Body Building Myths That Must Die!

Every culture has its myths and bodybuilding is no exception. Like most myths, most are nine parts fantasy and one part truth, though of course, some myths have no truth to them at all. I have spent much of my career attempting to expose myths surrounding bodybuilding and topics that relate to it, such as drugs, nutrition and supplementation etc.
For example, one of my more popular articles that was published “back in the day” in Muscle Media was entitled “Nutritional myths that won’t die” which focused on myths surrounding protein and athletes. Classics such as “athletes don’t need additional protein” and “high protein diets are bad for you” as well as others were covered and debunked.
This article, however, is not about one topic or myth, but random myths that float around and never seem to die. It’s intended to be tongue-in-cheek to be sure, but it’s still a serious attempt to combat various myths that have little or no truth behind them. Some of these myths are generated inside the bodybuilding community and some are generated outside the community, by the general public and or medical community. These are in no particular order, so let’s start with a classic:
Myth #1: “Your muscles will turn to fat the soon as you stop working out - Tissue Alchemy BS”
This is a classic used by those looking for excuses for why they have not started an exercise program and resent those that have. My own mother used to say that to me as a kid when I joined a gym at 14. There is no physiological mechanism by which muscles magically convert to fat when one stops working out for some reason. What happens, however, is that many of the gains in muscle mass will be lost from the lack of stimulation. It’s not exactly earth-shattering news that people who don’t exercise and eat above maintenance calories get fat. So what you have is often a loss of muscle and an increase in body fat due to lack of exercise coupled with excess calories. The next time you see someone who used to be buffed but is now fat, it’s not because his or her muscles some how converted to fat. They are fat for the same reason millions of others are fat: too many calories, not enough activity.
Regardless, what if it were true? That is, is the fear of this mysterious muscles to fat conversion a reason to not start a weight training program? If you stop brushing your teeth, the result is (drum roll) cavities, but that’s not a legitimate reason to never start brushing your teeth! I have gained and lost many pounds of muscle over my life time, and have worked with countless people in all phases of their life, and I have yet to see any muscles convert to fat, this myth of tissue alchemy needs to die now. I have however seen plenty of people who stopped working out and got fat.
Myth #2: "Pros eat 'clean' all year round"
This myth can be blamed squarely on the bodybuilding publications who want the readers to think their heroes eat low fat healthy “clean” foods year round. This has often led to newbie types attempting to get all the calories they require for growth from baked chicken, rice, and vegetables. Of course getting - say - 4000 plus calories (or more) from such foods is virtually impossible. This reality often leaves the newbie confused and depressed because he’s not making any appreciable gains attempting to stuff himself to death with foods that are low in calories. It’s very difficult to get 4000, 5000, or even 6000 calories a day from chicken and rice. Now for the reality: off-season I have sat across the table from many a pro eating cheeseburgers, pizza, and apple pie. I know one pro who used to pull over anytime he saw a Taco Bell. Big people require plenty of calories and calorie-dense foods are the only way to get them. As the late, great Dan Duchaine once said regarding off-season eating for growth: “don’t feel bad you ate a cheeseburger, feel bad you didn’t eat three!”
Now I can’t comment on every pro’s diet as I don’t know them all, and I am sure some of them have cleaner diets then others off-season. However, make no mistake: the articles you read about what pros eat off-season and what they really eat are often two different things.
As sort of an ancillary myth, most pros will carry more body fat than they claim off-season when trying to gain new muscle mass. Telling people they eat at Taco Bell and are above single-digit body fat levels does not sell magazines or supplements, so it pays to perpetuate the myth that they are hard as nails all year (with a few exceptions) and always eat “clean”.
Myth #3: "Bodybuilders are not strong"
