Health

"Severe pain is the key to success!" "Your muscles will never grow without special supplements!"

All of these claims raise more questions than answers in the sports drug and product market, which is a multi-billion dollar business.

A part of this market is a variety of sports gadgets and DVDs with incredible assurances that losing weight and looking attractive is easy and simple.

Meanwhile, a well-designed daily routine and simple truths with which you can lose weight are hidden behind attractive advertising.

All this leads to misinformation regarding sports loads and principles of healthy eating. Below we will debunk the myths associated with the training process, and scientific experiments and research will help us in this.

Myth 1. No pain - no result

Undoubtedly, a person in the process of training must constantly increase his endurance. But at the same time, a person should not feel severe pain (as if he was beaten) after training or the next day.

For your information! Strength training for too long leads to a burning sensation in the muscles, as a result of which the pain becomes very severe. The so-called "pain threshold" comes, which some athletes can raise, and some - not, which is fraught with serious disorders in the body.

Therefore, it should be remembered that discomfort during sports is a natural state, but pain is by no means. Claims that exercise should be painful are wrong. Severe pain can signal the body that an injury is present. However, some body pain is inevitable, especially if you are a beginner athlete.

This myth has been debunked by physical therapists and other researchers, but today many believe that pain during exercise is the norm. Of course, training should be intense, but if you are experiencing severe pain, then you should reduce the load, or stop going to the gym altogether.

Myth 2. Lactic acid in muscles

So why do muscles ache a day or two after sports training? This is called ZMP (Retarded Muscle Pain), although many people mistakenly believe that the pain is due to the buildup of lactic acid in the muscles.

This claim is based on the fact that during intense strength exercise, the muscles create the impetus for anaerobic (no oxygen) contractions, which actually leads to the production of lactic acid.

The same thing happens when doing athletics ( it comes about walking or jogging), but with the only difference that lactic acid is produced in small quantities.

The opinion that lactic acid causes ZMB is incorrect, since in fact, lactic acid, which the body produces during sports exercise, comes out shortly after the end of the exercises, that is, long before the ZMB develops.

This soreness is caused by microscopic tears in the muscle during physical exercise(especially if you are just starting your training regimen). In turn, the tears lead to muscle inflammation and soreness.

Our muscles are made up of filaments of protein that continually contract during exercise, leading to the creation of new, healthy and strong muscle tissue. This is also the reason why it is necessary to regularly increase power load because this is how our muscles grow and strengthen.

If you want to avoid too painful sensations during training, you should start with small loads, which should be gradually increased.

If you feel severe pain after training, it is recommended to increase the interval between training sessions. In addition, it is best to combine physical exercises (for example, lifting a barbell) with a run, because exercises of the same type contribute to a loss of interest in the training process itself.

Here are some tips to help reduce severe muscle pain:

• Take ibuprofen in small doses (no more than twice a day).
• Slowly and gently stretch the muscles in the area where the pain was localized, because the muscles after sports training are reduced, and with the help of light massage they can be stretched a little. In addition, massage will improve blood circulation in the muscles, saturate them with oxygen and nutrients that will ultimately ease the pain.
• Take a warm bath, which also improves blood circulation.
• Apply ice to the sore muscle for 15 minutes, then remove the ice for 15 minutes and repeat the procedure. Studies have shown that this procedure improves blood circulation.

Generally medicines for muscle pain, provoked by exercise, has not yet been found. On the other hand, however, there is nothing wrong with your brain signaling muscle fatigue and requiring rest. In addition, we must admit that real fans of "pumping muscles" enjoy such pain.

Myth 3. Regular exercise

To get in shape (not to be confused with weight loss), a person should not spend too much time exercising. It must be understood that there are no magic spells for quick sports success.

If you are engaged in any improved program that implies a normal training regimen, then this does not mean that you have to spend long hours in the gym every day.

Research conducted by scientists at McMaster University in Ontario in 2012 shows that even twenty minutes of physical activity a day is enough to keep muscles and body in good shape.

There is another way to achieve desired result at a minimum of time, which implies an increase in the intensity of training. This method is called Intensive Interval Training.

For your information! Human muscles are composed of fast and slow fibers. Slow ones help the general endurance of the body, while the fast ones contribute to the rapid development of speed and strength of the muscles (however, for such an increased speed of energy you will have to pay with a fairly quick fatigability of the body).

