intensity training ended up burning more total calories and fat calories and even improved your cardiovascular system, muscular system, and respiratory system. To conclude, intervals are better than long slow cardio!

Myth 3: Stretching before your workout is a must.

Warm-ups are essential when working out. It helps prepare the muscles for greater load as the warmer a muscle, the stronger it will be. Warm-ups also help circulate the blood and fluid, which can help promote a quicker recovery. However, doing a static stretch where you hold the stretch for more than thirty seconds before you run or exercise can hinder your workout. Studies show that holding a stretch can slow down or inhibit the neurological response. In other words, if you require quick reflexes, static stretching before your workout can be hinder your response. It is better to warm up through a movement called a dynamic warm-up, which can be a light jog, bike, arm rotation, hip rotation, etc.

If you’re looking to steer clear of these and other fitness myths, reach out to Fleming Fitness. We are a kinesiology/personal training company based in Kanata, ON, who have been serving various clients for the past eleven years. Our services include kinesiology and nutritional assessment, personal training, yoga, fascial stretch therapy, nutrition counselling, take-away fitness programs, as well as provide corporate health and wellness seminars.

For a complete list of our services, please click here. If you have any questions about us, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact us here.