Here are some of the most common exercise myths. Low Intensity Exercises Will Help You Burn More Fat This is the biggest myth heard in the world of workouts. It is important to know that workouts burn calories, and not fat or carbs specifically. There is no workout that specifically targets fat for energy utilization during the routine. When you start to exercise, you burn calories, and when the carbs are all used up, the body starts burning fat. Yes, high intensity workouts burn more calories, but they are harder to sustain. They are also more difficult to do when you are just starting to workout or returning to them after a long break. Low intensity workouts are done for better form. They are more efficient in exercising specific muscle groups. A caution; this does not mean that one stops eating and exercises expecting to burn more fat in the process. If You're Not Going to Exercise Hard, it is a Waste of Time. This keeps a lot of people from starting on a fitness schedule. Regular walking or gardening for as little as an hour a week has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease. The important thing to be kept in mind is that one has to be consistent in workouts. Fitness regimes should not be followed when weight is gained, and left when you have achieved your goal. Fitness is a way of life, not a one-time thing. No pain, no gain is a stupid proverb, scientifically proven. Yoga is a Completely Gentle and Safe Exercise. This belief is wrong. Yoga is an excellent form of exercise, but some styles are quite rigorous and demanding, both physically and mentally. As with any form of exercise, qualified, careful instruction is necessary for a safe and effective workout. Some postures and breathing techniques are advanced and should be done only under the supervision of a qualified yoga instructor. Exercise Alone Will Keep Your Weight in Check. Exercise doesn't make you immune to the disadvantages of having a bad diet. Proper balance of the diet and regular workouts can help you manage weight. Weight is not an indicator of good health. This is explained in the next paragraph. Weight is an Indicator of Health Being fat is not an indicator of bad health and likewise being thin is not an indicator of good health. Many people after exercising religiously in gyms weigh themselves after a month or so. After finding out that they haven't lost significant weight, tend to lose interest, saying that their workout sessions weren't productive. However over the month when they exercised with a motive, the workouts did benefit them, even though the benefits weren't overt. They probably built muscle and also burnt fat, so the weight kind of remained constant. And they probably got rid of bad cholesterol, making their heart stronger. Regular workouts do reap unseen rewards too. Home Workouts Are Fine, But Going to a Gym is the Best Research has shown that some people find it easier to stick to a home-based fitness program. In spite of all the hype of trendy exercise programs and facilities in the gym, the best program for you is the one you will participate in consistently. Doing a Lot of Crunches Can Get Rid of Belly Fat This is one of the most common misconceptions that people have, and is probably fueled by the ab exercising machine manufacturers. In the advertisements, they show a man exercising on the machine and miraculously losing his belly fat after a few segments. It couldn't be farther from reality. Yes, crunches and ab machines do strengthen your core, and work your abdominal muscles. No, they cannot help you target fat loss only in your abdominal area. Fat loss is a function of your metabolism and cannot be targeted at a specific area. When you lose fat, you lose it all over the body. This myth is similar to the one saying that facial exercises can help you get rid of a double chin. Running on Bare Asphalt or Concrete Puts Strain on Your Knees The amount of strain on your knees is a factor that depends on your body weight, not the surface you run on. It doesn't matter if you run on grass, or asphalt, or concrete. Actually, there is a new trend that is emerging where runners are running barefoot on roads. This trend actually kicks this myth myth-less, without shoes!