Therefore, muscle tissue in sprinters is 70 - 90% composed of fast fibers, and for marathon runners 70 - 90% are slow. In the Intensive Interval Method, a person uses both types of muscle.

However, not everyone will be able to withstand high loads during training, therefore it is recommended to consult with a specialist in this field, who will help you find the "golden mean" between intensity and training time.

On the other hand, regular repetition of exercises will have a beneficial effect on your health, but if you think that there are more important events in your life, then you should not neglect your own affairs.

Meanwhile, even a half-hour walk has great importance to maintain health.

Myth 4. Sports drinks

This is one of those myths that no longer have their original meaning. Sports drinks are used to improve the performance of exercises that last longer than an hour.

Composition of standard sports drinks:

• Electrolytes (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, bicarbonate, phosphate, sulfate).
• Glucose.

Why can't professional athletes just drink water? Long-term use of plain water will simply suppress thirst, but not saturate the body with energy.

Sports drinks by by and large are needed only by professional athletes who need to constantly replenish the supply of fluid and sugar (glucose). These fluids come out in sweat and are fuel for the muscles.

If a person just runs in the evening after working on a treadmill, then he does not need professional sports drinks (especially if the goal of training is to lose weight).

Myth 5. Stretching exercises

The myth that stretching prevents injury is controversial. There are both supporters and opponents of stretching before training, but the whole problem boils down to the fact that many confuse the term "stretching" with the concept of "warm-up".

It is very important to do a warm-up before training, which will prepare the muscles for intense physical activity and help prevent injury, while stretching, at best, will not be beneficial. It has been proven that injury cannot be avoided even with stretching.

Therefore, it is better to focus on the correct warm-up before training, while the warm-up can include stretching elements, which will help increase flexibility, but then the workout should be short.

Myth 6. Building muscle mass

There is an opinion that exercise on simulators builds muscle mass without affecting weight loss. But this happens only for the reason that certain rules are not followed during training. Unfortunately, such people do not see the benefits of exercise, believing that without a diet, they are useless.

Meanwhile, this is a common misconception that does not correspond to reality. According to research results, people who want to lose weight solely with physical activity lose weight more slowly than those who want to lose weight only through diet or those who do both at the same time.

The reason is that it is easier to get rid of calories by cutting back on your diet than burning the same amount of calories through exercise.

You can get noticeable results by changing your diet while exercising and recruiting muscle mass, which will not affect the increase in total body weight. The fact is that a person on a diet loses both fat and muscle. Exercise promotes, at a minimum, muscle retention and fat loss.

A decrease in muscle mass during a diet can lead to a decrease in the metabolic rate (chemical reactions that provide the body with energy and those substances that support its vital activity), therefore it is recommended to give the body physical activity, both during and after the diet.

If you want to lose weight, then you can study the experience of other people who have achieved success in losing weight and were able to keep the result obtained. The main thing is not to feel lonely or doomed, especially since you can get rid of this problem.

Diet and exercise are a great combination for losing weight and maintaining overall health. In addition, studies have shown that exercise also helps reduce the risk of diabetes, most forms of cancer, and helps to cope with depression.

Myth 7. Effective exercise for weight loss

It often happens that people completely abandon physical activity when, after hours of exercise, they do not see the results they hope for. The problem is that exercise, while promoting calorie loss, may not be enough for effective weight loss.

For example, a simple walk can burn 100 calories per hour, and if you sit in a chair, you will lose 60 calories per hour. Productive results in weight loss depend on the willpower of the person, the intensity and duration of the activities that the novice athlete does.

It is also important to note that the benefits of exercise for weight loss are undeniable, affecting general health person.

Myth 8. Protein shake for muscle growth

This is another myth that only applies to professional athletes(and not for everyone, which the advertising of such dietary supplements is silent about).

Special supplements are created to help professional bodybuilders or powerlifters (powerlifters), while the average person who plays sports two or three times a week, in order to stay in shape and build some muscle mass, does not need to use some newfangled protein cocktail, the composition of which is given below.

Typical Protein Shake Ingredients:

• Whey protein.
• Milk.
• Eggs.
• Peas.

A person who monitors his body receives all the necessary ingredients in the right amount from food, that is, additives are not necessary for him.

It should be noted that most of these supplements are made from milk or soy, that is, products that are high in protein, so it is economically unprofitable for non-professional athletes to buy expensive protein shakes.