Only people who have never stepped into a gym make such stupid statements. Strength varies greatly person to person of course, but some bodybuilders are very strong with 800lb squats and 500lb bench presses not uncommon. I have seen people using weight that had to be seen to be believed: 600lb front squats for reps, incline bench presses with 500lbs for reps, and seated presses with 400lbs for reps, etc. No, not all bodybuilders are nearly that strong, but any bodybuilder worth his salt is still considerably stronger then the average person. Some bodybuilders compete in both power lifting and bodybuilding and often do well in both. Yes, some bodybuilders are not as strong as they look, but some are much stronger then they look, and some are crazy strong.
Myth #4: “Bodybuilders can’t fight”
I’m not going to give much space to this myth other then to say bodybuilders are like everyone else: some are tough SOB's and some are cream puffs with most somewhere in the middle. No different then the general public. I have seen a few of the tough SOB variety in action. Conversely, I was at a gym-sponsored cookout some years ago where this huge bodybuilder decided to hassle this guy half his size. Problem was, the guy happened to be the state kick boxing champion and proceeded to beat the snot out of the bodybuilder in front of a few hundred people. The lesson here is: don’t judge a book by its cover, and don’t get into fights!
Myth #5: "Bodybuilders are all gay"
As with the last myth, this one does not warrant much space. It’s my experience the bodybuilding community is gay as often as the general public. No more, no less, and how much muscle a person has does not seem to affect the rate one way or another. It’s a stupid myth that should be put to rest for good.
Myth #6: "Anyone can look like a pro bodybuilder if they take enough drugs"
If this were true, people in gyms all over the world would look like pro bodybuilders. The major difference between a high level bodybuilder and everyone else is their genetics, the one thing they have no control over. Yes, drug use is a fact of life in bodybuilding and many other sports, and yes, nutrition and training play a role; but if you don’t have the genes for it, all the steroids in the world won’t get you anywhere near to looking like the people you see in the magazines. Unfortunately, every gym has those people using doses of drugs higher than many pros and still look like crap. Make no mistake: drugs work and clearly add an advantage to athletes who use them, but the difference between them and you is that they chose the right parents!
Myth #7: "Bodybuilders are all Narcissistic"
Well OK, this one has a ring of truth to it. Truth be known, bodybuilders can be some of the most narcissistic people you will ever meet, but they are not all that way. Some are humble, down-to-Earth people, but let’s be honest, some narcissism is par for the course in bodybuilding. Nuff said there…
Myth #8: “Bodybuilders have small penises and they try to make up for that with big muscles”
How many times have we heard this dumb myth? Clearly, this one is directed at the male bodybuilders. Truth be known, I have not seen that many bodybuilders’ manly muscle missiles, but it’s been my impression they tend to be like every other man in that dept. Some are big, some small, while most are in the middle or “normal.” One caveat, however, is that a big guy with a normal-sized member will look smaller then a skinny guy with a normal sized member. It’s all in the proportions.
Myth #9: "Steroids don’t work"
If you believe that one you are dumber then dirt. No response to this myth required from me! There’s a bunch of steroid-related myths I could list, but this is not a steroid article, so I won’t bother.
Myth #10: “I don’t want to lift weights because I don’t want to get huge”
This one tends to be uttered by women, but I have heard men say it also on occasion. It’s a pitiful excuse for not exercising. As discussed above, very few people have the genetics to achieve even above normal levels of muscle mass, much less get “huge.” 99.9% of you reading this will be lucky to put on some muscle, and even that will take years of hard work. It’s not like anyone ever woke up one day bulging with muscles they didn’t expect. And if you are one of those rare people who put on muscle relatively easily? Lucky you!
Well there you have it; the major myths in bodybuilding (hopefully) debunked. Those were the ones I’ve seen/heard most frequently. If you think I missed one, feel free to let me know and perhaps I can add it to this article at some point. I don’t want to see anyone turned off to the great endeavor that is bodybuilding. Like all sports or life styles, bodybuilding has its dark side. However, bodybuilding can be a very healthy, productive, and fun way of life that pays major dividends, so don’t avoid it ‘cause of myths and disinformation.
See you in the gym!

