Seprating Fact from Fiction

By Phillip Wolff

All too often we're bombarded with new age fitness advertisements and infomercials leading us to believe in some common myths about physical fitness. Unfortunately your average gym (keep in mind VERT is NOT A GYM) goers have a difficult time separating fact from fiction. However, VERT Peak Fitness Center can shed light on the situation.

Here are a few tips to help you stick to the facts of fitness when creating a training program.

Is spot reduction of excess body fat possible? The answer is absolutely not! The fact of the matter is low resistance, relatively high repetition exercise on specific body parts such as hips, thighs and torso do not significantly affect fat stores. Instead it is more important to take a well rounded approach incorporating nutrition, a total body resistance training program, and cardio training. Consistency, dedication and hard work will bring the results.
Is explosive ballistic training dangerous? A common belief is that ballistic training, such as jumps, and explosive movements are more dangerous and account for more injuries than conventional resistance training. This is simply not true. Most injuries acquired while performing any exercise are most likely due to a lack of flexibility and knowledge of proper form and/or exercise technique. Ballistic training is being incorporated more and more into aerobic routines, gym classes and training programs to promote fast twitch muscle growth and improved cardio output.
Is flexibility training necessary? A proper flexibility program is essential in all aspects of fitness. Flexibility helps increase the range of motion of specific joints and muscle groups. Having good flexibility helps soft tissue surrounding the joint to withstand and absorb shock, protecting the joint. It also helps to store elastic energy to aid in explosive movements and to exhibit strength over a large range of motion. Exercise proficiency and safety are determined by flexibility.
Losing weight or losing fat? Many times we step on the scale after a hard week of training and eating right just to be disappointed by the numbers. How come it seems so hard to lose weight? The problem is that most people looking to trim down the waist line or lose an inch or two around their thighs should be more concerned with losing excess body fat instead of trying so hard to lose weight. It makes much more sense for one to keep a record of the following measurements:
- Circumference of waist, hips, and chest
- Skin folds measurements
- Percentage of overall body fat

Like always, consistency and hard work pay off in the end.

About the Author:

Phillip Wolff is a certified personal trainer at VERT Peak Fitness Center of Jericho in Jeicho NY. He is also the strength and conditioning coach for the Hofstra University Ice Hockey Team.

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Seprating Fact from Fiction

By Phillip Wolff

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