Also, from natural products, the body receives a lot of energy (calories) and carbohydrates, which are necessary for productive workouts.

If you find a protein shake tasty, then no one forbids you to use it. But even a delicious dinner prepared from "healthy" products can replace any supplement.

Myth 9. Health and longevity

It's never too late to start exercising and thereby improve general state health and extend your life.

This is evidenced by a study in which more than 1,800 elderly people took part in sports (and it does not matter, throughout their life or only in the last few years).

As a result, the subjects lived longer than their peers who did not play sports, and their health improved markedly.

The main thing is to properly distribute the load, taking into account age and general health. With proper organization, training will help improve memory, reduce joint pain, and eliminate depression.

Myth 10. Workout at home

Many people believe that exercising at home is less effective than exercising in the gym. Well, this myth has two sides of the coin.

It is irrational to argue about where it is better and more effective to practice- at home or in sports hall, because both options have their own advantages and disadvantages, which has been repeatedly confirmed in numerous studies. This is a purely individual question, to the solution of which everyone approaches in different ways.

One study found that it’s easier to start exercising in the home gym, but the long-term prospects of exercising at home have been questioned.

Of course, it is more interesting to work out in the gym (and over time, interest in home workouts disappears). But! It is a mistake to believe that the effectiveness of training depends on the location of training., because everything depends solely on the motivation and willpower of the person.

In fact, if a person can truly adjust himself to training process, believes in himself and will be able to adhere to a certain schedule of classes, then sooner or later he will come to his goal, studying in an ordinary home atmosphere.

And if a person is not sure of his capabilities, if he can cope with the problem alone excess weight fails then it's better to get a gym membership, thereby making exercise a part of your life.

Ada Samarka: “The world of big-time sports is an adult world, and little child who got there, you have to play by adult rules "

Since then, as my children began to seriously engage in sports, others persistently tell us horror stories. Moreover, the further the storyteller's life proceeds from the gym, the more terrifying the story is, as a rule. I decided to collect them all in one article and tell you what is true of this and what are the general guides of mothers who have chosen professional sports for their children.

Myth 1. They are all disabled there.

Almost everyone, having learned that my children are engaged in acrobatics for 3-4 hours every day, considers it his duty to inform, with a very authoritative and important air, that ALL gymnasts and circus performers have Big problems with backs and knees, and all professional athletes are sick, broken, broken. You also hear about the horrors waiting for girls.in terms of their reproductive health: late puberty, problemss with conception and gestation, pathologically small growth and even prolapse of the uterus.

Actually

Let's take a look at those who have not been involved in sports. Is everyone healthy? Does everyone have good backs, no problems with the reproductive system, good pressure and no headache due to the weather? As a rule, the average person by a certain age becomes overgrown with a certain amount of chronic ailments. Legs hurt both athletes and those who suffer from varicose veins, gout and arthritis for completely different reasons. But those who have devoted themselves to sports since childhood look and feel much better than those who have not been involved in sports, because they have a muscle corset that was injected in childhood "for centuries." Among my acquaintances former athletes there are people who are already relatively elderly, but in excellent shape, full of strength and energy. Yes, many have stories about injuries, but if you put someone of the same age nearby, without injuries and several years of sports in your life and compare how they look, how they feel, how they live, the choice will clearly not be in favor of the latter ... People who are not friends with sports fall into ice and break their arms and legs more often than athletes who know how to group. Amateurs-skiers and amateurs-cyclists who want to “ride for health and pleasure” find themselves in hospital beds with fractures and sprains much more often than those who have had the skill and training since childhood. For my children, I can say the following: they have become stronger. While the terrible flu was raging in the country and all the friends who were so against "hard sports" suffered and blew their nose, we did not have a single pass due to illness. Despite the fact that initially the children came not completely healthy - the eldest daughter is registered with several specialists, from a neurologist to an infectious disease specialist.

There are almost no injuries in children's sports: experienced coaches are well aware of safety techniques and will never let a child out onto the carpet who is not sure about the element. Children will never be forced to do what they cannot physically do. Even for purely mercantile reasons, the coach, no matter how monster he is, does not make sense to injure (incapacitate) the child, who then, perhaps, will bring him medals. But the more serious it gets sports category, the closer this crazy "what if it turns out."

