2 common fitness myths

There are so many fitness myths out there that it would require an encyclopedia to refute them all. Since I don’t have the time to write an encyclopedia, it makes a lot more sense to refute some of the most common fitness myths:

1) Junk miles – This is a common myth among many competitive runners. “Junk” miles are basically when a runner runs significantly slower than usual, which can be very disappointing for many runners. Some runners believe these miles don’t really count or they might as well just take a day off from running if all they are capable of is running “junk” miles.

However, running at any speed can help maintain your edge or your level of cardiovascular fitness. You don’t have to run fast every time you are out there. It’s perfectly normal to find yourself in a rut of under-performance every now and then, especially after very long runs or races. If the slowness lasts more than a week though, it could indicate a problem, especially if it is accompanied by soreness or an injury. “Junk” miles are often used an an excuse to not run outside in hot, or wet weather -“Why bother running in the rain if I will only be running junk miles?”

2) Running and cardio will cause you to lose muscle – This is a myth that is common among body-builders. Some are absolutely cardio-phobic. This myth prevents many people from having a more well-rounded fitness routine.

However, as long you eat enough, get enough rest, recover properly, and don’t overdo it, cardio won’t cause you to lose a significant amount of muscle. A good rule of thumb is to do strength-training first, and do cardio after. Doing strength-training first programs the body to prioritize muscle building for that day; doing cardio first will cause the body to prioritize cardiovascular fitness.

There are still a lot of areas of fitness where there aren’t clear cut answers, but not when it comes to these two common myths.

You don’t have to stretch!

It was, for a very long time one of the biggest sacred cows in all of fitness: You have to stretch before and after exercise to improve performance and prevent injuries. This idea has been drilled into our brains for years, as children in gym class, and now as adults at gyms and fitness classes. “You have to stretch” – It is often stated as a religious mantra. Just about all of us believed this, myself included. The only people opposed to stretching were considered heretics, or more likely just lazy or idiotic.

Luckily, there are no sacred cows in science. If an idea doesn’t stand up to scrutiny, if there is no evidence to support it, it gets slaughtered. Thanks to many scientific studies done on stretching, we now know it doesn’t improve athletic performance or prevent most injuries. Don’t believe me? Here it is:

The impact of stretching on sports injury risk: a systematic review of the literature.

RESULTS:
Stretching was not significantly associated with a reduction in total injuries (OR = 0.93, CI 0.78-1.11) and similar findings were seen in the subgroup analyses.

Don’t worry, you won’t become as stiff as these guys if you don’t stretch.

Wow! In spite of this, telling people they don’t need to stretch is considered a radical or even harmful idea even by some personal trainers. So many people continue to advocate this practice, even though the science isn’t there to support them. Next time someone tells you you have to stretch, politely show them the evidence that demonstrates there are no benefits from regular stretching. Now this is just about stretching when it comes to general exercise, I don’t think this applies to physical therapy. And “warming up” isn’t the same thing as stretching; warming up does improve performance and may prevent injuries, especially if the temperature is cold. Don’t worry, if you don’t stretch you won’t become as stiff as a statue.

Stretching may even be harmful if done before some types of exercise, since it may lead to overpronation and injury. It is important to note that Running economy is negatively related to sit-and-reach test performance in international-standard distance runners.

Because of the weight of the evidence, I almost never stretch and I do not advocate it. All the juggling and joggling I do is made possible through a fitness regimen that excludes stretching. For similar reasons, I don’t do yoga, which I consider overrated(relative to the hype), although I don’t doubt it helps many people because just about any exercise is better than no exercise. I’m not saying yoga is inherently bad, just that it doesn’t have much to offer me. If you enjoy it and you benefit from it, I have no argument with you. If you don’t like juggling, that’s fine too.

Whatever you do, a fitness program based on fact, and science is going to be better than a fitness program based on pseudoscience.

Photo source – C.P the Wild Juggler

Joggler’s Boot Camp – The best ab exercises

The 6 pack is the Holy Grail sought by countless exercisers. Very few ever achieve it. An entire cottage industry within the fitness industry is dedicated to it, spawning many scams and myths. The myth of spot reduction is one of the most pervasive of these myths. Very often, it seems trying to achieve a 6 pack is more of a vanity project than something done to improve athletic performance; once the core is strong enough(even if the 6 pack is not visible), any additional strength is superfluous or may even weigh you down if you’re a runner.

The truth of the matter is that the abs don’t need to be exercised all that much to improve core strength. In fact, the core is strengthened even when doing resistance exercises that do not target the abdominal muscles. That said, it can still be helpful to include some ab exercises in your fitness routine to build core strength, especially if you sit a lot or have poor posture. Don’t forget to exercise the hips too.

According to research sponsored by the American Council on Exercise, the best ab exercise is the bicycle maneuver. This exercise requires no special equipment and is relatively easy to do. Many other exercises on the best ab exercise list do require equipment, but they are not as beneficial as the bicycle maneuver. So if you want killer abs so people will worship you on the beach, there is no need to waste money on ab devices(some of which are scams).

The bicycle maneuver is a type of crunch or semi-crunch. Ordinarily, I do not advocate crunches or sit-ups since I believe they are bad for the back. However, this maneuver requires very little forward movement of the upper body, so it appears to be safe for the back.

As far as joggling is concerned, it definitely requires a little more core and upper body strength than regular running. It is possible that joggling may help build more core strength than regular running, especially if you joggle with heavy balls(hopefully far away from other people). Also, juggling or joggling with heavy balls may be better for losing weight than juggling with very light balls.

I am not saying joggling will give you killer 6 pack abs, only that it may be better than just running if you want to improve core strength and stability. And it’s more fun!

Lactic acid is not your enemy

The idea that lactic acid causes muscle fatigue and stiffness during exercise is a stubborn one. It has been discredited by scientific research, but many fitness enthusiasts still see lactic acid as an enemy that interferes with performance.

Not only does lactic acid(which in the body is in the form called “lactate”) not cause muscle fatigue, it is actually used as an important fuel during vigorous exercise.

This myth goes back to the early 20th century, but it was fully discredited only recently.

All this begs the question: What is causing the fatigue and stiffness that was once blamed on lactate? According to researchers at Columbia University, it may be caused by overworked muscles leaking calcium, among many other factors. And acidity in general in fatigued muscles may play a role in stiffness and fatigue, it’s just not the lactate causing most of it.

So what’s the solution? The idea of calcium leakage partially causing muscle fatigue doesn’t mean most people should consume less calcium, as this is a vital mineral(it is possible to get too much, and it can cause problems but this is rare). However, and I am just speculating here, maybe ensuring adequate vitamin K consumption can help prevent this a little, since it helps with calcium metabolism, along with making sure you get enough magnesium. Calcium helps muscles contract, magnesium helps them contract as well as relax; if you have too much calcium in your body relative to the amount of magnesium, this can be problematic(in fact, not getting enough magnesium may be detrimental to your heart).

It is relatively east to get enough magnesium if you eat like a rabbit – lots of leafy greens, nuts, and whole grains. Fermented vegetables are an especially good source of vitamin K. If you are taking calcium supplements, it may be a good idea to take supplements that combine magnesium with the calcium, to counteract the potentially negative effects of calcium. Try discussing this with your doctor or pharmacist.

Proper hydration and making sure you are getting the right amount of electrolytes helps too. I don’t think stretching would help, since just because a muscle is stiff doesn’t mean it needs to be stretched. Increasingly, science is showing that stretching is practically useless for most people.