Maybe it's a guy at your gym who thinks he knows more than he does, or maybe it was your hard-nosed high school football coach—whatever the case, we've all had someone give us some less-than-stellar workout advice. Some people love to give advice about working out, but just because you heard it from someone who looks bigger than you, that doesn't mean that it's actually good advice.
In fact, some advice and tips get passed on quite a bit, even if they can be pretty dangerous. You should always do a little research on your own, instead of just taking a random gym-goer's advice. We wanted to dispel a few of these myths once and for all, so we've brought you our most dangerous myths—and why you should never listen to them.
No Pain, No Gain
People use this saying for plenty of other everyday activities, and it's supposed to mean something about the work you put in, and the result you get out. However, when it's applied to an actual workout, this is terrible advice. You should never be feeling any kind of sharp or pronounced pain during or after a workout. That means something is wrong—either you have an injury, or you're doing the exercise incorrectly. A little burning in your muscles after an intense workout? That's perfectly fine, but actual pain is a troubling sign.
There's No Such Thing As Too Much Protein
This one comes from some flawed logic about how our bodies work. Protein helps you build muscles, and you want big muscles, right? So the more protein the better. That just isn't how our bodies work, unfortunately. For one thing, your body can only absorb so much protein at once. It doesn't matter if you take three times the normal amount after working out, you won't get three times the results.
Anti-Inflammatories And Working Out
There's a persistent myth that NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatories) will decrease workout soreness if taken before a workout. In fact, it's been shown that popping a few ibuprofen before a workout not only doesn't noticeably decrease soreness, it can actually cause damage in the gastrointestinal tract and cause bleeding. Inflammation is your body's natural response to the damage you do during a workout. Blocking that response simply isn't a good move.
No Rest During Your Workout
This one claims that the best results come from high-intensity strength training with little to no rest in between exercises. The thing is, failing to rest causes muscle fatigue, and you're more likely to fall into poor form during your lifting. Your body needs a short break between sets because the muscles need time to recover. This doesn't include circuit training, however. In circuit training, you move quickly from one exercise to the next, but you're working out a completely different muscle group, so the other muscle groups have time to rest. Don't be fooled by someone who acts like they know what they're talking about, and don't pass on advice unless you're completely sure it's correct.
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