Severe sports begins when you understand that in an amicable way you now need to lie down for a couple of days, recover, collect your thoughts - but you stubbornly go to training.

There is a clash of willpower and "common" reason. And here the most important thing begins: for some it suits, but for some it does not. Some are inclined towards mathematics, and some are not. Someone knows how to sing, but someone does not. Someone can walk in millimeters from tears and big troubles, while others cannot. Someone can come to work out with a temperature, and someone lies in bed and eats pills.

- Read also: How to send a child to big sports and survive

Injuries are very scary. And if Elena Mukhina did not do gymnastics, she would have lived a completely different life, a fact. Someone is unlucky. Someone consciously takes risks. The closer you get to the place of the absolute leader, the world champion, the darker and more terrible the abyss around you. Someone passes through it beautifully and with an even back, while someone falls and breaks. To become a champion, you need to make a titanic, inhuman effort. For this, champions are appreciated, because there are only a few of them. But it's still yours and nobody else's choice - to roll up an aching knee elastic bandages and go on to train, because at the same time in other gyms around the world your competitors are now training, who will not wait until you rest and recover. For some, this suits, but others think that the medals are not worth it. And both are right, because they decide for themselves.

I know we can always stop. That when a medal or health is on the line, we will all take the right, informed choice and will not regret it.

Myth 2. Trainer-monster

I often hear that parents consider the methods of communication between coaches and pupils to be “unacceptable”: “My child is a person, and no one has the right to treat him like that.” It is believed that children-athletes are all completely moral cripples with suppressed will and chronic depression.

Actually

The world of big-time sports is an adult world. And a small child who gets there for 3-4 hours every day has to play according to adult rules - pragmatic, like our whole harsh life. This is a world where you have to work hard, doing your best in an honest way, to become better than yourself of yesterday and, possibly, better than your competitors, the same boys and girls, honing in the same room exactly the same elements all over the world. If you want to be better, work harder. This is the law. The coach's job is to help the child overcome himself and do more than he thinks he can do. There is a process of creation and transformation, and this is always accompanied by strong emotions. The coach helps to concentrate on what is really important, he encourages the child to be as collected, accurate and fearless as possible. Very often this requires raising your voice. Very often, a child needs to be taken out of his comfortable state, in which he is a smart and well done for himself and his parents, but capable of something more, he simply does not know how to get there. A "kick" from a coach works wonders.

The coach cannot be kind and lisp - this is the task of the parents. The coach is always dissatisfied, worried, with a breaking voice and not prone to sentimentality.

A coach's job is by no means a deep dive into inner world the child and his experiences. How more coach screams, investing in a child, the more he believes in him. The world is arranged in such a way that you need to break through discomfort and through "I can't" to change. We feel sorry for ourselves, often overestimate, we believe that "I have done so much" and "this will do." The coach sees the big picture: who is capable of what, who can be strained and forced to do even more for his own good. If the coach is affectionate and undemanding, the athlete will not grow.

Tears during exercise are common. It is very difficult for mothers to watch this, because, by the way, parents are often not allowed into the classroom. After all, the function of parents is to protect and comfort. But here you have to choose - cry at competitions because of the lack of a prize place or cry in training, trying to get better. My children honestly talk about their tears in training, they are not ashamed of them and philosophically take them as a given, inseparable from themselves. For example, there are tears when “I thought I did it, but the coach says it didn’t work out”, when “it just stupidly doesn’t work out” and when “it’s not working out for a partner / team member and because of him, everyone doesn’t work. the rest "when" it's hard to pump / stretch. " These are "light" tears that do not leave trauma. They can simply be accepted and experienced.

It is also important to understand that the coach's shouting is not insults and humiliation. Doctors shout at women in labor at the moment of attempts - come on! Yet! You can! Gathered! Don't play the fool! And this is necessary, it is not insulting. Fans shout at the stadiums - this is a cry of faith and deep support, although in fact there may even be swear words. The shout of a coach at a child is not a shout of an unbalanced boor at an innocent intellectual who “did nothing wrong”.

Alas, there are some trainers who take pleasure in humiliating children or even beating them. Perhaps such coaches even make serious champions, but parents always have a choice of who and where to train and at what cost. The attitude of the child to the coach is very important, his opinion should be primary - if the child loves and respects his coach, although he is afraid, then everything is fine.

