Exercise Myths - Busted

2009-04-18T12:45:00.000-07:00

There are a several myths about exercise, some partly fact and others completely wrong. Understanding what is based on fact can help improve how you exercise or choose exercise equipment and avoid misconceptions.

Myth: Weightlifting makes you short or stops growth. One common misconception is that heavy weight training in adolescents can damage the epiphyseal plate of long bones. Many studies have shown this is simply not true while young athletes using exercise equipment should be supervised for safety and not train beyond their exercise limits.

Myth: Target fat loss by exercising that particular part of the body. Many have been fooled into believing that exercising a specific body part will burn the fat on that part. For example, doing sit-ups alone is not the best way to reduce belly fat. It is not possible to reduce fat from one area of the body to the exclusion of others. Most of the energy derived from fat gets to the muscle through the bloodstream and reduces stored fat. Such exercises and exercise equipment may reduce overall body fat and will grow muscles in the targeted region.

Myth: Muscle, if unused, turns into fat while fat turns to muscle. Some believe that muscle tissue will turn into fat tissue once a person stops exercising. This is simply not true as fat tissue and muscle tissue are fundamentally different. However, another element of increased fat tissue is that of diet, as some athletes do not significantly reduce their diet in order to compensate for lower level of exercise.

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Exercise Myths - Busted