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About the Author - William D. Brink

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Will Brink has over 15 years experience as a respected author, columnist and consultant, to the supplement, fitness, bodybuilding, and weight loss industry and has been extensively published.Will graduated from Harvard University with a concentration in the natural sciences, and is a consultant to major supplement, dairy, and pharmaceutical companies.

His often ground breaking articles can be found in publications such as Lets Live, Muscle Media 2000, MuscleMag International, The Life Extension Magazine, Muscle n Fitness, Inside Karate, Exercise For Men Only, Body International, Power, Oxygen, Penthouse, Women’s World and The Townsend Letter For Doctors.
Will was a former high level trainer with a rep for getting Olympic athletes, bodybuilders and fitness stars into shape and has gained a reputation for being a no "BS" industry insider who's not afraid to reveal the lies and hype found in the fat loss , muscle building & supplement industry.
He has been co author of several studies relating to sports nutrition and health found in peer reviewed academic journals, as well as having commentary published in JAMA. William has been invited to lecture on the benefits of weight training and nutrition at conventions and symposiums around the U.S. and Canada, and has appeared on numerous radio and television programs.

 

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Critical Protein Information

Critical Protein Information That Can Make Or Break Your Muscle Gains!

Lies, Myths, Misconceptions, and Just 
Plain Ignorance

If you are a bodybuilder or a bodybuilding enthusiast, you know the importance of consuming enough protein each day to build muscle. Bodybuilders are widely known for their large protein consumption and general protein obsession.

Protein does indeed have its place in the diet. It’s a very important and essential nutrient, necessary for overall health as well as building muscle. However, many lifters consume far too much of this macronutrient, under the mistaken theory of “more is better.” The lies continue about protein being unhealthy and being the cause of many diseases.

With all the mass confusion regarding protein, we’re going to burst through those compelling myths and debunk them right here and now.

Muscles Are Made Up of 100% Protein

Since consuming adequate protein drives muscle gains, most people assume that muscle is made up of 100% protein. While this may seem like a logical answer, it’s wrong. Your muscles are made up of roughly 70% water. The remaining portion of muscle is made up of glucose and amino acids.

With the above equation, can you see why it’s important to not only consume protein for muscle-building purposes, BUT ALSO carbohydrates? We discussed the benefits of carbohydrates in your muscle-building program in Lesson #2.

Carbohydrates are the fuel for your brain and working muscles. Many bodybuilders make the costly mistake of limiting or cutting their carbohydrates which can hinder potential muscle gains.

Carbohydrates are protein-sparing. They are absolutely essential when you are building muscle because they increase your glycogen stores which are necessary for protein synthesis and anabolism.

If you think you are going to gain muscle on a low-carb diet, you may as well be driving your car on empty, as neither are effective.

Benefits of carbohydrates:
• Spares protein 
• Curbs cravings
• Provides energy
• Balances meals
• Provides muscle glycogen
• Aids in digestion of fats

Just not any carbohydrate will do though. The real skill is in your choice of carbohydrates. Quality overrides quantity every time.

This confuses many people. Yes, you absolutely need protein to build muscle mass, but you also need good complex carbohydrates and a lot of water. Remember, we discussed how drinking water benefits muscle gains in Lesson #2?

Water is the most abundant nutrient in your body, making up 70% of your bodyweight. It is also the most critical nutrient for muscle growth and fat loss. Most people don’t even realize water's amazing abilities and uses.

Benefits of water: 
• Aids in digestion
• Assists in nutrient absorption
• Helps transport nutrients
• Mobilizes fat
• Lubricates joints

Water is the primary catalyst of chemical reactions and it controls the body temperature. It is the number one essential element that’s so overly discarded when it comes to weight training and building muscle. When you are only 10% dehydrated, your strength levels will be 50% less in the gym.

