8 Myths and Facts You Don't Know About Exercise

Exercise, is what every magazine, every blog and every doctor recommends. However, there is so much contradiction everywhere. For example some claim to trim you down in 14 days while others claim to shape you up in just six weeks; one expert says "4 minute exercise is just enough" while another one claims " 12 minutes is what you need".

Such an enormous confusion sometimes makes you hopeless when things are not going in your way.

To separate lies from truth, to overcome the "never answered confusion" read the below things you don't know about exercise.

1. Abdominal exercise is the best way to reduce mid-section of the body.

Absolutely false statement. Many people believe that when only specific muscles of body are exercised, say waistline, it looses fat. Years ago, doctors examined a number of active tennis players to find out the truth.  They found same fat content in their arms but in a more shaped and developed form than the rest of the body.

This concludes that exercise burns fat from all over the body at a time, regardless of any exercise, thus making it impossible to reduce fat from only a specific muscle.

2. To avail appropriate level of physical fitness, one must exercise only twice a week.

Another false statement. In a study conducted by NASA’s scientist, unexercised muscles deteriorate at a really fast rate. Unused muscles for 3 days reduce muscular strength by 40%. It also halts respiratory, circulatory and digestive processes. This concludes that just as the body needs vitamins and minerals as its daily requirements, similarly bones and muscles need adequate exercise after every 24-72 hours.

NASA’s scientist further concluded that although daily exercise is recommended, still, exercise of 3 consecutive days is just enough to achieve appropriate level of physical fitness.

3.  If you want to loose weight "Work up a good sweat during exercise”.

False. Sweating has no inter-relation with burning fat. It is merely an excretion of water and other toxic materials through sweat pores which helps lowering the temperature of body by removing latent heat. You might weight less immediately after a good sweat, but it  is just due to water loss. Replace the lost liquid and you replace the weight. Exercise is what you need to develop muscles not sweat.

4. Running burns more calories than walking, even if the distance is same.

Another false belief. As you are moving the same distance with same weight and same work done, therefore energy remains same whether you jog, run or walk. The speed doesn't matter. A simple physics rule!

However, if one person walks for 30 minutes while another runs for 30 minutes, of course, the running athlete will burn more calories due to greater distance travelled.

5. If your breathing does not return to normal in few minutes after a strenuous exercise, you have exerted yourself too much.

True. Your breathing rate, heart rate and all  must return to normal in not more than 5minutes or so. Too much exercise can make you sleepless; a  moderate and balanced exercise will leave you fresh, active and pleasant.

6. Walking is one of the best exercises

True. Have you ever noticed how tired you get when you stand or sit for a long time, or how great it is to sit down and pop your legs up? The explanation lies in blood circulation mechanism. When you are standing still or sitting for quiet a time, there isn’t enough pressure at the end of veins to push the blood upwards. Walking has direct affect on blood circulation by providing the necessary skeleton movement and pressure, thus walking can be regarded as one of the best exercise.

7. Vigorous stretching exercises make muscles flexible.

False statement. Stretching exercises must be done slowly and sluggishly allowing the muscles to feel the tension force and “let–it-go” feeling. Doing stretching, bouncing and bobbing in a vigorous manner do not serve the purpose, instead it makes muscles tighter, not more flexible. A best way to do stretching exercise is as follows:

During any type of stretching, say  bending or twisting at the waist, touching your toes; move slowly. When you feel tension for the first time, hold that position for couple of seconds and then relax. Repeat the process as required.

8. The minimum time you must spend exercising is 20 minutes.

True. There are more than 400 skeletal muscles in the body. They are responsible for support, movements of body, maintenance of posture, respiration and elimination. An adequate exercise must move all the muscles, joints and this simply can’t be done with 5 to 10 minutes exercise. My experience says; 20 minutes exercise is just enough.

Junaid khawaja is an intellectual, a researcher, a teacher and a blogger who spends most of his time in making lives better and healthy at http://www.doctorjk.com