Myth 3. All free time is spent on sports. And money. Children have no childhood! And parents have a normal family

This is a classic: you are called to classmates for your birthday, and you have a workout. They call the class for an excursion - you have a training session. Walking with friends on Saturday is your workout. In the summer, go to the dacha - you have training. Everyone has a vacation - you have fees. And the whole family works together for one athlete with his equipment, individual lessons and other madness.

Actually

Yes, that's how it is. But. In order to improve their health, improve posture, be in good shape, learn something new, have fun - children go to circles. The circle works 2-3 times a week and the lesson there lasts no more than two hours, and in the summer they have a vacation. These children will most likely perform at local concerts or competitions organized for parents, but for a wider audience, their skills are unlikely to be interesting, just as the children themselves are unlikely to differ from their peers. This is what motivates all those who are ready to devote time and energy, engaging in more advanced sections where there is a chance to make the chosen sport their profession, hone their technique and learn something that very few people can. To become a professional, you need to devote at least 3 hours a day to your chosen business. Better five. Is it worth it? Those who condemn, regret and twist their fingers to their temples, of course, believe that it is not worth it. But those who perform on the best stages in the world ride on tour, who compete with the best athletes on best arenas Those who play in the national team and win medals for their country do not think so and are ready to sacrifice everything that is included in the concept of "normal childhood" in order to gain mastery. If we remove emotions, then what is “normal childhood”? How do ordinary children, who are not busy with anything serious, spend their time? Most likely, this lesson may well compete in usefulness with 3-4 hours in the gym.

As for friends and communication, this is enough in training. It is there, and not on the Internet, that true friendship develops, team spirit grows and difficulties are overcome together. Children celebrate holidays and birthdays together, go to training camps and competitions together. They ride together on trains and live together in hotels, eat together and watch TV together before bed.

They have their own flock there, their friends and like-minded people. A child in sports is not alone and is not cut off from his peers, but rather the opposite.

Young athletes also have time for all important children's affairs, because 3-4 hours a day is not a day and night. They just get used to doing everything quickly and to the point. The weekend is planned a couple of weeks in advance and free time is valued much higher than that of "ordinary" children, and is occupied only with what is really important. Problems begin just after the decision to leave the sport - not everyone can immediately cope with this huge pile of free time, they do not know what to do with themselves, they feel sad and fall into apathy.

As for the financial side of the issue, at first glance, the amounts that go to children's sports, seem unreasonable and overwhelming. If you look at the family budget of the average family of a young athlete, then almost everything falls on the “sport” column. In addition to, in fact, the monthly fee for the lesson (initially rather big, because in serious sections they do not undertake to study for a penny), also appear: hours individual training, renting trampoline halls and what else is needed for advanced training, all kinds of "rolling" on the ice with figure skaters, classes with choreographers from gymnasts, acrobatics from dancers and other important electives. Is it possible to do without this? It is unlikely, if you are serious about it, then it is foolish to spend so much time on some activity and at the same time not try to grow and develop in it. Competition suits, all kinds of balls, clubs, swords, swords, skates, pointe shoes and other professional equipment also cost a lot of money. The higher the quality - the higher the performance of the athlete - the higher the place in the competition. To jump double and triple jumps on figure skating, special, very difficult boots are required, which cannot be bought so easily in “sporting goods”. The ball for rhythmic gymnastics must be made of a special material and have special properties. A leotard for performances should be lightweight, comfortable, beautiful and sewn, as a rule, to order, for each athlete individually.

If not for sports, what would all this money be spent on? We figured out what: for entertainment and replenishment of the "princess's wardrobe" with a bunch of unnecessary things, for toys that will be played for exactly the day.

Since our children went into sports, it is this part of family waste that has significantly decreased. We stopped aimlessly wandering around the city (which, of course, has its own charm too) and thinking how we could have fun buying all sorts of rubbish. Competitions, I tell you, are the coolest entertainment of all! It's like a superquest at a big family holiday, for which you prepare in six months. Expensive and boring entertainment centers are now not at all pleasing - children get adrenaline and vivid emotions every day in their trainings. Shopping has also depreciated - children have smart and casual sets of clothes and nothing more. Performance costumes are now more interesting for them.