If you want to boost your training performance and muscle gains, tilt the bottle, the water bottle that is. Hydrate your muscles well so they have the ability to go 100% each training session.

The key to making all this work is to keep a steady stream of nutrients AND water flowing to your muscles throughout the day.

Protein Food vs. Protein Powders

While protein powders are absolutely effective for the training individual, they are not always better than real food. But, protein powders do have their place in a bodybuilding or fitness program.

Protein powders are absorbed quickly, making them the perfect pre and/or post-training meal. It’s easy to dress up a post-training protein shake to give it that insulin spike your body needs after a hard and intense training session. With the prefect ratio of carbohydrates and protein, your post-training shake can have a natural anabolic effect on muscle gains.

The downfall to protein powders is that they are a liquid meal and they don’t really allow the body to do anything, such as the work it takes to digest. This is why they are best effective before or after training.

Other useful times for consuming a protein shake is when you are in a situation that you MUST have a meal, but can’t realistically eat one, such as a business meeting, being stuck in an airport, driving, etc. This would be a good time to have a protein drink.

While protein powders can be effective at the proper times for muscle-gaining endeavors, they are not really ideal for fat loss. However, you can include them to a certain extent, but I would work on weaning them out if your primary goal is fat loss with the intent of getting cut.

Another downfall to protein powders is in the processing of them. Processing of protein extraction involves heat. The protein processed under high temperature (over 120 degrees) and/or high acid conditions becomes “denatured” and loses all its quality. The processing kills the enzyme functions in the protein and destroys the good bacteria; two vital components that make amino acids electrically charged.

A good low temperature, low acidic and non-chemical processing method for a quality protein is cross-flow micro-filtered (CFM). This type of protein would be ideal.

Consuming One Gram of Protein per Pound of Bodyweight

Eating one to two grams of protein per pound of bodyweight can be a good guesstimate of how much protein you need to build muscle, but in the end, it’s just a guess. Sure, this “one to two gram per pound of body weight” rule can be useful to an extent, but when you want to get precise and really make dramatic muscle gains or fat loss, this format will leave you high and dry.

To better get the right amount of protein that YOU need, you will be better off eating one to two grams of protein per pound of lean muscle weight, not body weight.

Your body weight includes the weight of your muscles, water, bones, organs, etc. Your lean muscle weight includes just that, your muscle weight. The key to adding muscle mass with as little fat as possible is that you need to be feeding your metabolically active muscle tissue, and not your fat, muscle, and water weight.

To ensure you eat the proper amount of protein for your body, use the “one to two grams of protein per pound of lean muscle mass” rule. You will make far better muscle gains without adding excess fat weight.

Keep in mind that when you read in the muscle magazines about your favorite professional bodybuilder or fitness athlete putting away 300 grams of protein or more a day, that there are many variables that play into this. Many of the muscle magazines fabricate their articles like you wouldn’t imagine.

Often times those featured in magazines are taking anabolic supplements to enhance muscle gains. Those who use steroids need more calories from all the macronutrients, including protein.

When it comes to your protein needs, find out what YOUR body requires, not what Joe Blow suggest or the latest pro does.

Overeating Protein

Some people are under the misconstruing notion that you can eat all the protein you want and it will be use for muscle-building purposes. This is false. Anything can be stored as fat if you overeat it.

Protein needs are correlated to how active you are, how intense your weight training is, how much lean muscle tissue you have, as well as how much protein your body can actually assimilate in a certain amount of time. Your body uses protein based on the body’s needs and how well your body absorbs and digests protein.

Don’t get fooled into thinking that if some protein is good, more is better. Anything you overeat or that is unused will be stored as body fat.

If you want to get the most out of your muscle-building goals, put more focus on your training intensity and rest time between sets and your rest away from the gym. Yes, protein is very important, but overloading your body with protein is not the answer. Feed your body the protein it requires and what it can use for strength training.

