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Not too many years ago, football coaches withheld water from players during
scorching summer practices “to make ’em tough.” After enough athletes keeled
over in a puddle of sweat, people finally realized that dehydration and heat
stroke were more likely to make ’em dead than tough. (Most people, anyway.
See no. 8, below.)
Even today, in an era of sports nutritionists and personal trainers, athletic
myths linger. Most are just silly; some are dangerous. Here are 10 common
misconceptions about endurance sports such as running, swimming, cycling
and walking.
- “No pain, no gain.”
An oldie but a baddie. Sure, sometimes it’s good to push yourself to swim another
set or run an extra mile. That’s how you improve and challenge preconceived
limits-as long you build gradually. But real pain shouldn’t be ignored. It’s
your body’s signal that something’s wrong. Stop and listen-and seek treatment
if necessary. You can avoid injury, even permanent damage.
- “Stretch before a workout.”
Nope. Stretching muscles that are cold and tight is a great way to get injured.
Instead, warm up by starting your activity at an easy pace or doing calisthenics.
Once you break a sweat, you can stop and stretch. Or stretch after your workout.
And don’t bounce like your gym teacher taught. Stretch gently, hold for 20 or
more seconds, and never go to the point where you feel pain.
- “Never exercise after eating.”
True, you shouldn’t order surf ’n turf 20 minutes before racing a 10K, but
you need some pre-exercise fuel. If you feel lightheaded or lethargic during
an afternoon workout, chances are you’re low on calories and you won’t
perform at your best. Eat a healthful snack (fruit, bagel, or energy bar) an
hour or so before your work out and you’ll feel much stronger.
- “Pumping iron makes you bulk up.”
Not unless you follow a highly specific regimen. But regular weight training
builds strength without turning you into Ahnold-and can help older athletes
maintain strength. Lifting also helps you avoid injury by buffing up
neglected muscles.
- “There’s no benefit to a slow-paced workout.”
Wrong. So-called “active rest” stimulates recovery from hard workouts, helping
muscles heal and grow stronger. These easy days are actually when you improve.
It’s fine to take an occasional day off from working out, but a session of
light exercise often makes you feel better and less sore.
- “To get better in one sport, you must specialize.”
Well, yes—if you’re angling for Olympic gold or a pro sponsorship. For the rest
of us, cross-training in other sports can boost overall fitness and improve
performance in your chosen activity. Cross-training reduces the risk of injury
and overtraining, keeps you motivated, and builds muscles and skills that a
single-sport regimen may ignore.
- “Feel the burn.”
Not unless you want to be toast. Constantly exercising in what’s known as the
“gray zone”—where you’re working hard but not quite hammering
yourself—eventually leads to burnout and stalled progress. A sensible,
efficient program includes easy recovery days, moderate-paced endurance days,
and (when you’re fit enough) occasional short but hard days. It’s OK to spend
some time in the gray zone, but don’t set up camp there.
- “Don’t drink water while exercising.”
Even today, some misguided souls preach from this old parchment. But forgoing
water, especially when it’s hot and humid, isn’t just uncomfortable-it’s
downright dangerous. Dehydration, heat stroke and worse can ensue. Besides,
even mild dehydration can impair performance, so you’re not letting your
body reach its potential.
- “Water’s all you need.“
The flip side to no. 7, this adage applies to short workouts. But for any session
over an hour, you benefit from fuel as well as water. Sports drinks work well,
particularly for hard workouts and digestion-sensitive sports like running.
For steadier efforts and digestion-friendly activities such as cycling, try
energy gels and bars or “real” food like fruit and healthful cookies.
- “Winning is the only thing.”
Oh, brother. With that Vince Lombardi attitude, you’re heading for frustration,
burnout, and an early retirement from sports. For all but a tiny minority of
genetically blessed athletes, the point of participatory sports like running
and cycling is...participation. These activities help you feel and look better,
make you healthier, and introduce you to great people, places and events.
Forget medals and trophies. You “win” by improving your life.
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