As for family life, we also find in children's schedule a place for your own entertainment. Trips to training camps and competitions can be turned into a romantic getaway for mom and dad (not without nuances, but still ...). The success of children can bring parents together. Although, alas, there are cases exactly the opposite - when fanatical care for children's sports breaks families. Therefore, it is so important to communicate with each other, to be on the same wavelength. Understand and support each other's interests.

In an amicable way, children's sports is such a huge, high-quality, voluminous entertainment, which you "get hooked on" and calmly deny yourself something else.

Myth 4. Success in sports is the lot of a select few. And children are consumables

People often tell me about this - do you seriously want to raise champions from your children? You also often hear about "data" - it often happens that a child who dreams of doing some kind of sport "does not fit" there. And there is also a terrible dropout, wild competition, in paired forms - dependence on a partner.

Actually

Truth . Each person comes into this world with some kind of talent. Someone was born to sing, someone to manage and organize, someone to pole vault, someone to paint pictures, someone to cook ... Each of us has some kind of a tendency in which we are better than others. Children with the corresponding inclinations get into certain kinds of sports. For example, in rhythmic gymnastics figure is of great importance - thin, long-legged girls with good coordination remain, and there is nothing to do with stocky and clumsy, no matter how much they dream. V artistic gymnastics girls are naturally small - it is easier for them to soar in the air, it is easier for them to spin on the crossbar. And in athletics people with a completely different constitution feel great. Some sports are more popular than others, there are more sections, who want to do it - darkness, so there is a hard screening out. The coach immediately sees who will have it easy and who will not. With whom you will have to bother, sitting on the splits, developing deflections, and someone has already come with "soft" joints with ligaments ready from birth, bending in all directions.

But I want to say that the data is still not so critical. Svetlana Khorkina, Anastasia Volochkova are vivid examples of this. If there is character and desire, then everything can work out. In fact, fierce competition makes you even stronger. Strong opponents inspire. If different girls were put on the “first line” in a choreographic ensemble every time so that “no one would feel offended and worse than others,” would those very girls have an incentive to try to be better? An athlete is different from ordinary people - he is cooler, he can do things that others never dreamed of. Therefore, he - with medals and on TV, and everyone else is looking at him. Those who can, the coach sees well: they are hardy, physically strong children, able to work at the peak of their capabilities. The rest of the sport has nothing to do. This is about dependence on partners, and this is true. But it only at first glance seems that if there is no partner, then everything is lost. During the period of "loneliness" you can come to grips with your own workouts, grind stretching, jumping and what else is required in your sport. And when he (or she) comes to be ready. The best partners get the best partners.

Myth 5. Athletes are dumb

When to learn them, when is it all the time in training? Then one lot - the Institute of Physical Education.

Actually

There are a lot of stupid children who have nothing to do with sports. If you take the asset of Losers from different schools, then make sure that there are very few professional athletes among them. But there are just plenty of excellent athletes. Remember - an excellent student, an athlete, a Komsomol member? There are many of them now. Sport is discipline and organization, if you didn't know. And these qualities are very helpful in learning. Children learn not to be distracted, they think faster.

Athletes are also vain, for them it is already a matter of straightening - to be the first and it does not matter where - in training or at school.

There are, of course, different examples. But children's sports do not have a catastrophic effect on school performance. When it comes to the national team and life in sports boarding school, there are other rules included, but there are not so many chances of getting into the national team. And you can finish your studies, for example, after the end of your career. Svetlana Khorkina is again a vivid example of this.

Myth 6. After retirement - who are they?

They don't know how to do anything but jump, and then they can't, because everyone is broken. Who needs them at 30?

Actually

To begin with, many athletes are now learning from someone else. Translators, lawyers, rehabilitation therapists - all these specialties can be mastered as a master of sports. And then realize yourself in something close to sports and the chosen profession at the same time. You can also always become a coach. In our reality, sports are getting closer to the luxury segment. Decent and strongest of the world Therefore, they believe that it is important for them to have a body that they can be proud of and hire professional trainers. Your child may well become one of them - organizing fitness camps, writing articles and speaking at workshops.

When you start learning a business at the age of 7, then at 27 you will have 20 years of experience! It's great. Do you know a lot of people who, at 27, have such a huge experience of something?

After completing a career, acrobats and gymnasts open the doors to the world of show business. The casting managers of Cirque du Soleil come directly to the competitions in Kiev, Vinnitsa and other cities in order to get there new professionals for their shows. In Du Soleil, there is a very decent pay, a social package and the opportunity to have a good ride around the world. Getting into this circus is not easy. They say that for this you need to train from 5-6 years old and for several hours every day. This is how much professional athletes train.

