Fitness Myth Busters Countdown

     Let's take a quick break from being oblivious to "love" and let's talk about fitness and health.  I admit that I am fat and has tried several attempts on lowering my weight and achieve a slim body, but all efforts are in vain!

     My brother is a Physical Therapist and a fitness instructor.  He adviced me to exercise and at the same time have the discipline to eat what is only enough and appropriate.  Let me share my brother's article about myths we've known to be true in exercising.

(courtesy of Marvi Pempeña published at PAL 360)

     With the recent fitness promotions in offices, clubs and malls, I knoticed just how much  we are thrilled to take part and start to live towards a helthier us.

     The science of working out however, doe not run by mere instinct neither must we believe in hear-says regarding what is best for out fitness goals.  That being said, a complete physical examination is paramount to help us achieve the body we want and more importantly avoid musculoskeletal mishaps.

    As a licensed Physical Therapist,  I have personally witnessed several errors and have heard multitudes of distorted beliefs.  Here are the top 3 myths:

Myth 3:  The SHE HULK
     If you are female and would want to slim down and tone up, cardiovascular exercise such  as running or brisk walking, or even cycling is not enough for you to burn the extra calories you want to lose.

     It is strongly recommended that you lift LIGHT WEIGHTS with HIGH REPETITIONS.  Muscles consume more calories than any other organ in the body, and therefore, increasing muscle mass, increases the caloric consumption, and hence, burning more FAT.

     The female body does not produce a large amount of Testosterone, a hormone responsible for muscular growth (a hormone largely seen in men) and for that reason, lifting weights will not turn you into another "female weight lifter"- unless of course that is your goal.  If it is, you would be requiring a different fitness program and bombard yourself with several supplements to achieve this.

Myth 2:  BALLISTIC STRETCHING
     This term refers to the bouncing movement sone when stretching a particular muscle, most prominently observed when stretching the hamstrings.  The hamstrings are group of muscles located behind the thighs.

     Ballistic stretching initiates a reflex arc causing the muscle to contract (shorten) in the response to a sudden stretch.  As the term implies, the goal of STRETCHING is to increase muscle flexibility.  A ballistic way of stretching is therefore contradictory to its goal and moreover, may cause muscle tears or muscle strains.

     To avoid injury and increase flexibility, we recommend PROLONGED STRETCHING.  That is to say, that you stretch a mucle, hotl it for 15-30 seconds and repeat for 3-5 times.

MYTH 1: NO PAIN, NO GAIN

     This is by far the WORST and the most common concept of working out I have ever heard of!  Everybody knows that the presence of pain denotes the presence of injury.  Pain while working out, must NEVER be tolerated.  Who would want a Slipped Disk, a Patellar Tendinitis (Jumper's knee) or a Shoulder Dislocation?

      If you experience pain in any part of your body while working out, immediately discontinue and consult your fitness instructor or your physician.

     We also have what we call DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) which is usually felt a day or two after a strenuous program.  This is Normal and is due to the build up of lactic acid in your muscles.  When you encounter this, it is best that you rest for about one or two days and then resume to your usual program, starting out with lesser intensity (less weights or slower speeds) and work your way up for progression. 

     Remember that working out is a great way to a helthier life and your goal can be achieved if you do it PATIENTLY, PAIN FREE and the RIGHT WAY.  Stay healthy!