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5 misunderstandings about your condition

“If you don't exercise, you're not in shape” Nonsense! Just like these 5 other misunderstandings. Read here if you have already fallen for one of these untruths.

1 Fitness is the same as stamina.

Partly true, but fitness is also about agility, strength, speed and coordination. Together with endurance, these are the five basic motor skills that determine your physical performance.

Read also: '6 tips to keep sports fun'

2 If you don't exercise, you have no condition.

Nonsense, everyone has a certain basic condition. Even if you have never exercised in your life. You can significantly improve your condition by exercising regularly.

3 Your fitness remains the same over the years.

That would be great, but unfortunately your condition deteriorates by about 1 percent per year from your thirties. You can counteract that decline by training.

4 When you run, you build up so much fitness that you don't have to do any strength training.

During endurance sports you use a lot of muscles, but they do not grow. If you do a lot of cardio, you can even lose muscle mass.

5 Being in good shape only benefits your physical condition.

No, because you also benefit mentally from it. It has been scientifically proven that with a healthy condition you experience more joy in life and are therefore happier.

The top 6 fitness killers:

  • Smoking: disastrous for your lungs and the binding of oxygen. Experts agree that little is as bad for your condition as smoking.
  • Incorrect power supply: for example, saturated fats cause your arteries to clog, which leads to less good blood circulation. Also eat enough proteins, because they provide muscle building.
  • Don't move :sitting on the couch has never made anyone fitter. In fact:your muscles become less and your condition deteriorates.
  • Alcohol: hinders your recovery process and causes extra muscle pain.
  • Disease: your condition will not immediately deteriorate, but after one week it will start to decline. Fortunately, your condition has 'memory', so you can straighten that out afterwards.
  • Holiday: you usually move less and eat more, which reduces your muscle strength and endurance. But they will soon return when you start training again.

Source:Santé February 2019 Text:Fleur Baxmeier