By Danielle Friedman
When done right, exercise can be a veritable miracle drug. But follow the wrong advice and you can easily set yourself up for injury. Take the sit-up: Once considered the gold standard of core exercises, we now know that it can make low-back pain worse.
Fitness culture is rife with such misconceptions, because of constantly evolving science and fitness influencers who share tips based on “anecdote and gym lore,” said Brad Schoenfeld, a professor of exercise science at Lehman College in New York. “Once those opinions are disseminated to the public and take hold, they are hard to change.” I asked more than a dozen fitness experts to share the myths they hear most often among their clients and patients, and that they wish they could debunk.
Myth 1: You should stretch before you work out
If you’ve taken a high school gym class, you’ve probably been told to spend a few minutes stretching before exercising. But recent research has found that stretching before exercising is ineffective for preventing injury and may work against you. That’s because stretching a muscle for more than 90 seconds temporarily diminishes its strength.
Myth 2: You need to lift heavy weights to build muscle
A significant body of research now shows that lifting relatively light weights for, say, 30 repetitions is just as effective at building muscle and strength as lifting weights that feel heavier for five to 12 reps. It’s a matter of personal preference.
Myth 3: Running destroys your knees
Research has debunked the notion that running increases your risk of osteoarthritis, and even suggests it can protect your knees against the condition. In fact, not moving increases your risk of developing osteoarthritis, along with age, weight and genetics. But running can definitely lead to knee pain or injury if you train too aggressively.
Myth 4: Walking is enough to keep you fit as you age
Walking is popular among older Americans for good reason: It has been shown to lower the risk of heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers, as well as the risk of premature death. And it’s so doable.
But walking on its own is not enough to stay fit as you get older, said Anne Brady, an associate professor of exercise science at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. Starting in your 30s, your muscle mass progressively declines, she said, so you also need to focus on strength training.
Myth 5: Runners and cyclists don’t need to strength-train their lower body
Pounding the pavement or pushing pedals does strengthen your lower body but not enough to stimulate significant muscle growth. A strength-training regimen that includes squats, lunges, glute bridges and pointers can improve bone density and lower your risk of injury — and make you a stronger runner or cyclist, too.
Myth 6: Modifications are for beginners
Choosing to do a less-strenuous version of an exercise — say, a pushup or plank with your knees on the ground — doesn’t mean you’re weak or a novice or that you’re backsliding, said Stephanie Roth-Goldberg, a clinical social worker and therapist in New York who works with athletes. It’s a sign that you’re listening to your body and keeping it safe.
The latest research suggests that the health benefits of walking appear to plateau at around 7,500 steps, but even as few as 4,000 steps per day can reduce the risk of dying from any cause.
Myth 8: Taking an ice bath after a tough workout improves recovery
Plunging into an icy tub after a difficult workout can feel like a safeguard against injury, since it helps to reduce inflammation. But there’s a problem with this. If you jump into an ice tub after every workout, you slow or stop the repair process. For overall recovery after a workout, research suggests saunas may be safer and more effective. — The New York Times
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