Fitness myths No knee damage through jogging

Jogging does not hurt the knee joints and other fitness myths

03/11/2014

Spring is just around the corner and for many people this means starting their outdoor sports activities again. When it comes to sports are still numerous fitness myths in circulation. With eight of them something should be cleaned up here.

Fitness myths hold their ground
Spring is just around the corner and so many people are starting to enjoy their outdoor sports activities again. But many still make mistakes in their training schedule because they fall for fitness myths that persist despite the contrary study results. So it's about the right time of day to run or the effective warm-up before the sport. However, such myths are not only with recreational athletes, but are also common among top athletes, the sports physician Winfried Banzer told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ).

Warm-up exercises without scientific foundation
Together with his sports medicine team from the University of Frankfurt, he tried last year to find scientific evidence for all sorts of advice that athletes give each other again and again. Much of it has turned out to be wrong and the professor told the FAZ: „From trainers generation to coach generation, rules or warm-up exercises are passed on that have no scientific foundation, but all of them believe that they are beneficial to the body and enhance the training effect.“ In a conversation with the newspaper Banzer commented on various fitness myths.

Myth 1: Those who train before breakfast lose more pounds faster
Those who have started jogging before breakfast, assuming they lose more pounds faster, will be able to spend more time in the future and wait until after the meal. When it comes to morning exercise on an empty stomach, the fat content of the calories burned is greater than at other times, but that does not mean that it can therefore lose more weight, said Banzer. It depends on the total calories consumed and not only on the proportion of fat burning in total energy consumption. Those who exercise soberly do so at significantly reduced intensity and thus have lower total energy consumption. Training soberly also carries the risk of hypoglycaemia. Those who want to lose weight are advised to exercise regularly and diversely.

Myth 2: You can exercise away thick thighs and a beer belly specifically
Especially in women's magazines is often read that the various so-called problem areas can be easily removed. But according to the sports doctor, that does not work. Although it is possible to demonstrate an increased fat breakdown rate in active muscles, it is not replenished in a sustained and rapid manner. It is advisable to train many large muscle groups regularly in order to really see a fat loss. For activities such as walking, cycling or swimming. Special exercises for the abdomen, legs and butt should then be made in addition to consolidate everything.

Myth 3: While exercising enough regular drinking is important
It has become rare to see athletes in the gym or in the open air without a bottle of water. Many are plagued by the fear of losing too much fluid in their activities, so they schedule regular drinking breaks. Banzer says, however, that a given drinking rhythm does not improve the performance and one should better keep to his individual thirst. The human body already shows you when you need fluid. The current recommendation of sports medicine is also not to stick to blanket rules of thumb. According to the doctor, those who sweat a lot during exercise show that their thermoregulation is well-trained. Quick sweating does not say anything about a lack of condition.

Myth 4: Regular jogging is bad for the knee joints
If you suffer from a knee pain, you often have to hear that this is certainly due to jogging. But Banzer points out that the human knee joint is extremely dynamic and adaptable and there are scientific studies that show that jogging even strengthen the knee joint. A study would have shown that people who run a lot have the lowest risk of arthrosis. But nobody should go on jogging if knee pain does not go away, but instead turn to a doctor.

Myth 5: You should definitely stretch extensively before exercising
No gym without plans for stretching and no football transmission without seeing substitutes stretching and stretching as they warm up. Are all wrong? Sports specialist Banzer and his team searched for scientific foundations and came to the conclusion that there is no evidence that stretching before training brings any advantages. Thus, static stretching on the spot does not prevent injuries. On the other hand, stretching exercises are considered after the sport „Cool down“ absolutely sensible.

Myth 6: Muscular soreness, which is caused by increased lactic acid, can be eliminated by exercising
Muscular soreness is caused by small microtrauma in the muscle cells. However, you can not fight him with sports. Only slight movement could provide something remedy. In addition, there is evidence from studies that massage or acupuncture to help fight the pain. Apparently, however, the easiest way to wait until the symptoms subsided. Scientists at the University of Michigan came to a somewhat unusual conclusion a few years ago. They found that cherry juice protects against excessive muscle soreness after an intense exercise program.

Myth 7: Over 70s can not do much for their fitness
Of course, this thesis is not correct. Numerous studies have shown that both strength training and endurance training in senior citizens lead to a significant improvement in the strength and medical risk profile. For example, studies have shown that regular exercise strengthens, among other things, the cardiovascular system. Conversely, it has been shown that lack of exercise increases the risk of a heart attack or stroke. In addition, older people who train their muscles effectively can often take longer self-care and live independently for longer.

Myth 8: Weight training is not for kids
Of course, children are allowed to do strength training. This promotes both their body control and their stability. Sports specialist Banzer advises, however, that children up to the age of about 14 years should do strength training only with their own body weight and not with weights. In addition, activities such as push-ups or pull-ups would be offered. (Sb)