Questions tagged [physical-fitness]
Use this tag for questions explicitly about health approaches that revolve around exercise and diet as a means to attain health.
55
questions
-2
votes
1answer
990 views
Can small amounts of exercise build muscle?
I have run across a number of exercise routines which claim individuals can lose weight and build muscle with very little exercise.
So, the question: Can an average person become ripped in three ...
8
votes
0answers
253 views
Do belt massagers promote weight loss?
I recently bought a piece of exercise equipment to help counteract all the time I spend sat in front of StackExchange. I thought I got a very good price for the base unit alone, but I obviously didn't ...
5
votes
0answers
601 views
Does slapping parts of your body increase blood flow and help with physical activity?
I have believed for quite some time that slapping limbs is "good for blood circulation", without ever looking more into it. After getting curious about it, I found a lot of claims that it's ...
0
votes
0answers
102 views
Does consuming the sports drink "Oxigen" boost recovery after exercise?
There is a sports drink firm called Oxigen that purports to have a scientifically-proven product that boosts recovery after exercise.
Their web site claims the following:
What if the water you put in ...
34
votes
3answers
5k views
Does ascending one step burn 0.1 kcal of energy?
The Tsukuba Express Akihabara station has 0.1 kcal markings painted on the steps up from the platform.
Is this accurate? Obviously it's going to depend on the person but broadly speaking do you burn ...
0
votes
0answers
226 views
Does the pelvic clock help flat back syndrome as claimed
There is a product called the pelvic clock that claims to have numerous benefits for back and hip conditions and pain once of those conditions it claims to improve is Flat Back Syndrome.
is there ...
3
votes
1answer
436 views
Does exercise trigger migraines?
Some people think that exercise triggers migraines.
This recent online survey demonstrates that the belief is widespread enough amongst women to make many of them avoid exercise for fear of ...
0
votes
1answer
382 views
Are Carpal Tunnel Syndrome exercises effective?
There are numerous articles/videos on the internet talking about exercises that supposedly help with/prevent carpal tunnel syndrome. Examples:
https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/exercises-carpal-...
3
votes
0answers
244 views
Can Flat Feet be "Corrected" through the use of Minimalist Shoes?
As stated in the title, I'm interested in the claim that flat feet, fallen arches, or other weaknesses of the feet can be corrected through the use of minimalist footware.
A visit to my local shoe ...
13
votes
1answer
738 views
Is high intensity interval training an efficient way to improve your cardio?
HIIT has been very hot the last couple of years. A short exercise seems to have the same impact as longer same-speed exercise. Most research, Skeptics questions on the subject and news articles focus ...
9
votes
1answer
423 views
Do many people die because of shovelling snow?
This is one of those "known truths" supported by what appears to be legitimate expert opinion on public media (see below).
But I couldn't find a scientific study of the issue, after all it could be ...
14
votes
0answers
3k views
Is it hazardous to bend one's head backwards to stretch the neck?
I've heard claims that it's bad to stretch the neck by tilting it all the way back, or by doing neck circles. Here is one such article
Research is showing a connection between extreme neck ...
23
votes
2answers
8k views
Do fitness trackers make you fatter?
The idea of using a fitness tracker is that you should pay more attention to the amount of exercise you get and, therefore, be more likely to get enough. This should support weight loss in people who ...
13
votes
0answers
511 views
Does exposure to cold make body fat easier to burn? [duplicate]
The Facebook pages Weird Facts and WTF recently posted this image.
Exposure to cold makes body fat easier to burn. Scientists found that putting ice packs on problem areas can burn extra calories. ...
8
votes
1answer
1k views
Does the body get rid of alcocol first before metabolizing food?
In her article The Top 8 Metabolism Myths, the nutritionist of Fitbit writes
Go easy on the booze, too; your body will focus on getting rid of the alcohol first, before metabolizing the food.
Is ...
2
votes
0answers
197 views
Is exercise on a full stomach more effective at burning Calories?
This article makes a number of interesting claims about health and fitness, but I wanted to focus on this one:
In one International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism study, ...
4
votes
0answers
270 views
Does over-training reduce muscle mass?
BodyBuilding.com and LiveStrong claim that over-training (training excessively/while being sore) reduces muscle mass.
