Fitness Advice to Ignore

16 Ridiculous Exercise Myths Revealed

Certain “facts” of fitness couldn’t be farther from the truth. Here’s a reality check about 16 common workout rumors

By Natalie Gingerich Mackenzie and Danielle Kosecki fitbie

Is Everything You Know About Fitness Wrong?
1
Slow Workouts Burn More Fat
2
Stretching Prevents Injuries
3
Lifting Heavy Weights Will Make You Look Like a Bodybuilder
4
You Have to Lift Heavy Weights to Get Stronger
5
Cooling Down Will Keep You from Getting Sore
6
You Only Need to Exercise If You Have Weight to Lose
7
Drinking Coffee Before a Workout Will Leave You Dehydrated
8
Working Out on an Empty Stomach Burns More Fat
9
Ab Exercises Will Flatten Your Belly
10
A Six-Pack Is a Sure Sign of a Strong Core
11
Crunches Are The Best Way to Strengthen Your Core
12
Pilates creates long, lean muscles
13
Exercising Turns Fat Into Muscle
14
Popping Ibuprofen Prevents Sore Muscles
15
Staying Off Your Feet Soothes Sore Muscles
16
Exercising at Night Interferes With Sleep

Is Everything You Know About Fitness Wrong?

16 Ridiculous Exercise Myths Revealed // Man stretching © Thinkstock

Image: Thinkstock

Think you’re an old pro when it comes to exercise? What if we told you your treadmill, your elementary school gym teacher, and the trainer at your gym were perpetuating fitness myths that waste your precious workout minutes and stall results? We scoured the research and spoke to experts in order to bring you the real deal from warm-up to cool-down and everything in between. Read on, and prepare to have your eyes opened. (For healthier rules that work, try these 10 Tips for Weight Loss That Last.)

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