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Writer's pictureNicholas Kontonis

Top 6 Exercise Myths and Fallacies

Updated: Jul 5, 2018












1.  If you’re a woman, lifting weights will make you bulky like a man.

First of all, women should not be afraid of lifting weights. Why? Unlike men, women do not have much testosterone hormones, which are responsible for increasing muscle mass. It is almost impossible for women to get bulky unless they will inject steroids or more

hormones into their bodies.  On the contrary, a lot of studies have shown that lifting weights for women will help make them lean and will give them health and fitness benefits.






2. If you isolate a specific muscle, you will reduce fat in that specific area

There is no such thing as spot reduction. It is a common mistake to believe that when you exercise a specific area, you will lose fat in that area.  A lot of people make tons of repetitions of abdominal exercises because they think it will help them get a flat tummy or six-pack abs.  Abdominal exercises alone will not help you get that flat tummy or six-pack abs. In order to achieve that six-pack abs, you must more or less have less than 10% body fat for men and less than 15% body fat for women.  What will help you lose fat fastest are full body workouts including weight training and cardiovascular exercises accompanied with proper nutrition, instead of exercises isolated to certain body parts.


3. A 2-3 hour workout will burn more fat than shorter workouts.

Our body definitely needs exercise, but long duration of workouts are not necessarily beneficial. Longer workouts may improve cardiovascular endurance, but not everyone can adapt with that kind of training. In order to burn fat, it is not the duration that is important but the intensity and type of exercises.  According to some researches, short high intensity workouts like interval training and circuit training will help you burn fat. Always remember, it is the quality of exercise, not the quantity.


4. No pain, no gain. Pain is a good indicator of a good workout.

If you think that you haven’t done your maximum effort when exercising, because you didn’t feel any pain, then think again. Pain is not a good indicator of a good or effective workout. A lot of people think that in order for you to get the results you wanted, you need to push yourself real hard. Yes it is true, but not to the point that you will be in pain. In the end, that pain may cause you more harm than good and may lead to injury. Some people may feel soreness in the body after 2-3 days after workout, and that is normal. Your body is adapting to the new stress, that’s why you experience Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness or DOMS. If your body doesn’t feel any soreness after workout, maybe that’s that time you need to add progressive overload to “shock” your body again. The best thing to do is to really listen to your body while you find a balance between putting maximum efforts and taking care of yourself to make sure you don’t overdo it during your workouts.


5. Eating carbohydrates will make you fat.

Eating carbohydrates within a proper diet will not make you fat. People think that eating carbohydrates will automatically make them fat. The first macronutrient that our body uses when we exercise is carbohydrates.  In fact, it is our main source of energy and can boost our metabolism. So, do not miss carbohydrates in your diet. As long as you maintain a proper diet and exercise routine, then there’s no need to be scared of carbohydrates.










6. Sweating will help you lose weight.

A lot of people go to sauna baths because they think that it will help them lose weight.  True, it will help you lose a few pounds but only for a short period of time. The weight will come back when you drink again. It is not recommended that you use this technique to lose weight, because water is the basic need of all living creatures and it is the source of life.  If you lose too much water, dehydration will sink in and may lead to heat stroke or cause harm in the body.

If you want to see for yourself that women will get lean and not bulky when lifting weights, that full body workouts give better results than isolated exercises, that a 30-minute workout can even be more effective than a 2-hour workout, that you don’t need to feel pain to maximize your workout, that you can eat carbohydrates and burn it without getting fat and that you will lose weight not because of losing sweat but because of burning fat, then 360 Fitness Club’s programs will benefit you. Go ahead and see for yourself.

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