There are so many fitness myths out there, that it makes it difficult to know what’s true and what’s false. We’ve got your back here at Village Gym, and we don’t want you looking like a fitness fool, so we're here to help debunk the false gym myths, so you can get your fitness kicks the right way.
NO PAIN, NO GAIN
Although we get the sentiment here, quite frankly, it's not true. We shouldn't use pain to measure how good a workout was or how amazing the results will be. Feeling pain when smashing a workout may actually indicate that there is something seriously wrong. Whether that be an injury, muscle strain or delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), you could leave yourself out of play for quite some time.
STRETCH BEFORE YOU WORKOUT
Everyone tells you how important it is to stretch before you workout, whilst many scientists say just the opposite. Many claim that stretching pre-workout weakens your muscles and should actually be left for your post-workout cool-down. Instead, your warm-up should include some low-intensity cardiovascular activity to get your heart pumping, so it can consist of anything from walking and skipping to simply running on the spot.
LIFTING WEIGHTS MAKES WOMEN BULKY
Many women still to this day avoid weights because they believe that lifting weights will make them bulky and unfeminine, but we’re here to tell you to grab a weight and build up that strength! Women are built differently from men; when women lift those weights, we will not bulk up like men because we have lower testosterone levels.
A weight session that includes high reps gets you toned whilst actually burning more calories than an aerobic session would do. Lifting those weights also has several other benefits, from improving your heart health and strength to minimising injuries and enhancing your mood. So come on, ladies… Grab a weight and let’s get lifting!
Looking to tone up? Then why not grab a barbell and try our BodyPump class by the legendary Les Mills. Get pumped up with our banging playlists and use a variety of weights to burn a whopping 540 calories in just 45 minutes.
SITUPS ARE THE BEST EXERCISE FOR A FLAT STOMACH
For decades many have believed that to get that nice, toned stomach that we all long for, you need to be doing situps and ab exercises but, to be frank, it's a total fitness myth.
Your abs have no way of showing if you still have a high percentage of body fat, so lowering your body fat needs to be your first priority to get your abs on. To get that body fat down, remember that you are what you eat!. So, try working on your diet, eat cleaner and healthier and crank up that cardio ante! Why not hit the treadmill or even take a high-intensity fitness class to get going. Our Village exclusive Burn class will help you work up a sweat with a high-intensity, full-body workout.
THE MORE YOUR TRAIN, THE BETTER
It's easy to think that smashing a killer workout every day is the best way to achieve your goals, but in actual fact, there is such a thing as overdoing it as your body needs time to recover. Pushing yourself will only leave you more prone to injury, and then you will be out of the game. Instead, you should mix up your high-intensity workout with some lower intensity exercises.
You can head down to our swimming facilities once you've sweated it out on the gym floor, sit back and relax in our whirlpool, sweat away your stress in our sauna and steam rooms or even head on down for a low intensity swim in our toasty indoor swimming pool - the choice is yours!
YOU CAN TARGET FAT LOSS
Rumour has it that you can target your fat loss by carrying out specific workouts where you can control where you lose your fat. WRONG. Gym myth. In the fitness world, this is often known as spot reduction, but there has been very little evidence backing that this actually works.
When you exercise, your body uses fat as fuel. Unfortunately, we can not control where the body gets this fuel from, and although we can’t choose where our body loses its fat, there are things that we can control - which is how to lose those lbs. In short, it's essential to combine toning exercises with cardio exercises and a healthy, balanced diet in order to see the impact you’re after in your fat loss journey.
AVOID CARBS
Many will have you believe that carbs are the enemy and make you fat, but we all should eat a balanced diet - including carbs (YASS!) because for your body to function, it requires carbohydrates. In addition, the red blood cells in your brain also need carbs to keep going.
That being said, carbs, like any other food group, should be eaten in moderation. At least half of your daily diet should come from carbs, but it is essential to consider what carbohydrates you consume - sugar, starch, or fibre. If the carbohydrates you eat daily come from processed carbs such as pizza, pasta, cakes, and doughnuts, you may need to re-think your diet to include more protein and fresh fruit and vegetables.
Feeling peckish? Head on down to our Pub & Grill, where you will be spoilt for choice. Whether you want to indulge in a treat and opt for our juicy burger or stay on track and tuck into one of our healthy, nutritious bowls of goodness.
If want to try out these fitness myths and put them to bed, then join us in club for all the fitness you can handle. Just getting started? Then what better place than Village Health & Wellness Club with our top-notch facilities you can really get that heart pumping.
