Fitness Myths Busted!
Everything you wanted to know about getting into shape but were too knackered to ask: FHM asked the experts to sort fitness fact from get-fit fiction.
In this golden age of Tough Mudders and protein shakes, personal trainers and side planks, it seems everyone’s got a piece of workout wisdom they’re more than willing to share at any given opportunity. But with so much contradictory advice flying around, it can be harder than The Rock’s left pec to sort fitness fact from get-fit fiction. Which is why FHM has asked the experts to exercise their authority and answer the questions that really matter to you and your soon-to-be-ripped body…
A post-gym pint ruins your hard work
The theory: Beer delays recovery, packs you with bad carbs and undoes all that hard graft you just put in on the bench press.
The facts: Hallelujah! A study completed by actual real-life scientists at the University of Granada in Spain discovered that one 4% to 5% pint is no better or worse at rehydrating you than a pint of water. That’s right, a beautiful beer is as good for your recovery as a glass of H2O. Well, don’t just stand there sweating — stick two fingers up at the naysayers and get a round in.
Fitness myth!
Crunches give you a six-pack
The theory: Exercise your abs and you’ll get a washboard stomach. Simple.
The facts: As a rule, you can’t target where your body loses fat. So doing countless sit-ups may give you a strong core, but it won’t reveal the ripped goods. “A man’s abs are only usually visible if he has less than 15% body fat,” says Andrew Murray, a senior exercise physiologist at Sport Scotland Institute of Sport. “The average British male carries 18-24% body fat, so if you want to see your six-pack you need to work hard, eat right and lose weight.”
Fitness myth!
Big tunes = big gains
The theory: Jacking up the volume on your iPod will help you run faster, jump higher and pump iron like a pro.
The facts: “The right type of music has been shown to increase work capacity and reduce perceptions of fatigue by up to 15%,” says Andrew Murray. “Pick something with 125-140 beats per minute — the range proven to work best for young adults. Oh, and if the lyrics offer affirmations of movement like ‘run to the beat’, or motivating statements like ‘the only way is up’, even better.” So stick on that Tiësto megamix and go nuts.
Fitness truth!
An ion bracelet can boost your fitness
The theory: Stuff Dynamo. If you want to see some magic, stick a magnetic bracelet round your wrist. Abracadabra: it’ll improve your strength, flexibility and balance.
The facts: They may have sold millions of units, but you might as well tie an elastic band round your bollocks for all the good they do. “No bracelets have any scientific evidence to support their efficiency,” says Matt Field, personal trainer and creator of MFX Fitness (mfxfitness.com). “Any improvement in fitness, strength or body shape is merely down to technique, more hard work or the placebo effect.”
Fitness myth!
Raw eggs will make you ripped
The theory: Gulp down Rocky’s brekkie and you’ll be dencher than a prize heavyweight on ’roids.
The facts: Raw eggs are protein-packed treats, but you are allowed to whack ’em in the pan. “Higher protein breakfasts featuring eggs have been shown to correlate with better eating habits and lower body fat,” agrees nutritionist Drew Price (twitter.com/drewtrition). “But cook your eggs before you eat them, as the protein is better digested and you greatly reduce the reasonably small possibility of salmonella.”
Fitness truth!
Wanking gives you strong arms
The theory: Want guns like Popeye? Ditch the dumb-bells and start stroking the one-eyed monster hiding in your trousers.
The facts: “This is simply not true,” reveals Dr Steven Heymsfield, executive director of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center. “Since masturbation only imposes a small load on muscles it is an aerobic exercise, and research has proven strength training produces far more muscle growth. You’d have to masturbate an awful lot to build any muscle in your forearm.” You heard the man — you’re not wanking nearly hard enough.
Fitness myth!
You can fake a beefy body
The theory: Waxing and tanning can make you look more buff than you are, hence why bodybuilders’ skin is always hair-free and mahogany.
The facts: “Body fat can be camouflaged by a tan, and contours can be accentuated by having less hair,” says top personal trainer Nick Mitchell (nickmitchellblog.com). “However, a physique will only look better if you exercise and there’s a set level of muscle mass. If you just go for a spray tan, do not expect miracles. You will simply look like a fat guy with a tan!”
