Getting fit: the 7 most common fitness myths

By Josh Salzmann

If you hear it enough times, you begin to think it’s true. Ever fallen prey to any of these popular exercise fallacies? Josh Salzmann sets you straight

Here at iVillage.co.uk we want to keep our members up on the latest information and fitness trends. We also want to separate fact from fiction in the world of training and exercise. Only through understanding how working out affects our bodies can we aim to stay healthy and fit. Here are some of the most common fitness myths and the truths behind them.

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 programme because it will help protect you from injury, tone your muscles, help prevent osteoporosis and burn excess body fat, even when you are resting.