What is Broscience?

Here is a term that has been bandied about on the internet for quite some time. Typically, it's a sarcastic and condescending way of labeling information about health and fitness that is not supported by current scientific research but rather anecdotal experiences.  Here's a couple of definitions I pulled from the trusty urbandictionary.com that illustrate what I am talking about:

Broscience is the predominant brand of reasoning in bodybuilding circles where the anecdotal reports of jacked dudes are considered more credible than scientific research.

Broscience in action:

"Bro, you gotta slam 40-60 grams of waxy maize plus 20 grams of BCAA within 7 seconds of finishing your last set of squat rack curls. Otherwise, you'll go straight catabolic."

by Alan Aragon August 02, 2008

And for a different take:

A sarcastic term implying that the time tested, muscle building wealth of knowledge developed and utilized by successful, experienced bodybuilders is inferior to the continually shifting hypotheses of articulate, textbook-savvy 155lb. chemists with little or no real world first-person experience to substantiate their conclusions. The term "Broscience" is oft repeated on bodybuilding and fitness oriented internet forums in an attempt to demonstrate online dominance as a substitution for success in the arena of actual bodybuilding.

Professor Shnootgarten: What are you drinking there?

Tommy: Just a protein shake with some carbs; I need to get my 350 grams daily.

Professor Shnootgarten: According to the 30 pubmed studies that I’ve downloaded, any amount greater than 22.341 grams of protein post workout is superfluous for greater protein synthesis. Additionally, insulin spiking, if that’s your intended objective, is neither necessary nor helpful toward replenishing glycogen stores unless, of course, your focus is high rep, time under tension endurance tolerance rather than maximal load, low rep hypertrophy stimulation.

Tommy: Dude, over the last 8 years, I’ve gone from a 148 pound weakling to a 220 pound beast doing the same stuff that worked for my dad, and you’re a buck fifteen and have never actually seen the inside of a gym.

Professor Shnootgarten: Well, according to last year’s in-vitro study of skeletal-muscle glycogen phosphorylase done at the University of Stuttgart School of Bio-Organic Chemistry Deluxe...

Tommy: Spare me the science lesson Mr. Wizard; you’ll change your mind next week when new studies reveal the opposite conclusions. You can take your research and your weak pale self, and I’ll take the 500+lb.deadlift that I got with hard work and a little help from broscience.

by musclestudlackinganyirony September 06, 2009  

As you can tell whether broscience is a good or bad thing depends on your perspective. Obviously both examples are hilarious and extreme to prove their points and both have merits. Yes, actual scientific research is important for understanding and improving physical health especially nutrition and exercise but that doesn't mean that we dismiss any practical advice from people who are actually fit and have done these things in their real lives not just in laboratories.

But where I have issue with both science and broscience is when anybody whether they be researchers, marketers or just fit people in general make these hard and fast rules that strike me as unreasonable and honestly almost puritanical.

 "You can't work out 6-7 days a week or you will overtrain"

 "You won't lose fat unless you stay in the 'Fat Burning Zone' on the treadmill"

 "Squatting is bad for your knees"

 "You have to eat 5-6 small meals a day to lose weight"

 "Sugar is toxic and can kill you"

 "You have to consume protein immediately following your workout or you won't get big"

 Now before anyone sets me on fire I'm not saying that any of these are not true or at least partially true but they are not absolutes and when people get in trouble is if they believe their way is the ONLY way when in fact many successful people do the exact opposite. Let's look at the idea that you have to incorporate rest days into your training or you will overtrain. It is one of those widely accepted ideas that working 6-7 days a week is counterproductive but don't tell this to the Bulgarians. They have built a weightlifting dynasty on doing the same 3-4 lifts, 3 hours a day, 6 days a week. Here is an article with more information on the Bulgarian system. Does this mean you should train this way? Probably not, but if the human body can handle that type of workload I don't think you should be worried if you do a 30-45 min workout 7 days a week either.

Bulgarian lifter Ivan Stoitsov
Go ahead, tell him he works out too much

The fitness/nutrition/supplement world is a big money industry. We are of course an obese nation that is constantly searching for the magical exercise, diet or pill that will solve the problem. Smart marketers know this and attempt to pass off their advertisements as undisputed scientific facts. Remember that if it sounds too good to be true it probably is and always follow the money. Of course just because someone charges for something doesn't mean it's bunk but try to evaluate advice on it's merits not just the sales pitch.

 Finally, remember that millions of people build world class physiques without reading the latest studies, books, diet plans or take the latest chemical compound invented by a university. Always look at any claim with a discriminating eye and take everything with a grain of salt.