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The Top 5 Training Myths

By Joe Thiel

Myth No. 1: I need exercises to work my 'lower abs' and reduce my pot belly.

First, there is no such thing as 'lower abs.' The six-pack you're going for is actually one long muscle, called the rectus abdominis, that extends from below your chest to your pelvis. To work your abs, you should do exercises to target all four muscles: the rectus abdominis, internal and external obliques and the transverse abdominis.

Second, doing crunches will not help you get a 'six-pack' if you have a layer of fat over your abdominal area. In order the see the muscles, you must reduce your body fat.

Myth No. 2: If I'm not sore the next day, I didn't workout hard enough.

Many people use muscle soreness as a gauge of how good their workout is. However, muscle soreness is caused by tiny tears in the muscle fibers and, while some soreness is expected if you regularly change your program, being sore for days after your workout most likely means you overdid it. If you're sore after every workout, you're not allowing your body time to recover, which is when you experience the most muscle growth.

To prevent soreness, you should warm up before your workout and stretch before and after. If you experience soreness, rest for a day or so and then do the same exercises that caused you to be sore in the first place, but lower the intensity.

Myth No. 3: If I can't workout often enough and hard enough, I might as well not even do it.

The general rule for weight loss is to do cardio 4-5 times a week for 30-45 minutes as well as weight training 2-3 times a week. Some people simply don't have the time to workout that much and they think, since they can't do all of that, why do ANY of it? Remember: Any exercise is better than NO exercise, even if it's only a 15-minute walk. Being physically active is proven to reduce stress and make you healthier. So, even if you can't make it to the gym, you have no excuse not to do something active each day.

Myth No. 4: Strength training will make me "bulk up"

Some women avoid weight training because they don't want to bulk up. However, strength training is a critical element to maintain a healthy weight and strengthen your body. Wayne Wescott, weight training expert and PhD, researched the effects of weight training on women and found that "the average woman who strength trains two to three times a week for eight weeks gains 1.75 pounds of lean weight...and loses 3.5 pounds of fat...women typically don't gain size from strength training, because compared to men, women have 10 to 30 times less of the hormones that cause bulking up."

Myth No. 5: If I eat more protein, I can build big muscles.

Building muscle mass involves two things: Using enough weight to challenge muscles beyond their normal levels of resistance and eating more calories than you burn. With all the hype about high protein diets lately, it's easy to believe that protein is the best fuel for building muscle but, according to the American Dietetic Association, muscles work on calories "which should be predominately carbohydrates. The remainder of the calories are divided between fat and protein."

If you consume too much protein, you run the risk of creating nutrient imbalance, kidney strain, or dehydration. Plus, excess protein results in extra calories that are either burned or stored. For muscle mass, you should incorporate a healthy eating plan, as well as a workout that combines cardio exercise as well as consistent weight training.

I could create 10 "Top 5 Lists" of myths I've heard in my 20 years in the fitness industry. If you have a question about a particular topic that relates to health and fitness, I'd be happy to reseach it for you and give you my opinion. If I don't know, I'll give you my best guess and tell you so. My goal is to cut through the myths and help you experience your best life possible.

About the Author:

Joe Thiel is a certified personal trainer. He has personally trained hundereds of satisfied clients throughout the Midwest. He currently owns and operates personal training studios in Springfield, IL and Chesterfield, MO. He can be

His websites: http://www.ftspringfield.com and http://www.ftchesterfield.com