Protein Is Difficult To Digest

There is a misconception that eating high protein puts stress on your digestive system. The human body is designed to eat meat, just as it is designed to eat vegetables, drink water, be active, receive sunlight, etc.

Sure, protein may be a little tougher to breakdown than carbohydrates, but is that any reason to neglect proper amounts needed for optimal muscle growth? If you consume adequate water intake, it will aid in digestion. Remember, your body is composed of approximately 70% water and your muscles are made up of about 70% water.

Are you beginning to see that it’s not just protein that can aid in muscle gains, but water too, can enhance your muscle building endeavors?

Excess Protein Causes Cancer and Osteoporosis

There are “claims” that excess protein causes some forms of cancer and osteoporosis. This is a lie; lies, lies, lies.

Cancer is caused by nutritional deficiencies and toxins in the body. Nutritional deficiencies and toxins rear their ugly head when your body’s pH becomes acidic. When you are acidic, you are a breeding ground for illnesses and viruses. Protein or excess protein does not cause cancer. This claim is just ridiculous.

“Diseases are but symptoms of nutritional deficiencies combined with retained toxins. These are caused by poor soil resulting in nutritionally deficient plants and fruit and other foodstuff...We must change our nutritional habits to consume at least 75% LIVING and UNPROCESSED foods - those that grow in the ground or fall from a tree. Everything else is hardly worth eating. If we do this we can stop using drugs and even supplements because our food has become our medicine.”
~ Dr. Juergen Buche, ND.

Excess protein does not cause osteoporosis either. Honestly, where are these people getting their “information?” Bones are made of natural proteins, and calcium hardens these proteins to make the bones solid.

Osteoporosis is a condition that can be linked to an acidic blood pH. This acidic pH can be brought on largely by a highly processed diet and colas.

The truth is that people have been eating a lot of protein for centuries. Cancer and osteoporosis are new diseases brought on primarily by the 20th Century, not by eating protein or excess protein; please.

Protein is Hard on the Liver and Kidneys

There are also those in the fitness industry who go on to suggest that excess protein is hard on your liver and kidneys. I am sure you have heard this claim a time or two, and even worried about it.

I am going to explain why some people may suggest this to be true. I will also explain that you can indeed eat a high-protein diet without it having any effect on your liver and kidneys whatsoever!

Digesting protein creates metabolic waste that must to be removed from the kidneys. When the body receives more protein than it can use the excess nitrogen is excreted as urea in the urine, and the rest of the protein molecule can be used for energy or stored as fat. Therefore, a lot of water is needed for proper digestion, and excretion when consuming large amounts of protein.

This is where the myth of high-protein diets and kidney damage are correlated. The excess nitrogen excretion can be hard on the kidneys if your water intake is below par. Without proper water intake, your liver and kidneys will be under stress. A lack of water and a lack of information is what can cause kidney damage. Therefore, drink at least a gallon a day when consuming high protein.

Conclusion

There are countless protein myths out there and they are growing by the day. If you are armed with the correct protein information, you will be able to distinguish fact from fallacy.

Finally, when it comes to getting enough protein, quality overrides quantity every time. It’s all about going back to the basics and feeding the body what it needs and when it can use at that moment.

You have received some vital muscle-building information these last few days. Use it to your advantage and make every meal and every training session a breeding ground for muscle growth.

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How Liquid Calories May Be Making You Fat... Even Your Favorite Protein Drinks!

 How Liquid Calories May Be Making You Fat... Even Your Favorite Protein Drinks!
 By Tom Venuto, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
URL:

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Epidemiological research also supports a positive association between calorie-containing beverage consumption and increased body weight or body mass index. New research now suggests that soda may not be the only culprit…

The primary source of liquid calories in the United States Diet is carbohydrate, namely soda. Now running a close second are specialty and dessert coffees. Did you know that a 16 ounce Frappucino can contain 500 calories or even more! That’s one-third of a typical female’s daily calorie intake while on a fat loss program.
A recent study at Purdue University published in the International Journal of Obesity set out to learn even more about this bodyfat - liquid calories relationship.
Researchers compared solid and beverage forms of foods composed primarily of carbohydrate, fat or protein in order to document the independent effect of food form in foods with different dominant macronutrient sources.

