6 Common Fitness Myths, Debunked

When it comes to fitness, bold claims are tough to resist. That includes popular myths like using targeted exercises to define your abs. Some of these misconceptions, such as “no pain, no gain,” have been repeated so often that people assume they’re true.

There is one indisputable fact: Exercise is good for your body and mind. But many other claims are murky. Below, experts weigh in on the truth behind common fitness myths.

How can you tell if a ‘fitness fact’ is true?

With so much accessible fitness advice, it might be tricky to spot a questionable claim. 

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One easy way is if the “fitness fact” is supposed to work for everyone, said strength and conditioning trainer Aaron Leventhal, CSCS, the owner of Fit Studios in St. Louis Park, Minnesota.

“There’s a reason there are so many types of workouts and why personalized programs work well,” he said. “There are several factors [to consider], including your goals, fitness level, previous or current injuries, and time commitment.”

Another way to spot a fitness myth is if it seems too good to be true. There are no shortcuts when it comes to results. But claims like spot fat reduction persist because people wish they worked, Leventhal said.

The good news is that behind every myth is a truth about what you can do to exercise safely and effectively.

1. Doing static stretches before a workout prevents injury

For years, static stretches before exercise were standard everywhere, from phys ed classes to group fitness sessions. You might remember doing these passive stretches before running around a track in high school. But these days, we know better.

Dynamic stretches before exercise may improve performance and reduce the risk of injuries. These active movements should resemble the moves you’ll do in your workout. For example, if you’re about to cycle or run, you could warm up leg muscles with walking lunges or body-weight squats.

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Try doing 10 to 12 reps of each dynamic stretch in your warmup. These moves can help you ease into your workout. But don’t ditch static stretches altogether. You can do them after workouts to cool down and keep your muscles flexible.

2. Cardio is the only way to lose weight

Regular cardio workouts — such as running, dancing, or rowing — can help you lose weight. They’re a great way to burn calories and boost your metabolism.

But cardio isn’t the only type of exercise that can support weight loss. Strength training is also beneficial. It won’t burn as many calories as cardio workouts. But it can help you build muscle, which burns more calories than fat. Muscle-building and strengthening exercises have also been shown to burn fat.

Doing cardio and strength training can help you achieve your weight-loss goals and improve your health. In one study, adults who did both had a lower risk of obesity than those who did only cardio or strength training.

Your fitness regimen should be part of a comprehensive weight-loss plan. Other lifestyle changes, such as eating a balanced diet, are also critical to losing or maintaining weight.

3. You have to lift heavy weights to build muscle

Maybe you don’t enjoy lifting heavy weights. Or you’re new to strength training and need to start with light weights. Take heart: You may not have to lift heavy weights to build muscle.

Research shows that various factors, including muscle fatigue, contribute to muscle growth. That means building muscle is about more than just how much weight you lift. For example, doing more exercise reps and sets with lighter weights may provide the same results as doing fewer reps and sets with heavier weights.

But you need progression to continue building muscle, said strength and conditioning trainer Reda Elmardi, CSCS. Muscles grow bigger and stronger when exposed to stress from resistance. That might mean adding more weight or increasing reps. Try slowly adding 2% to 10% more weight to strength-training workouts. Or gradually add reps using the same weight. Both strategies can help you build muscle mass.

4. Running is bad for your knees

This myth is so pervasive that new runners might feel like the sport requires a choice: You can run and eventually suffer knee problems or stop running and save your joints. Part of that belief likely comes from the rate of running injuries. Up to 79% of runners may have a running-related injury, but many of those injuries are caused by overtraining, not the sport itself. That means running can hurt your knees — and other joints — if you overdo it.

But contrary to popular belief, running is not bad for your knees. In fact, studies suggest that it may keep your bones and joints healthy. In one study, runners had a lower risk of knee osteoarthritis than those who didn’t run.

Focus on proper running form and include lower-impact recovery workouts in your training plan to lower the risk of injuries.

5. Targeted exercises can help you lose fat in specific areas

It would be nice if you could use exercise to target fat in specific areas. But workouts that guarantee you can “blast belly fat” or “eliminate underarm jiggle” with a few targeted exercises are overpromising.

There’s no such thing as spot reduction, said Ryan Glatt, a certified personal trainer and a brain health coach for the Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica, California.

“The body just doesn’t work that way,” Glatt said. “Sometimes, it might seem like targeted exercises are effective because you’ll see results in a certain area. But what’s happening is that you’re losing fat throughout [your] body. Even then, your nutrition is likely playing a major role.”

6. You have to take 10,000 steps a day to be active

You’ve probably heard that taking 10,000 steps a day is key to an active lifestyle. This sounds like an evidence-based number, but it’s not based on exercise science. The myth can be traced to a 1965 marketing campaign for pedometers.

The 10,000-step goal found new popularity when fitness trackers were introduced, said researcher Tess Harris, MD, a professor at the Population Health Research Institute at St. George’s University of London. There’s no denying the many benefits of walking. But plenty of studies have found you can reap those benefits with 5,000 or fewer steps, Harris said.

In a 2019 study, older women who took 4,400 steps per day had a lower risk of mortality than those who were less active. Taking more steps may increase the benefits. But researchers found that the advantages leveled off around 7,500 daily steps.

There are plenty of ways to increase your daily step count. You can take the stairs, walk to work, or schedule walks with friends. Every step counts, so don’t get hung up on hitting 10,000 steps unless it works for you.

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Written by:

Elizabeth Millard, CPT, RYT

Elizabeth Millard, CPT, RYT, is a Minnesota-based freelance health writer with 25 years of experience. Her work has appeared in numerous publications, apps, and patient education materials.

Edited by:

Lauren Savage, MA

Lauren Savage, MA, is a health editor at GoodRx, where she focuses on movement, exercise, and healthy aging. She aims to provide readers with the information they need to live healthier, more active lifestyles.

Reviewed by:

Sanjai Sinha, MD

Sanjai Sinha, MD, is a board-certified physician with over 20 years of experience. He specializes in internal medicine.

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