Let me dive right in this weekend with fitness myths. The main reason I blog is because I am sick and tired of these overnight certified trainers spreading myths. I am sick and tired of people taking advantage of what you don’t know to make money. I am sick and tired of people who just lump all of us “trainers” in the same category. A few myths below that we need to discuss!!
Squatting(low) hurts your knees?– yes, squatting with terrible technique does hurt your knees. Squatting with good technique is going to be fine and help prevent injury.
I also hear people say do half squats instead of full squats. The truth is squatting thighs parallel to the floor is ideal. You are not getting an extra benefit from getting into the “catchers” position where you butt is about to touch the floor. This can take tension off the legs, potentially bother knees, and most people can’t do it without rounding their low back. When you do repeated half squats your quads get stronger but your hamstrings and butt do not. This creates a muscle imbalance over time and then your knees will hurt. So it comes down to…….we are all individuals and getting expert advice will be the difference between seeing a benefit and getting hurt!
Doing a million crunches will remove the stomach fat?- The person who does 3 million crunches per day will see no benefit over the person who controls what they put in their mouth. You are essentially wasting your time going for a “6 pack” if your diet is terrible. Studies even show more ab activation with exercises such as overhead pressing than quite a few ab exercises.
Sweating and soreness as indicators of results?– I have seen so many people sweat buckets and get sore all the time, with no results at all. The people that focus on moral victories will get them, with no results to show for it. Yes, you will sweat. Yes, you will have some soreness. This is normal.
People hire me to reach a goal and get results so I tell the truth. The people that believe this are also the main ones who kill themselves In the gym just to get injured. The same ones who hop around from program to program and equate coming close to death with results. Any coach can make you tired, but it takes a qualified one to make you better! ….and tell the truth!
Long distance running is enough to work the legs?– I hear people who think that running is making their legs stronger. Not really. Only an EXTREMELY deconditioned individual would see a strength benefit. The benefit would be for a VERY short period of time, at the beginning of their exercise routine. There are also 49 million other ways to see more of a strength and conditioning benefit.
These deconditioned individuals often fall into the category of those who are overweight and trying to lose weight. I personally never recommend long distance running for those who are overweight. The chance of them getting injured is EXTREMELY high. Much higher than someone who is lighter. Sprinting can definitely work the legs. We keep coming back to YOU ARE ALL INDIVIDUALS AND NEED TO GET EXPERT ADVICE BASED ON YOUR SITUATION.
Cardio is just running, biking, or elliptical?- You get a cardiovascular benefit from keeping your heart rate elevated. period. There are 49 million different ways to do this. We do this in a way that is perfect for busy people who want the metabolic benefit of strength training at the same time. People who text message in between sets of strength training will not get it. Those who choose the correct exercises and program them well will get that benefit without wasting time.
machines are safer than free weights?- People can get injured on machines the same way they can get injured doing free weights. The issue we are dealing with is people not knowing how to do exercises the right way. People do the boring treadmill and strength machine workout because they fear looking like a fool in the gym. These people also get bored and quit. This method is inferior to GETTING EXPERT ADVICE AND DOING THINGS THAT WORK!
The afterburn effect and EPOC!!— This is a bunch of hype. These people took some studies and blew them waaay out of proportion. They take the extreme cases and try to apply it to everyone. When the studies say MAYBE an extra 50 to 150 calories during the 24 hours after. Most people were on the low end of that if not lower. This will turn into a novel if I go all in on this one today. I plan to, but until then if you see any of these “experts” who want to debate me on this topic please set It up!! Do your research on it and questions every single thing!! Even look at the studies in regards to how these workouts affect your appetite, cortisol levels, hormones, etc.
So it goes back to….get expert advice. Make sure that person knows what they are talking about. Make sure it’s not a front to sell another dvd, protein shake, piece of equipment, or diet book. Make sure that person takes the time to know your individual goals and challenges. It’s the reason I don’t just take your money before knowing anything about you. It’s the reason you have to hit reply and take advantage of the FREE CONSULTATION OR SEND OVER A TEXT TO 757 589 7028 to set up a call to see if we are a good fit for you!
Detric Smith, CSCS, ACSM EP-C
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