Situations that really break

And now I will tell you that for some reason no one told me from the "know-how". And what really hurts the most in our children's sports business. This is the impossibility of realizing the true potential of the child. This is the worst thing in sports - when you watch how talent dies before your eyes, how every month the opportunity to make a cool champion dies out, how he wilts and gradually becomes like everyone else. When you have everything - both "data", and character, and desire ... but there is no way to adequately train and grow. Or there is no money and, having reached a certain level, you simply cannot step further, because there - individual sessions, participation in international competitions- everything is getting too serious and you, parents, it is simply beyond your power. And when you see other people's children who have such opportunities, but the talent is just not enough, it becomes very, very painful for you: they go forward, and you are left behind, although you could ... Or when the coach leaves. Or the hall is closed. Or a partner has left. Or the coach has put in a different lineup, implying fewer training sessions. Or you realize that you have outgrown your section, but there is nowhere to go further. Or they were injured and the doctor forbade you to train.

The most painful stories in great sport connected with this - when they are not allowed to study as often and as efficiently as we would like. Everything else is much easier to experience.

Writer, screenwriter, blogger

Should you buy a gym membership if you can't exercise regularly? Is it true that the more you sweat, the more you lose weight? Let's consider the most common myths about sports

For the formation of a male-type figure, a high level of testosterone is needed. Most women have much lower levels of this hormone than men, so moderate strength training 2-3 times a week does not cause this effect. Exercises on simulators are also useful for women because they help to strengthen bones, prevent osteoporosis and improve well-being.

Each cell has its own structure, due to the genetic code. Therefore, fat cells always remain fat, and muscle cells - muscle. But the former increase from fatty and sugary foods, and the latter from exercise. If you reduce the calorie content of the diet and play sports, then the adipose tissue will become smaller, and the muscles, on the contrary, will strengthen. This is what gives the body a slender and trained look. Recall that muscles develop best through strength exercises - on simulators or with dumbbells.

2. If there is no time for regular training, then you should not go in for sports at all.

Research has shown that physical activity preferable to inaction. Even when it comes to light activities like walking the dog, walking around the house, etc. Movement stimulates blood circulation, increases metabolic rate, reduces the risk of heart disease, strengthens muscles, and makes joints more mobile. Plus, agile people exude optimism, which is good for health.

4. It is best to exercise in the morning.

Not necessary.

That is, if there is such an opportunity, it is good, but in general morning workout is no different from classes in the afternoon. First, it burns the same amount of calories. Secondly, not every person feels a surge of cheerfulness in the morning. Owls, for example, are better at evening classes. In general, the training time should be chosen by yourself. One has only to take into account that after active physical activity it can be difficult to fall asleep.

5. Exercises for the press help to remove the abdomen.

By themselves, such exercises are not able to get rid of big belly. Body fat in this area depend on total weight body. To reduce the belly, you need to switch to low-calorie foods and perform daily aerobic exercise(walking, running, treadmill, cycling).

6. With age, all people get fat due to a slowdown in metabolism.

Not entirely true.

Yes, with each decade of life, metabolism decreases by 2 percent, but this is negligible compared to other factors of obesity - low mobility, improper diet... You should not attribute obesity to age if you neglect activities that speed up metabolism and eat too high-calorie foods. At healthy eating and regular exercise, a person remains slim at any age.

7. Fullness is a sign of an abnormal metabolism.

In most cases, this is incorrect.

Metabolism is nothing more than a daily expenditure of energy. If a person consumes more calories than they expend, their weight grows. Large portions, an abundance of simple carbohydrates (sugar, sweets, pastries, white bread), eating on the TV, and a sedentary lifestyle all contribute to obesity. But if a person is mobile, and his weight nevertheless does not decrease, it is worth consulting a doctor. Obesity can be a sign of a hormonal disorder, an underlying medical condition, or an unbalanced diet.

8. Active sports activities apply.

Dosed loads with a gradual increase and correct technique exercise - The best way avoid injury. If your knees hurt after training, then this is a sign that you are doing something wrong. When choosing a sport for yourself, you need to consult a doctor and an experienced instructor. Before class, you should do exercises to warm up the muscles, and at the end of the workout, relaxation exercises. The level of exercise should correspond to your physical condition. In addition, it is recommended to choose a set of exercises to strengthen the knees and hip joints... It is important to train in comfortable shoes and on a suitable surface. If you experience pain in your knees, you should immediately stop exercising and consult a podiatrist.

