Exercise myths busted!

A new study reveals that stretching before a workout may be potentially harmful for you Active checks in with the experts to find out what else you should know before you jump on the fitness bandwagonThe road to a perfect body is not an easy one and if a recent study is anything to go by then even conventional exercise wisdom cant be relied uponu00a0According to a recent study by the University of Limerick in Ireland stretching before exercise can actually make muscles tense making one more prone to injuryResearchers add that stretching should be done only when one isnt going to exercise say post a workout or at the end of the day The female body is incapable of developing big bulky musclesFitness expert Dr Rishi Sherekar however says that not all stretching is bad for you Dynamic stretching at the beginning of the workout is a nono but static stretching is advised to help gradually warm up the body Dynamic stretching can be done in between a workout to wake up dormant muscles he saysWe get the experts to bust three exerciserelated myths that you should know about before you hit the dirt trackMyth No 1 Stick to a lowcarb diet to lose weightPeople often opt for a high intensity workout using weights and a lowcalorie diet to achieve a toned look But it backfires as the body is not prepared to lift heavy weights in a carbdepleted state says Parikrama Wagh clinical and sports dietician Giving up fatty foods when individuals initiate a workout regimen isnt helpful either Good fats are needed for the production of testosterone and muscle mass Messing around with ones diet can lead to hormonal problems in the long run and rob one of muscle mass too cautions Dr Sherekar He advises sticking to a balanced diet and following a moderate exercise routine thrice a weekMyth No 2 Dont drink water during a workoutExercisers should sip on water throughout their workout albeit in small amounts suggests Wagh Sipping on small quantities of water before during and after a workout helps keep the body hydratedu00a0Dr Sherekar advises staying away from soft drinks or energy drinks as they cause a spike in insulin levels followed by a slump Coffee should also be avoided as it is a diuretic and leaches the body of calciumMyth No 3 Weightlifting makes a woman look bulkyWomen cannot develop big muscles with any form of exercise because the female body has higher levels of oestrogen and produces lower levels of testosterone male hormone which is responsible for musclebuilding opines Wagh Resistance training helps improve bone density boosts metabolism and makes women fitter In fact resistance training helps women stay lean over timeu00a0It boosts the skeletal muscles which acts as an automatic fat burner by not allowing fat to get deposited This is not possible by doing just cardio exercise says Dr SherekarNo stretching before a workoutAfter studying various types of stretches and their impact on athletes researchers from the University of Limerick in Ireland suggest that stretching before exercise is not only counterproductive but is also potentially harmful The reason for this is that when you stretch before exercising your body might think its at risk of being overstretched and it compensates by contracting and becoming more tenseThe researchers add that stretching should only be done post a workout or at the end of the day What is dynamic stretchingDynamic stretching utilises the speed of movement and momentum to do a stretchu00a0It is quite strenuous and requires more neuromuscular coordination In static stretching the focus is on holding the position for the maximum time