LiveStrong says:
Over-training describes a state where your muscles are not ...
1
vote
1answer
401 views
Does low-calorie/ high-protein diet + fitness regime allow simultaneous muscle growth and fat loss?
Does eating less overall (but high protein), in conjunction with weight lifting (4 days a week), have the effect of inducing fat loss while growing muscle?
On the CBC site it is claimed that a regime ...
6
votes
1answer
417 views
Does lifting weights inhibit growth in kids?
I have a teenager at home, who is itching to pull weights in a gym. He is training to be a sprinter, so I see the benefits of power and strength training, but am worried, as these are his growing ...
2
votes
1answer
300 views
Are elliptical trainers the least accurate cardio equipment for estimating calories burned?
I find that seemingly equivalent workouts on my treadmill and my elliptical trainer results in the latter device reporting that I have burned almost twice the calories as the former. However as I tend ...
1
vote
0answers
230 views
Will stretching help me have lean, shapely muscles? [duplicate]
I read that after exercising, we should stretch our muscles so that they won't be bulky but instead be long and lean. Is this true?
Edit: The question is more about aesthetics than whether stretching ...
5
votes
1answer
403 views
Does exercise affect the number of muscle cells?
Washington.edu reported that:
Muscle cell number is affected by exercise level while young
and elitefitness.com said:
a trainee in the early stages of training would increase cell number
...
28
votes
1answer
4k views
Does exercise make you healthier?
It is widely believed that regular exercise helps people become fitter, stronger and healthier. For example, from Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans:
Regular physical activity is one of the ...
2
votes
0answers
112 views
Can joints withstand greater compressive forces than shear forces without injury?
It is a widespread proposition on multiple fitness websites that joints are better able to withstand compressive forces than shear forces.
For example: Precision Nutrition
and Boot Camp Military ...
29
votes
1answer
2k views
Does heavy exercising increase beard growth?
The claim that exercise promotes beard growth is common around the Internet. The explanation that is the most common is that heavy exercising increases the testosterone levels in the body and that in ...
1
vote
1answer
313 views
Is mentally practicing a skill more effective than physically practicing?
I saw this video in which Tony Robbins claims practicing mentally can be more effective than practicing physically.
He refers to a study where basketball players struggling with free throws were ...
8
votes
1answer
760 views
Does running, short or long distance, cause muscle loss?
I often hear the claim that running promotes muscle loss. To what extent is this true? If a person is a triathlete don't they need both cardio and muscle? Does it matter what distance is run and the ...
24
votes
1answer
3k views
Can the body never lose fat cells?
There are various articles online quoting studies (or even loosely referring to "studies" without reference) claiming you can only gain fat cells but not loose them. Some examples include Calorielab....
5
votes
0answers
184 views
Do maximalist shoes reduce injuries?
Maxmimalist shoes (i.e. running shoes with oversized foam midsoles) were the subject of a question at Fitness Stack Exchange, which I answered, but I had to rely on anecdote.
Advocates of the shoes ...
6
votes
1answer
270 views
Does taking more steps lead to better health outcomes?
There are currently various products on the market that allow people to track, among other things, how many steps they take every day. For example:
The FitBit®
The Nike+ FuelBand
The M7 chip in the ...
9
votes
1answer
5k views
Do situps and crunches cause lower-back pain?
There seems to be a lot of buzz in the fitness community recently about how situps and crunches are bad for people's backs.
For example, Harvard Medical School makes the claim, but they don't cite ...
21
votes
1answer
3k views
Does working at a standing desk consume more calories than sitting?
src
I've heard conflicting claims:
Site that claims it maks a crap load of difference
Site that claims it doesn't make a shred of difference
What does science say?
You may find this question ...
4
votes
1answer
348 views
Did Diana Nyad swim from Cuba to Florida?
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57601879/diana-nyad-team-becoming-sensitive-to-skeptics/ says:
Diana Nyad's 110-mile swim from Cuba to Florida has generated positive publicity and adoration for ...
12
votes
1answer
1k views
Do running shoes prevent injury?
One common question among runners is when to replace your shoes, with the popular advice ranging anywhere from 300 to 600 miles (482 to 966 kilometers). The justification for doing so is not that the ...