9. The more you sweat, the more you lose weight.

Sweat during exercise is released to cool the hot body. Weight loss after exercise is due to fluid loss, not pounds. It is worth drinking water - and the amount of fluid is restored, and with it the weight. Nevertheless, it is imperative to replenish the moisture reserve after training! And to lose weight, you need to continue to exercise and eat right.

10. Pilates is an exercise for women.

Pilates is mistakenly considered a feminine, "frivolous" training system. They say about him that he does not increase muscles, does not burn calories - then, they say, why is he needed at all. In fact, this is a wonderful set of exercises suitable for both women and men. Pilates stimulates development deep muscles, which form the basis of our body, strengthens the muscles of the back, buttocks and shoulder girdle, improves freedom of movement in the joints.

Sports are considered the best cure for stress, excess weight and low self-esteem. Most famous athletes, coaches and doctors wrote about how to do sports correctly in order to achieve the desired result. However, there are several common misconceptions that only harm our health.

Myth # 1. To stay in shape, you need to train once or twice a week.

According to scientists, you need to exercise at least three times a week. Shawn Arent of Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA, says that, ideally, you need to exercise every day, but simple walks or short runs are a great addition to your gym workout.

Myth # 2. Morning is the best time to exercise.

Set yourself a kind of regime: go to the gym at a strictly defined time.

Ideally, physical activity should become your daily habit. Someone likes to practice late at night, someone likes to run in a deserted park at six in the morning. That's why the best time for sports - one that allows you to turn training into a routine.

Myth # 3: Free Weight Exercise Turns Fat Into Muscle

Dumbbell and barbell exercises are not able to save you extra pounds. But with their help, you can build muscle tissue. And to get rid of fat mass will help, which should include vegetables, whole grains, foods high in protein, as well as healthy fats - olive oil and fish.

Myth # 4: Stretching helps the body heal faster.

According to research Stretching and deep and superficial massage do not influence blood lactate levels after heavy-intensity cycle exercise. Italian scientists, those who stretch after exercise do not experience significant changes in the body. But according to Wayne Westcott, a professor at Quincy University in Massachusetts, stretching after exercise can help increase joint flexibility.

Myth # 5. Exercise is the best way to lose weight.

Exercising in the gym will not help you "burn" a hearty dinner.

If you want to lose weight, then first of all you need to reconsider your diet.

Philip Stanforth of the University of Texas argues that in the process of losing weight, diet plays Effects of a caloric restriction weight loss diet and exercise on inflammatory biomarkers in overweight / obese postmenopausal women: a randomized controlled trial. much more important role than workout.

Myth # 6. Want a flat stomach? Download the press!

shape.com

To get it, you need to engage all muscle groups. The most popular press exercise affects only the abdominal muscles, while push-ups work several muscle groups: pectoral, triceps, elbow, as well as lower and upper muscles backs say Want a stronger core? Skip the sit-ups. scientists from Harvard.

Myth # 7. Strength training for men only

If you like strength exercises then your gender is irrelevant. But as claimed Effect of testosterone on muscle mass and muscle protein synthesis. Scientists, the fact that the female body produces less testosterone than the male, can have a significant impact on the result of training, as this hormone plays an important role in increasing muscle mass.

Myth number 8. You can lose your physical shape in two weeks without training.

For many people, muscle tissue breaks down after just one week without regular exercise, scientists say.

In the body, changes begin to occur after seven days without physical exertion.

Sean Arent, professor at Rutgers University

Myth # 9. Sports drinks are the best way to rehydrate after exercise.

Most sports drinks are just water and sugar. Scientists recommend replacing them with regular water and snacks with a lot of protein. Research shows Role of dietary protein in post-exercise muscle reconditioning. It is protein that helps muscles recover from exercise.

Myth No. 10. The more time you spend in the gym, the better.

Your body needs to rest, especially after intense training says Ashley Borden, a Los Angeles-based trainer with whom many celebrities work. If you work out in the gym every day, then there is a high probability that your body will suffer from fatigue. Excessive training prevents the muscles from recovering, so it is necessary to take rest breaks.