3 Myths Of Training And Exercise That Could Leave You Vulnerable To Injury

Oct 01, 2018 by Besh T

When it comes to fitness, there are too many myths to count.

There are a lot of self-proclaimed experts out there, and often times the information that’s being shared is not completely on par with reality. It’s not always easy to tell what you can trust and what you can’t and sometimes common sense isn’t enough. Our bodies are complex, and it’s important to acknowledge that no two bodies are identical. Having said that, let’s take a few minutes to bust some of the myths that aren’t just detrimental to your training and exercise, but that could actually end up causing you an injury. We would much rather prevent an injury than cause one, so here are some myths to keep in mind.

The Myth That No Pain = No Gain

This phrase didn't become very popular until the 1980s when it was frequently uttered by American actress Jane Fonda during her workout routine videos. This phrase has been adopted and co-oped by countless football coaches, trainers and body builders for motivation, however it's often taken much too literally. The problem here is when people take it too far. No matter what type of physical activity you're participating in, you need to stop when you start to feel pain. There's a difference between "feeling the burn" and actually feeling pain. It's important to understand and acknowledge this difference, because it's true that you must feel the burn in order to achieve your fitness goals, but you definitely don't want to overwork yourself to the point that it becomes painful.

The Myth That Weight Lifting Machines Are Safer Than Freeweights

If everyone was using free weights, there wouldn't be so many gyms popping up all over the place in recent years. Just about every gym does, indeed, have free weights but there's always an emphasis on the weight training machines. The positive side of these machines is that they often encourage decent form, however it's not a substitute to actually knowing how to do these exercise with free weights. Weight machines don't work your stabilizer muscles, which makes your body less effective in real-world situations. There's a big difference between being able to lift heavy things, and actually being able to have control over those things, and working out exclusively with machines takes care of the former but not the latter.

The Myth That You’re Better Off Holding Weights While Doing Cardio

Have you ever heard somebody say that carrying weights, or wearing a weighted vest, or wearing weights around your arms or legs is a great way to improve your cardio workout? When cardio is your goal, doing these things aren’t going to give you very much of a cardio boost, and you’re going to get tired out more quickly meaning you’re spending less time in the optimal zone.

We’ve only began to scratch the surface when it comes to myths in the health and fitness field. The best source of information is your body itself so always listen to whatever your body is trying to tell you. To read more about injury prevention, visit our article about ways to prevent injuries, and if it’s too late for that – check out what to do after an injury.