There are many myths about health and fitness that people accept as fact without ever thinking about it, much less researching the issue. That’s basically human nature—especially if the piece of information is oft repeated and you hear it from parents or teachers. But there are some things that are so-called common knowledge that actually aren’t true at all. Here is a very short list of the biggest myths you are likely to come across.

The first is that you can’t exercise too much. Beginner especially are likely to want to exercise every single day, reasoning that a constant work out can only increase your body’s health. While that does make a certain amount of sense, the fact is that exercising too much is known as overtraining. Your body needs time to recover and recoup its energy. If you do not give your body time to recover, then you will sap your reserved strength, and exercise becomes even more difficult. Don’t fall in this trap! Exercise every other day.

The second is the old adage, no pain no gain. If you stop exercising while you’re still feeling comfortable, you are not pushing yourself hard enough. That’s true. But if you push yourself to the point that you are practically in tears, then you have gone too far. You should be vaguely uncomfortable when you are exercising without in any real pain. If you go too far, you might be injured. Third, a deep stretch prior to working out is important. Warming up is absolutely critical. You should have a vigorous warming up sessions—like a brisk jog or ten minutes on a stationary bike. But deep stretching doesn’t get your blood pumping or loosen your joints. Save those deep stretches for after you’ve finished your work out.