Top 10 common fitness myths

9. Running gets you in great shape

Running is a fantastic aerobic exercise with plenty of benefits. It's a great calorie burner, and strengthens your muscles and bones. If you have weight to lose it's one of the best forms of exercise. But running too far, too often, and not mixing up your exercise can affect your body.

"If you want great visual shape, which in this instance would mean lots of muscle mass and great definition with limited body fat, running long distance may not be the best option," says Allyn Condon, general manager of The Gym, who is also a personal trainer and double Olympian.

He says: "Running long distance all the time will cause you to lose lots of muscle mass and the end result is arguably not going to be in great shape. This may differ if your goal is to develop cardiovascular fitness. Sprinting, however, is a great way to get you in 'great shape'."

10. Pilates is 'just for girls'

Pilates is often seen as a sedate type of exercise for women of a certain age. If you peek round the door of a Pilates class it's more than likely to be mainly middle-aged women.

Regular practice can help with posture, muscle tone, balance and mobility. It's also a great type of exercise for men as well as women to develop strength and flexibility. Even elite athletes can benefit from Pilates.

"Pilates has become very much a main stay for female health and despite there being many male teachers - Joseph Pilates who created the method was of course a boy! - very rarely do you see men practising Pilates, particularly for general health and fitness," says top fitness professional and author Jane Wake.

"In fact, the only time men usually turn up is if they've been sent by their GP or back care practitioner for rehabilitation from injury. Pilates is however brilliant for men and in some ways even more so for men than women. That’s because it's very focused on balanced length and strength and, despite the gentle appearance of many Pilates classes, a lot of what you do in Pilates is happening intrinsically so you don’t see the movement and control from just watching - all the work is going on inside your body! When taught well it can make both men and women sweat bucket loads," adds Jane.