Bodybuilding Archives - Page 23 of 45

One important term you need to learn (if you haven’t already) in the realm of fitness and bodybuilding is bro science. This refers to anecdotal evidence or pseudo-science being treated as legitimate research.

Bodybuilding myths are often passed around on forums, where everyone offers their “expert” advice. Ironically, some people will get really upset when you challenge their claims with solid research. I’m not sure why some are so emotionally attached to certain diets and methods.

I believe some diet/training misinformation has been intentionally propagated by supplement companies. They have made millions playing on our fears catabolism and giving false hopes of performance enhancing “tips.”

I’ll admit it–I used to believe many bro science myths. But writing about fitness has taught me to research more carefully.

Here are a few myths I no longer believe and what I now practice (you can click some of the linked articles for more complete explanations):

Myth: “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”

I regularly skip breakfast since I started practicing intermittent fasting. Breakfast is important if it helps you stay compliant with your diet, but it isn’t metabolically necessary to eat when you wake up (see: Breakfast and Weight Loss).

Myth: “You need 1.5 to 2 grams of protein per lb. of body weight to gain muscle.”

Reading How Much Protein by Brad Pilon really shed some light on this for me. I now eat about 90-110 grams a day (sometimes less) and I haven’t lost any size or strength. The only real difference I’ve seen is in my wallet–I’ve saved a lot of money on protein supplements (I still use them, but not as much).

Myth: “Your muscles are starving after training and you need to take a protein/carbohydrate shake.”

Yes, training does lower glycogen stores, and it makes sense to refill them. But one training session doesn’t put your body into some kind of “starvation mode,” and I’m not convinced there’s any serious advantage to drinking a protein shake after you train.

Holding off on your post workout meal may, in fact, help burn more fat and get leaner (one of the strategies in the Renegade Diet). You can see my article on post workout protein to see my argument for slower digesting proteins (like milk) after you train.

Myth: “Eating frequent, small meals fires up your metabolism.”

There is no metabolic advantage to eating six meals a day. Small, more frequent meals may help a trainee stay within his/her optimal daily calorie requirements, but that is a compliance issue–not a metabolic one.

Myth: “Don’t eat carbs after 6:00 p.m.”

Eating carbs at night will not make you fat if you are achieving a negative calorie balance. I’m actually having a much easier time staying lean by eating most of my carbs during dinner (Renegade Diet strategy).

Let me clarify something: Eating frequent small meals or avoiding late-night carbs may work well for you (as well as following any other before-mentioned “rule”). And further research may reveal something we are missing right now. But be careful about treating one strategy as the only strategy, and do your best to understand why something works.

Bro Science and Supplements

Here’s where you have to be really careful. Supplement companies are skilled at writing up articles with convincing terminology to explain why you should take their pill, powder, or capsule. But most supplements just don’t make any real-world difference when put to the test of a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

In conclusion: do your research, keep an open mind, and be cautious about what you accept as fact (and be even more careful about how you spend your money).

Below is a video from a prison weightlifting competition. I’ve always been impressed by these lifts (though I can’t say the same for their singing).

But I’d like you to consider some of the lessons we can learn from these guys. Here are a few that come to mind:

1. Supplements aren’t important

We can safely assume these lifts were done without any help from bodybuilding supplements (unless you think they can order them in prison). This reinforces something I learned a long time ago–you don’t need them to get big and strong. Yes, there are a few supplements that work, but they are definitely not necessary.

2. You don’t need massive amounts of protein to build muscle

I’m sure inmates do their best to get extra protein (buying extra food, etc). But ultimately they have to eat whatever meals are provided to them–I doubt any of them are getting the “1.5 grams of protein per lb of body weight” you hear so much about (see also How Much Protein?).

3. Optimize your testosterone

Here’s where I’m not sure about cause vs effect. Some speculate that prisoners are so strong because they already had elevated tesoterone levels, even before their incarceration.

This is certainly possible, but I also wonder if the conditions in prison cause elevations in testosterone. Perhaps being in a highly competitive environment (understatement) is a factor. We also know that prisoners tend to get plenty of sleep, which is important for the manly hormone (see Sleep for Muscle).

Regardless, it makes sense to do everything you can to optimize your testosterone levels. Getting enough rest, limiting your beer consumption, and eating broccoli are just a few things you can do for this.

4. Keep things simple

Prisoners have a reputation for using anything at their disposal for training. There’s nothing wrong with training at a well-equipped gym, but you don’t need fancy equipment to build muscle and strength. You can do plenty with just basic equipment, like barbells, dumbbells, a pull-up bar, etc. Your best bet on building a great, powerful physique is to get strong in the basic lifts: squat, deadlift, etc. This is one reason I’m such a fan of Jason Ferruggia’s Minimalist Training.

Watch the video and compare this to what you see a lot of guys doing at your local gym:

Category: Bodybuilding

Bro Science and Bodybuilding Myths