It's easy to fall into the trap: A gym buddy passes along a workout tip, and then you pass it on to several people you know. Your kid’s coach gives you advice, and sure enough you hear the same thing from several other parents. So you figure it must be true. But experts say that in the world of health and fitness, myths and half-truths flourish – and some of them may be keeping you from getting the best and safest workout.
"Some myths are just harmless half-truths, but many others can actually be harmful. They can cause frustration in working out and sometimes even lead to injury. One reason myths get started, is that we all react to exercise a little differently. So what's true for one person may not be true for another." (Harr, 2001)
That said, experts say there are also some fitness myths that just need busting!
Running on a Treadmill is Easier on the Knees
Sorry, but it is the running itself that stresses the knees, not the surface you’re pounding.
To ease the impact on your knees, experts advise varying your aerobic activities: mix running with riding a stationary bike or using the elliptical machine at the gym (Cool, 2012).
Crunches Lead to Six-pack Abs
Sure they will as long as you also get rid of any belly fat that obscures your abdominal muscles. While crunches strengthen muscles, they won’t burn off the fat in your belly.
To flaunt your newly crunched abs you’ve got to trim the fat via diet, cardiovascular exercise and resistance training. And, of course, for crunches to work, you’ve got to learn to do them right (Cool, 2012).
I can spot reduce.
It's simply not possible to burn off fat in a specific body part by exercising that area. At best you might lose some water weight, giving you the impression that you spot reduced. But if you rehydrate, you'll see those stubborn inches magically reappear. Only regular exercise, including aerobic and strength training, combined with a sensible diet can melt body fat (“9 Health,” n.d.).
Exercise requires a big time commitment.
As little as 30 minutes a day is sufficient to maintain health and fitness, and 60 minutes a day will help you lose weight. If you're not looking to be the next Mr. Olympia, 40-minute workouts will more than suffice, as long as you perform the exercises correctly and with intensity, and combine the workouts with good rest and proper nutrition (“9 Health,” n.d.).
You can’t exercise too much
Actually, it’s called overtraining and it can be very detrimental to your health and fitness.
Overtraining occurs when the volume and intensity of your training exceeds your body’s ability to recover. Overtraining drains the body’s energy reserves and when a big enough energy debt is accumulated, it hampers the immune system and other regulatory functions in your body.
If you literally have to ‘drag’ yourself to the gym, you are probably over trained and need to take extra time off. Sufficient sleep (which is when most recovery occurs) and a week off every six to eight weeks are essential for avoiding overtraining (“15 Health,” n.d.).
You have to drink 8 glasses of water each day
Doctors and scientists are now saying that the required water intake is obtained partially from food (about 20% most sources say) and that beverages other than plain water count toward your daily water intake.
Even caffeinated beverages no longer have the bad reputation that they used to. Caffeine is a diuretic, meaning it draws water out of your body. Some sources, however, are saying it’s not a very strong diuretic while others say the body adjusts to caffeine over time if you’re a chronic consumer.
Bottom line, the best way to tell if you’re getting enough water is to note the color of your urine. If it’s clear, or has very little color, you’re probably hydrated enough. But if your urine is dark or straw-colored, then pop open an Evian (“15 Health,” n.d.).
Resistance training makes women “too muscular”
So, you think it’s easy to build big, bulky muscles?
Is that why professional bodybuilders rely on extreme training routines, and some on anabolic steroids, to put on a half-inch of muscle per year?
If becoming “too muscular” were easy, every guy in America would look like Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Resistance training develops muscle tone first, which is a nervous system response. High-intensity training to failure (to the point where your muscle can’t do another repetition) is what enlarges muscles.
Want to be toned and strong without bulky muscles? Use lighter resistances for more repetitions and never train to failure (“15 Health,” n.d.).
Is the "fat-burning zone" the best for weight loss?
You've heard: To burn the most fat, you should do your cardio in the 'fat-burning zone.'
The truth: "This is fuzzy math," says Tom Holland (2011), an exercise physiologist and author of Beat the Gym. While you do burn a higher percentage of calories from fat at lower intensities, you burn more calories overall by exercising harder.
Endurance exercise has its place in a balanced training routine, but it shouldn't be the only type of cardio you do. That's why we love Tabata training (“Tabata” is the name of a particular type of workout program that provides similar health benefits to that of cardio workouts, but Tabata has a bit more spice) and HIIT (high intensity interval training) for super-effective and efficient cardio sessions.
Bottom line: To burn the most fat, create a well-rounded workout schedule that mixes strength training, high-intensity cardio, and lower-intensity sessions if you want an extra hit of cardio. And of course, supplement your training with a healthy diet (“5 Health,” n.d.).
In conclusion, in regards to health and fitness, beware of all the myths and half-truths. Doing things the wrong way can have negative effects on the human body. Talk to a professional if you’re interested in finding out the proper fitness and nutritional protocols.

References
9 Health and Fitness Myths Busted! - ManageMyLife.com. (n.d.). Life Management: Everything just got easier - ManageMyLife.com. Retrieved May from http://www.managemylife.com/mmh/articles/authored/9-health-and-fitness-myths-busted
Cool, L. (2012, January 18). 7 Fitness Myths, Busted | Yahoo! Health. Yahoo! Health. Retrieved from http://health.yahoo.net/experts/dayinhealth/7-fitness-myths-busted
Fike, J. (2012). 15 Health & Fitness Myths | Life Coaching. Life Coaching | Personal Life Coaching. Retrieved from http://www.lifecoachinghq.com/posts/15-health-fitness-myths.html
Harr, E. (2001). The portable personal trainer: 100 ways to energize your workouts and bring out the athlete in you. New York: Broadway Books.
Holland, T. (2011). Beat The Gym. New York: Morrow.
Smith, J. (2012, May 3). 5 Health and Fitness Myths You're Still Buying Into | Healthy Living - Yahoo! Shine. (n.d.). Yahoo! Shine - Women's Lifestyle | Healthy Living and Fashion Blogs. Retrieved from http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/5-health-fitness-myths-youre-still-buying-144700954.html