Common Gym Myths Debunked!

[fawn001]

Here are my list of gym myths that are commonly thought of as true but certainly are not!

1) I look too bad to join/go to a gym. The truth is, everyone stares at the people that look the best! If you are unfit, people will admire you for going to the gym and doing something about it.

2) You can see results in six to eight weeks. If you are unfit, you will not see results in six to eight weeks. It will take a year of regular working out to really see a difference. And once you get fit, you have to keep on working out to maintain what you gained or you will lose it.

3) I can walk/run on the treadmill while reading and get a workout. If you can read while you are on the treadmill, you are not getting a workout. Also, dont hold on! That doesnt give you are workout either.

4) I can wear my Keds to work out. OMG! This is the worst. I have seen people wearing keds in step class! How can they possibly give any support or cushion to your feet? A dead give away of an amateur who will probably never come back.

What are your ideas of common misconceptions as they pertain to the gym or working out?

 

[mom418]

no time

i'm always telling myself i don't have time, but reality is i always have time for calf raises, lunges, squats etc even while doing other things or doing the bridge position before i go to sleep. cathe has the fabulous hiit workouts 20 min. or less. interval training and basic wt training takes very little time.

 

[rjroubi]

Maybe the owners of the Ked's sneakers read "Born To Run." They might not be amateurs at all but current on the latest fitness craze/theory. They may be thinking, "Heck, if barefoot is good enough for the Tarahumara Indians (arguably the greatest world distance runners), Keds (close to barefoot) are good enough for me."

Today, in this world of bad arches and bad feet, less support is now being touted as healthier. I certainly won't say they're wrong.

Just some food for thought......

 

[smills]

A little more food for thought...

There are so many fitness myths out there that should be addressed, however, I have to disagree with a couple of these ones...

The barefoot "trend" is, as the comment above suggests, actually being studied, tested, and proven to be a highly effective way of training and regaining some our natural foot stability. There are studies upon studies being done on this now and I think we'll see this idea stick around for a long time.

I also wanted to make a comment about the "you can't achieve results in 4-6 weeks" myth...completely untrue! As a fitness professional who's been in the industry over 10 years I've seen hundreds of people completely change their lifestyle (and bodies) in as little 6 weeks...it's certainly enough time to see measurable results if you're workouts are consistent and your nutrition is solid

 

[Dela]

At the risk of sounding rude, these are more opinions than debunked myths, which you are of course entitled to.

 

[janie1234]

I have to disagree with #3. I think that reading and walking on a treadmill is way better than reading and eating a bag of chips in front of the tv. You have to start somewhere and I think that moving is better than not moving at all.

 

[RapidBreath]

I'm quite capable of walking in my THR and reading at the same time. Maybe I'm talented?

2: I did see results within three weeks of starting. In the beginning it was easier to see results than it is now. In those first three weeks I lost 12 pounds. All I was doing was walking, counting calories and drinking water. Maybe it depends on what you think of as a result. I was definitely unfit at 5'2" and 258 pounds.

 

[coradora]

I don't think these are common gym myths?

1. I work at a community complex and see people of all shapes and sizes. The 81 yo woman in my Circuit Strength class certainly doesn't worry about what others think of her. A gym is a place where EVERYONE should feel comfortable working on improving/maintaining health and fitness - if not, management should take a good, hard look at how the gym is perceived by the public and make some changes. Staying in business means bringing in customers.

2. You most DEFINITELY can see results in six to eight weeks - if a client didn't have any improvement after FOUR weeks I would want to review the program I had created for them - obviously I didn't make it challenging enough. Of course you won't look like an Oxygen cover model in six weeks, but I don't think anyone believes that it would only 6-8 weeks to achieve that anyway. Improvements in strength, endurance and cardio performance SHOULD be seen in this time frame.

3. I don't do this, however, if someone is completely sedetary and is using the treadmill to walk, I don't have a problem with them doing anything to keep them on that treadmill longer. Many people watch TV at the gym while using the treadmill - and seem to be sweating pretty good.

4. I would never assume that one's footwear reflected on his/her commitment or desire to become fit. People have different budgets, comfort levels and styles. Judging someone by how they look or what they wear wouldn't be very encouraging or accurate. I recently saw a young fellow in the weight area with BARE feet! Yikes - he was told that he would need to put shoes on in case he dropped a weight on his foot. But I am sure he will be back.

Just my thoughts. I think that a gym CAN be a place where everyone feels welcome if we all remember its true purpose - facilitating health and fitness. Not a place to show off, not a place to find a date...

Corrie

 

[LauraMax]

Here are my list of gym myths that are commonly thought of as true but certainly are not!

1) I look too bad to join/go to a gym. The truth is, everyone stares at the people that look the best! If you are unfit, people will admire you for going to the gym and doing something about it.

2) You can see results in six to eight weeks. If you are unfit, you will not see results in six to eight weeks. It will take a year of regular working out to really see a difference. And once you get fit, you have to keep on working out to maintain what you gained or you will lose it.

3) I can walk/run on the treadmill while reading and get a workout. If you can read while you are on the treadmill, you are not getting a workout. Also, dont hold on! That doesnt give you are workout either.

4) I can wear my Keds to work out. OMG! This is the worst. I have seen people wearing keds in step class! How can they possibly give any support or cushion to your feet? A dead give away of an amateur who will probably never come back.

What are your ideas of common misconceptions as they pertain to the gym or working out?

I'd have to tweak some of these myself:

1) Everyone isn't staring at the person who looks the best. Everyone is staring at themselves. That's why we're there. (unless there's a super hot guy in the vicinity, in which case I don't see myself, or anything else for that matter)
2) The more unfit you are, the faster you see results. When I did PT I told clients to give it 12 weeks mostly to encourage them b/c they thought they'd start seeing results immediately.
3) You can read on any machine & get a good workout. I have my own rack that hooks onto machines. I've used it on the treadmills, the bikes, the ellipticals, the arc trainers, & I still get a great cal burn. (I might, however, replace reading with talking on the phone--I don't get how people can work hard & carry on their weekly conversation w/their MIL at the same time )
4) I guess it depends on your workout. You can wear Keds to lift. I also see those Vibran thingies on occasion. Don't think I'd wear either for high impact cardio though.

 

[Gayle]

4) I can wear my Keds to work out. OMG! This is the worst. I have seen people wearing keds in step class! How can they possibly give any support or cushion to your feet? A dead give away of an amateur who will probably never come back.

My footwear is now barefoot (summer months), Adidas Sambas and Chuck Taylors for everything from lifting to sprinting to jumping rope. The minimalist approach works very well for me.