Sadly, so much of what we believe to be true is based on opinion and not fact. People rarely take the time to check out what they hear, and instead just trust the person who told them or their gut instinct. This article has been written to ensure that the myths mentioned below are crushed one by one.
Unless you sweat, you're not getting a good workout. Everyone sweats differently, and there are actually people who are unable to sweat at all! How much you sweat depends on your genetics and how hot it is where you are exercising. The hotter it is, the more you will sweat, as it is the body's method of keeping itself cool. In fact, lighter forms of exercise, such as going for a walk, burn lots of calories, but you likely won't break a sweat when you do them. The same goes for activities such as weight lifting.
You have to use new technology to be able to get an effective workout. The fact is that a jump rope is still a great way to work your body, and it truly is one of the oldest pieces of equipment available! Even dumbbells, used for centuries, provide a great strength workout. When it comes to variety and working all of the important core muscles, dumbbells offer the most flexibility. They're also super affordable! Paying too much for a gym membership will leave you stressed out about finances, so invest in a good set of weights instead and start getting a great workout from home.
Want a flat midsection? You can do it by performing abdominal exercises. Sadly, the only way you will achieve six-pack abs is by burning off all the fat on your tummy. You'll have to engage in cardiovascular exercise to burn the fat all over your body, and then you can use strength training to boost your metabolism and tone up your abdominal muscles. Just doing the exercises alone will tone the muscles, but they will be hidden under a layer of fat until you get rid of it, so mix diet with exercise for the best results.
Engaging in cardiovascular exercise will ensure that you don't gain muscle. Yes, it does make gaining muscle more difficult, but it doesn't stop you from building your bulk entirely. You will have to use your diet to increase your caloric intake so you can both burn fat and build muscle at the same time. Muscles require calories to repair and rebuild themselves, while burning fat means taking in less calories than you burn. Obviously, they fall at opposite ends of the spectrum, so pay attention to this as you decide what to eat.
You now know the truth about the myths discussed in this article, so pass that knowledge on to others. The more that this information is spread, the better! You will be saving others from making mistakes based on their lack of knowledge, and that will give you a great feeling of accomplishment.