Are you killing it in the gym but not seeing results? Chances are, you've fallen victim to bad advic...

1. 6 Fitness Myths, Busted (And 3 Surprising Facts)
Are you killing it in the gym but not seeing results? Chances are, you've fallen victim to bad advice.
That's easy to do these days, notes Jessica Matthews, spokesperson for the American Council on
Exercise (ACE): "We have greater access to information, but it isn't always accurate." Plus, new
research is overturning longheld beliefs about the best ways to work out. No worries: Our star
trainers are here to update your routine so you get the body you want.
How to Lose 10 Inches in 10 Days
6 Fitness Myths, Busted
Fact: They may be the most iconic abdominal exercise around, but doing crunches is not actually the
best way to slim your midsection. "Since they don't burn off a lot of calories, they don't help in a
major way with fat loss," says Wayne Westcott, PhD, professor of exercise science at Quincy College
in Quincy, Mass. And while crunches do tone a small portion of your abs, moves involving your distal
trunk--which includes your shoulders and butt--more effectively engage your entire core, according
to a study from Pennsylvania State University. So you'll whittle your waist far more dramatically by
doing planks and bridges (and more of these fat-burning ab exercises). If you are doing crunches,
make sure to use proper form: Otherwise, they may put your spine in a painful curved position.
6 Fitness Myths, Busted
Fact: Especially drenched after your regular afternoon run? That doesn't mean you necessarily
torched any more calories than usual (sorry!). "Sweat is a biological response that cools your skin
and regulates internal body temperature," Matthews says. It's just as apt to be the result of an
overheated studio, the weather or your personal physiology as it is a grueling gym session.
The Truth About Hot Yoga
6 Fitness Myths, Busted
Fact: A Stanford University study found that older runners' knees were no less healthy than those of
people who don't run. But while pounding the pavement is safer on the joints than contact sports like
football, it's not totally harmless. "Women are four to six times as likely to be at risk of serious knee
injuries from running as men, because they tend to have an imbalance in the strength ratio between
their quadriceps and hamstrings, which can increase the risk of ACL injuries," Westcott says. That's
why experts recommend doing a total-body strength workout at least twice a week in addition to
your regular jogs to build up the muscles that support the knees. "You will enhance your running
experience and also reduce your chances of getting injured," Matthews points out.
6 Fitness Myths, Busted
Fact: Keep doing it if it feels good to you, but a recent University of Milan study on the effects of
postworkout recovery methods found no significant changes in blood lactate levels (a measure of
how fatigued your muscles are) in folks who stretch after exercise. While stretching may not
completely reduce muscle soreness or speed muscle tissue repair, limbering up still has certain

2. benefits, Westcott says: Doing it right after a workout, when the body is still warm, is the best way
to increase joint flexibility.
6 Fitness Myths, Busted
Fact: Even if you've got just half an hour to spare a day--or a mere 10 minutes--you have enough
time to bolster your cardiovascular health. More and more studies are pointing to the power of short
workouts--and some even suggest that quickie sessions could be better for you. In research from
Arizona State University published last year, people had consistently lower blood pressure readings
on average when they split their daily walk into three 10-minute segments rather than tackling one
30-minute stroll. But while this may be enough to keep up your general health, you'll still need to get
more active most days of the week if you're trying to drop some pounds. Matthews'
recommendation: Shoot for at least 250 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise a week for the
ultimate slim-down success. Health.com: 16 Ways to Lose Weight Fast
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20501331,00.html
6 Fitness Myths, Busted
Fact: "Scheduling in rest days is crucial," stresses Los Angeles-based celebrity trainer Ashley
Borden.
"Your body needs to recover, especially after a http://youthfulgr591.livejournal.com/617.html tough
session." If you work out every single day, you could injure yourself or overtrain, which keeps your
muscles from rebounding and your body from improving. That's true even if you're just a casual
gymgoer. So be sure to take regular breaks, whether it's every other day (if you're a beginner) or
once a week (for the advanced). And keep your workout varied! "If you don't mix things up," Valerie
Waters, personal trainer to Jennifer Garner, warns, "doing the same training pattern can lead to
injuries."
6 Fitness Myths, Busted
Women in an American Journal of Epidemiology study who slept less than seven hours were more
likely to gain weight; other research has shown that even partial sleep deprivation ups production of
the hormone ghrelin, which triggers hunger.
6 Fitness Myths, Busted
While doing yoga does improve flexibility and strength, it's not much of an aerobic activity,
according to an ACE study: a 50-minute power yoga session burns 237 calories, versus the 500 to
600 calories you'd fry Spinning for that amount of time.
6 Fitness Myths, Busted
Even if you're using heavy dumbbells, you're not going to turn into a female Thor--really! "Women
typically have less muscle tissue and produce lower levels of testosterone than men," says Matthews,
meaning we're less physiologically prone to becoming brawny.
This article originally appeared on Health.com.