Based on previous research, some experts have recommended targeting specific beverages as being “worse” than others. High fructose corn syrup and soda has been singled out the most and you’ve probably seen that yourself in the news.

There’s no question that soda has been on top of the “hit list” for some time now, by virtue of the amounts and frequency of consumption alone.

However, this recent study says that from a pure energy balance perspective, we should be cautious about ALL liquid calories, not just soda and not just carbohydrates!

Fruit juice for example, appears to be an obvious improvement over soda, so many people have swapped out their soda for fruit juice. However, when fruit juice is compared to an equal amount of calories from whole fruit, the whole fruit satisfies appetite better (largely due to the bulk and fiber content), and so you tend to eat fewer calories for the day.

[On an interesting side note, soup does not seem to apply; soup has higher satiety value than calorie containing beverages, possibly for mere cognitive reasons.]
If you were to meticulously track your calories from beverages and you made sure that your calories remained the same for the day, whether liquid or solid, there would probably be little or no difference in your body composition.
But that’s not what usually happens in free-living humans. Most people do not accurately track or report their caloric intake. Our mistake is that we tend to drink calories IN ADDITION TO our usual food intake, not instead of it.
Men are especially guilty of this when they drink alcohol - Men tend to drink AND eat, while women tend to drink INSTEAD OF eating.

This new research found that with all three macronutrients - protein, carbs or fat - daily calorie intake was significantly greater when the beverage form was consumed as compared to the solid.

Yes, it’s true! Even protein drinks did not satisfy the appetite the way that protein foods did!

While you would think that protein drinks are purely a good thing, because protein foods have been proven to reduce appetite and increase satiety, if you turn a solid protein food into a protein drink, it loses it’s appetite suppressive properties in the same way that happens when you turn fruit into fruit juice.

[NOTE: After weight training workouts, liquid nutrition may have benefits that outweigh any downside, especially on muscle-gaining programs]
Why do liquid calories fail to elicit the same response as whole foods? reasons include:

high calorie density
lower satiety value
more calories ingested in short period of time
lower demand for oral processing
shorter gastrointestinal transit times
energy in beverages has greater bioaccessibility and bioavailability
mechanisms may include cognitive, orosensory, digestive, metabolic, endocrine and neural influences (human appetite is a complex thing!!!)
last but not least, nowhere in our history have our ancestors had access to large amounts of liquid calories. Alcohol may have been around as far back as several thousand years BC, but even that is a blip on the evolutionary calendar of humanity.
As a result, our genetic code has never developed the physiological mechanisms to properly register the caloric content in liquids the way it does when you eat, chew and swallow whole foods.

Bottom line: This study suggests that we shouldn’t just target one type of liquid calories such as soda. If you’re trying to beat body fat, it’s wise to limit all types of liquid calories and eat whole foods as much as possible.

Start by ditching the soda. Then ditch the high calorie dessert coffees. Then cut back on the alcohol. From there, be cautious even about milk, juice and protein drinks.

Drink water or tea instead, or limited amounts of black coffee - without all the high calorie extras.

If you do consume any beverages that contain calories, such as protein shakes, be sure to account for those calories meticulously and be sure you don’t drink them in addition to your usual food intake, but in place of an equal amount of food calories.

Remember, those protein shakes you might be drinking are called “meal replacements” not “free calories!”

For many years I have suggested focusing primarily on whole foods rather than liquids, even protein shakes. Unlike so many other fat reduction programs, Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle does not require any kind of liquid meal replacement or protein drinks and our company does not exist to sell supplements; we are here to educate you and millions of others about the realities of body fat loss.

We now have even more scientific data that confirms what Burn The Fat has been teaching all along.



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