The fitness world is full of “experts” who like to give less than solid advice on what to and shouldn’t do while exercising. The workout can be confusing enough, but when an Insta-famous trainer says one thing and a wellness guru says another, separating fact from fiction can be difficult.
Not only is this incredibly daunting, but it can also affect your health – after all, it’s your body. To help you understand it all, we unearthed common myths about exercise and asked real experts to correct the record so you can finally start getting the most out of your welding sessions.
1. Cardio is more important than weights.
No – they are just as important! With cardio, you get a stronger heart, lower blood pressure, better blood sugar regulation, clearer thinking, improved mood, and better sleep. These benefits are amplified when it is combined with weight training.
Lifting weights strengthens bones, reduces the risk of injury, and protects posture. The muscle you build can help improve your metabolism, says Dr. Ari Levy, founder and CEO of Shift, an inclusive medical practice in Chicago.
The goal is what researchers call the “goldilocks zone” for physical activity: 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week (challenging enough that you can speak but not sing) or 75 minutes of aerobic activity per week plus muscle-strengthening activity a week at least twice a week.
2. You shouldn’t exercise if your back is injured.
Chronic back pain (or shoulder, hip, or knee pain) often responds very well to exercise, which improves the delivery of blood, nutrients, and lubricant to the affected areas, relieving stiffness, and accelerating healing.
“As the saying goes,” says Dr. Levy, “Movement is lotion, calm is rust.” (The American College of Rheumatology also supports regular physical activity for relief from arthritis pain.)
Note that the pain is chronic – acute injuries that should be evaluated by a doctor to rule out serious events often require a day of rest or so. However, if it’s just the usual creak, ask your internist or physical therapist to help you create a safe, effective exercise plan that won’t hurt and will help you heal in the long run.
3. You should exercise every day.
Recovery is important to avoid injury and to build strong muscles. After strength training, the muscles are exhausted due to the breakdown of muscle fibers. It is therefore important to take a day or two of rest per week so that the fibers can rebuild.
“After this process repeats itself over time, our muscles can cope with more stress,” said Joseph Lipsky, PT, of Reload Physical Therapy at Performix House in New York City. But don’t just let it fade away: “The best recovery is active recovery,” he says – like a 20-minute cardio session that promotes blood circulation and supports the rebuilding of muscle fibers.
If you sleep at least eight hours a night, drink about an ounce of water for every pound you weigh, and consume enough calories to meet your goals, recovery will also improve.
4. You can exercise to make up for overeating.
Sorry, exercise isn’t the calorie burner it’s meant to be, despite what you will see on fitness machines and trackers (these are just estimates). “You’d have to run at three miles an hour for almost two hours to burn a typical serving of fries,” says Dr. Renee J. Rogers, Associate Professor at the University of Pittsburgh for Healthy Lifestyle Institute.
And an energy-in-energy-out mindset can encourage disorganized thinking about food. Instead, says Rogers, take a holistic view: “If I turn the conversation over from last night’s dinner to Exercise, I will feel better physically and mentally and reduce my stress levels.” Exercise will help you maintain a healthy weight, however that’s just one of the myriad healthy reasons for it.
5. When you exercise, you don’t have to worry about the effects of sitting all day.
Yes you do. When you sit down, you move very little and add stiffness in all areas from your muscles to your arteries. This is why excessive sitting has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, depression, and even memory impairment and dementia (possibly because less blood circulates to the brain).
Some studies show that regular exercise sessions can help offset the effects of excessive sitting. “We don’t have the evidence to say for sure, however,” says Rogers. “If you spend 45 minutes on the elliptical, but spend the rest of the day at your desk on Zoom calls, as many of us do, there is still independent risk of sitting, including an increase in all-cause mortality.”
Above your normal exercise routine, break off sitting with two minutes of activity every hour. Stretch your legs; go through your house; try a downward facing dog. A standing desk can help, and household chores like vacuuming and laundry also count.
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