3
votes
1answer
2k views
Does a burger require an hour of jogging to burn off?
According to this site, one needs about 1 hour and 5 minutes to burn off the weight gain from a Big Mac.
However, I've eaten about two Big Macs a night, with two similar sized meals during the day. ...
2
votes
2answers
6k views
Do the number of myofibrils increase with exercise?
According to this website, the number of myofibrils in a muscle can increase with exercise:
Thus, the muscle cells’ myofibrils will increase in thickness and
number.
I had a look on google ...
9
votes
1answer
979 views
Can excessive exercise cause long term heart damage?
I always thought that exercising was good for preventing heart disease. I recently read an article that claimed that long distance running (> 1 hour of maximal/near maximal running) can be harmful to ...
2
votes
0answers
239 views
Does stretching before exercise raise the risk of injury?
Robert McLeod: Pulling on a muscle for a long time doesn't make it longer, doesn't make it more pliable, and doesn't improve athletic performance. There's lots of scientific literature that shows that ...
5
votes
1answer
649 views
Is it a healthy habit to walk after having food?
Particularly after lunch, I feel a bit sleepy and I love to take a nap. But many of my friends insist that I take a bit of a walk after my lunch. They recommend it as a healthy habit that helps with ...
8
votes
1answer
751 views
Are push-ups beneficial for alleviating sagging breasts?
From here: http://www.livestrong.com/article/98061-benefits-pushups-women/
Chest muscles also receive a workout during push-ups and can help to
alleviate sagging breasts.
From: http://www....
19
votes
2answers
12k views
Is electric muscle stimulation (EMS) training safe and effective?
Electric muscle stimulation (EMS) is touted as having the ability to
strengthen muscles, reduce weight, minimize body fat and improve local
blood circulation. During physical activity, your brain (...
4
votes
0answers
252 views
Does Pavan Mukta Asana help releasing gastrointestinal gas?
Pavan Mukta Asana
As mentioned above, practicing the purvana-mukta-asana will help to release gastrointestinal gas. It is also improves other gastrointestinal problems like upset stomachs and ...
1
vote
1answer
780 views
Does performing an additional weightlifting set not increase progress by more than 5%?
Exrx, a widely-known exercise resource site, claims in its article Low Volume Progressive Intensity Training:
By performing an additional set (50% to 100% more sets) only 0 to 5% more progress will ...
4
votes
1answer
9k views
Is taking capsaicin in pill form safe and does it speed up metabolism or help you lose weight?
I see ads for numerous supplements and all of them seem to be a scam. Except I have noticed when I am eating a lot of spicy food and hot sauce I tend to lose weight. I have found capsaicin in pure ...
20
votes
1answer
4k views
Cardio vs. weight lifting for weight loss
There are a lot of people who either claim that cardio or weight lifting is the key to losing weight. For example an article questioning the need for cardio or an article claiming that cardio is the ...
14
votes
3answers
1k views
Does exercise make you smarter?
Does exercising your muscles also increase your intelligence like the daily mail (and many others) report:
Exercise makes you smarter 'by boosting energy levels in the brain
...
Now a team from the ...
16
votes
2answers
873 views
Does regular exercise improve how you feel?
It's a common claim that regular exercise makes you feel better.
Walking Of The Weight
Not only does exercise make your body work better, it makes you feel better too.
More examples (out of ...
20
votes
1answer
3k views
Do saunas burn significantly more calories than just sitting idly?
There are a bunch of sites claiming this, with the most disparate theories: that saunas directly melt fat, that saunas burn calories because your body needs to maintain the normal temperature, that ...
5
votes
0answers
1k views
Does push-ups on finger tips affect eyesight negatively?
Some time ago I've been told that push-ups on your fingers (instead on fists) can affect eye-sight. The explanation was not clear (something about a lot of nerves in fingertips and pressure on them).
...
11
votes
1answer
854 views
Is the Shake Weight more effective than just using dumbbells?
On the Shake Weight website, they claim:
Shake Weight® Utilizes New Workout Technology Called Dynamic Inertia,
which can increase Muscle Activity to nearly 300% compared to a
Standard Dumbbell.*...