There’s a lot of urban legend when it comes to beliefs about the use of exercise equipment. Tempe health enthusiasts shouldn’t be mislead. Here’s the low down on commonly accepted exercise myths.

Weighing yourself is the healthiest method to judge fitness

Forget the scale. It will only defeat you. The healthiest method to judge the success of your exercise equipment, Tempe, is to judge your strength levels. Do you feel stronger as you use the program? Remember you want to burn fat and increase muscle. The trouble is that muscle weighs more, so you may actually gain weight in muscle but still be fit.

You should exercise at least 2 to 3 hours a day for fitness

Long workout sessions are counter productive. Studies show that more than an hour of intense exercise equipment increase cortisol levels. This is a catabolic hormone that actually destroys muscle tissue, so you end up worse off from overusing exercise equipment. Tempe residents would be better off scheduling a consistent hour every day, instead of an overwhelming amount of time in a single workout.

Worse, pushing yourself to do 2 to 3 hours is discouraging. Who has time to give that much to their exercise equipment? Tempe fitness buffs will only disappoint themselves. A little bit every day will get you the fitness you need.

Women will get super muscles if they exercise

Yeah, right. Those pictures in the muscle magazines of women with ripping biceps are the steroids, not the effects of exercise equipment. Tempe fitness buffs who go that far are actually doing more harm to their bodies than good. A woman has a third of the testosterone level as a man, so she isn’t going to get rippling muscles.


The key is to get nicely toned muscles as you get rid of the fat. Don’t strive to look like an American Gladiator. Be healthy with nicely toned muscles that don’t bulge.

Stretching critical before using exercise equipment

Tempe, this myth is one of the biggest. Stretching before working out actually doesn’t increase your range of motion. Stretch after you’ve used the exercise equipment. Tempe residents who participated in one stretching study were found to be less prepared for strenuous exercise, so it did them more harm than good.

However, your muscles will tense up after using exercise equipment. Tempe exercise enthusiasts who stretch out after wards will keep these muscles flexible and prevent injury. Keep it cool with a swimming pool, not a steam bath.

A hot bath prevents muscle stiffness

Cold water works much better after a serious workout with exercise equipment. Tempe has a hot enough climate that a swim after a workout can be done most times of the year. Chilled water can be like an ice pack for your body, keeping muscle stiffness at bay. Cold water constricts blood vessels to bring them back to normal after a heavy workout.

Don’t believe the hype. Find out the truth on myths and how they apply to exercise equipment. Tempe fitness enthusiasts should arm themselves with knowledge. The truth will set your workout free.

Bob Lachniet is the owner of Fitness 4 Home Superstore, a specialty fitness equipment dealer recently named the #1 choice for home fitness equipment in Arizona by BestFitnessDealers.com! To find the best exercise equipment in Tempe visit http://www.fitness4homesuperstore.com

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