Beginner's Guide to the Gym: BRO-SCIENCE Advice to IGNORE
Top Bro-Science Advice to Avoid!
Hey dudes and girls, welcome to another episode in our “Beginner’s Guide to the Gym” series. Big thanks to megaollie98 for suggesting this one. Bullshit Bro-Science that beginners should ignore.
Now we’ve got to give the internet a lot of credit - there’s more knowledge out there than ever and we feel people are more educated than they’ve ever been. But sadly there’s still a lot of advice you’ll still hear in gyms across the world and we tried to compile some of the worst offenders.
Ok, onto the bullshit!
For most people they rank staying in shape in this order: working out is high, high up on the list with nutrition being somewhere far below and rest being basically whenever they can get it. And this can lead to many problems including not seeing results - the reason most people are in the gym in the first place. And how unmotivating is it to spend all that time in the gym and not see any reward for your efforts? Really unmotivating.
We’ve likened it to this in the past: fitness is like a chair and it consists of four legs: lifting, food, cardio and rest. Remove one of the legs and the chair gets wobbly, remove two and the chair falls over.
Don’t believe spending every waking minute in the gym is going to get you bigger. Spend between 45-75 minutes in the gym - this could include mobility and stretching - and remember to account for food, cardio - if you need it - and plenty of rest. At least 7 to 8 hours a night. Your body is going to thank you for it and you’ll get those gains you so crave.
Other than some hormonal differences in gender - men having more testosterone and woman more estrogen, there is not really a need to corner yourself into thinking you lift one way when you’re a woman and a different way if you’re a man. The way you lift should be more geared toward your goals. Do you want to train at a higher volume to keep your heartrate up and split the body up into small categories throughout the week or train at a lower volume geared toward more strength and power. Train how you want to train and more importantly, train to meet your personal goals.
There’s many fitness progress out there. Thousands even. 5x5, Hypertrophy, Powerlifting, Crossfit, German Volume Training, Circuit Training and the list goes on. Which one is the best fit for you? That’s for you to find out. Don’t be afraid to experiment and when doing so at least give yourself a month or more before moving onto the next. Everyone responds to programs differently and this goes not only for your body but also for your mind. Some are just more enjoyable than others whereas some are much more strenuous. Which one is right for you? Try them out and see.
For me personally working out first thing in the morning is my favorite time to workout. You get up before the sun rises and you already feel like you’re beating the day which can be great for your mental outlook. It’s also nice because you don’t have to worry about the stress of missing your workout later in the day if work or school is running long. Does this mean it’s the best time for working out? Absolutely not. That’s up to you and your unique schedule. Don’t worry - your muscles aren’t going to punish you for working out at one time of day as opposed to another. But do keep in mind our prior tip - whatever time you’re working out just remember to get a proper amount of rest as well.
Yes, the chest, biceps and abs are awesome muscle groups, and they look great. But don’t fall into the trap of only working those muscle groups. Not only are you going to have major imbalances and throw off your aesthetic, you’re also setting yourself up for injury down the long road.
Think of it this way - you put in a 400 small block into a Honda Accord - what’s gonna happen? The rest of the stock parts aren’t going to be able to catch up to the power of the engine and you’ll end up with a blown clutch, transmission, and, well, you name it. The same will happen to your body. Posture problems like upper crossed syndrome and years of trying to correct your mistakes. And please, please don’t forget legs! Even if you plan on wearing pants the rest of your life. They’re part of your vehicle - don’t neglect them!
Alright dudes and grrrls, there you go - some of the most common bro-science advice we still hear in the gym. There’s a lot out there so let us know what we forgot. And of course feel free to suggest more Beginner’s Guide videos as we have a lot of fun putting them together.
Until next time, STAY BUFF!
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