Myths Adults Believe about Exercise and Health

At Showtime Strength & Performance, we have a unique dynamic where we work with people under 10 years old and people over age 80. We have several families that train with us. Working with people across the spectrum of life, we hear many of their issues surrounding strength training, healthy nutrition, and the balancing act of making it all work. For many of the adults that don’t work with us, we often hear about the things that are holding them back from trying to improve their health. Some of these stem from previous experiences (high school sports), some of them career related, but almost all of them can be made better by using a professional coach that helps to create a sustainable plan for where you’re currently at. The truth is, kids are more adaptable. As adults, we become fixated in our routine and we also develop proficiency in a certain skill set. This builds confidence in that skill set, but also makes us not want to appear in competent in a new area (exercise, nutrition etc). This blog will be brief and just highlight the most common myths adults believe about their health, training, and overall wellness. As an adult, it’s easy to cling to any of these myths to avoid discomfort but that won’t help us become exceptional human beings and role models for our kids. If we expect kids to be healthy leaders, we have to demonstrate what it means to lead with our actions so our words have meaning. With all of these, I always ask people how they would react if their child made the same statements. 

I’m too out of shape to workout - Everyone begins from somewhere. A qualified coach can help monitor your recovery and progress you according to where you’re at now. 

I’ll start once I make more progress on my own - This is like saying “I’ll save money once I have more money”. I’ve been guilty of this in thinking that if I just make more progress then I’ll ask for help. The point of seeking help is to make the path clearer and easier to have success. 

I hurt too much to exercise - If you hurt and you don’t exercise, it might be worth seeing if you stop hurting once you begin exercise. Movement is one of the best tools we have for pain management. 

I have no energy - Much like pain, maybe you don’t have energy because you’re not moving. A body in motion likes to stay in motion, a body at rest likes to rest. 

I have no time - Delete all the apps off your phone and any streaming service. You’ll find a lot of time. This is the adult version of the dog eating your homework. 

I’m too weak - There are no minimum requirements to begin strength training. Professional coaches understand how to help people begin from ground zero. 

I’ve tried before, it didn’t work - You found one way that didn’t work for you. There are thousands of other ways that might work for you at this stage of your life. 

I don’t like being sore - Some soreness will happen, especially in the beginning. The best way to remedy this is to progress slow and move frequently. 

I don’t want to add too much muscle - Adding muscle is incredibly difficult and takes concentrated effort. People dedicate their entire life to adding pounds of muscle and some use illegal drugs to do so. It won’t happen lifting some dumbbells a few times a week. 

I don’t want to be less flexible - Full range of motion strength training will improve flexibility and mobility because it’s lengthening the muscles under a load. Many people lose flexibility due to weakness of muscles and joints not being moved or loaded. 

Asking for help is difficult. For many of us, it feels like we’re admitting defeat. In reality, asking for help is a strength and puts you on the fast track. Often it’s easier for us to create road blocks instead of solutions. My son is a little over 1 now and I can’t think of anything worse than not being able to play with him or doing whatever it is he wants to do. This is my purpose for exercise now and will drive me the rest of my life. It becomes easy to say our kids are a reason we can’t exercise, but maybe it’s more powerful if we think of how exercise can enhance our relationships with our kids. If you’ve ever felt down and out, realize that many people have had those same feelings. Professional coaches can change your life, if you let them. 

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