Fitness myth!
Cycling is bad for your balls
The theory: Spending your life on a scrotum-squishing saddle can make your sperm skedaddle.
The facts: Hardcore cyclist? Have we got bad news for you. According to a study at the University of Córdoba Medical School, men who ride more than 186 miles a week have less than 4% “normal-looking sperm”, which causes “significant fertility problems”. The problems stem from the tight clothing, the friction of the saddle and the stresses on the body.
Fitness truth!
Sex gets you fit
The theory: It’s tiring, it’s sweaty and it leaves you breathless — just because you sometimes do it lying down doesn’t mean it’s not proper exercise.
The facts: “The average sex bout lasts six minutes, and the average male expends approximately 21 calories during intercourse,” explains Dr Steven Heymsfield. “Given he would have spent roughly a third of that amount of energy just watching TV, this means the incremental cost of one sexual bout is somewhere around 14 calories.” Bottom line: it might be less fun, but you need to spend more time in the gym than the bedroom if you want to get fit.
Fitness myth!
Sex harms your performance
The theory: Releasing your precious seed turns you into more of a lover than a fighter.
The facts: “The theory is that abstinence leads to increased aggression, and ejaculation draws testosterone from the body, but this is not the case,” says Andrew Murray. “Some scientists argue that abstinence helps athletes concentrate better, but no evidence has been found that suggests sex can reduce physical strength, power or endurance.” Which explains why around 150,000 condoms were handed out to athletes at last year’s Olympics.
Fitness myth!
“The wall” is a thing
The theory: It was all going so well at first, then your body just quit, like someone pulled the power chord.
The facts: “This is actually two things,” says Andrew Murray. “Mental walls occur when the task seems too great to overcome, while physical walls occur when your heart cannot pump enough blood.” But you can batter it down. “For the former, rather than panicking about the entire task, think of something achievable, like running to the next street sign. The only cure for the latter is prevention — don’t go too hard, too soon.”
Fitness truth!
Exercise turns fat into muscle
The theory: When you work out, that pesky layer of flab transforms itself into solid-as-rock muscle.
The facts: “Total rubbish,” dismisses personal trainer Katie Bulmer (katiebulmer.com). “Muscle cells and fat cells are two separate entities, so it’s only the ratios that change. With a healthy lifestyle you increase muscle mass and use fat for fuel, reducing the size of your fat cells and making you look better. And when you stray from your exercise plan, you reduce muscle mass and stop using fat for fuel, making you look out of shape.”
Fitness myth!
Lifting heavy weights stunts growth
The theory: Sure, jerking massive poundage adds inches to your pecs, but it takes them off your height.
The facts: “Panic not: this isn’t true,” says Nick Mitchell. “When we press weight our skeletal structure is supported by muscle mass. The only instance where training could cause a person to shrink would be through injury or fracture of a bone. People may appear to shrink as they lift with poor technique, which leads to muscular imbalance and postural deviance. Concentrate on getting the technique right and you’ll be OK.”
Fitness myth!
No pain, no gain
The theory: The only way to get fit is a one-way trip to Hurtsville.
The facts: “The more you want your fitness or physique to change, the truer this phrase is,” says leading personal trainer Graeme Hilditch (twitter.com/fitfaqs). “If you’re in pre-season training or trying to bulk up for the beach, you’ll have to experience a degree of pain in order to achieve your goal. And the faster you want to be, the more pain you’ll need to embrace. But if you’re in the early stages of rehab after injury, your exercises should not induce pain.”
Fitness truth!
Pre-run stretching prevents injury
The theory: Touch your toes. Swing your hips. All done, you’re ready to run.
The facts: “Stretching is essential,” states Graeme Hilditch. “But there’s a lot of debate about how to stretch. Two decades ago, static stretching was king, but nowadays there are all sorts of methods being championed. Dynamic stretching helps to stretch the muscles, encourage blood flow and wake up the nervous system to get you fired up and ready to run.”
Fitness truth!
From the October 2013 issue of FHM India.
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