More times than I would like to admit I have heard the term Broscience thrown around more frequently in forums, gyms and other outlets in regard to training and nutrition.

Oftentimes I will hear phrases such as, “Broscience at its best” or “Don’t believe a word, it’s all just Broscience.”

Curious, I went out to hunt down the actual definition of the term. As Webster doesn’t have an official description – yet, I turned to the other widely known source for such slang – yes, The Urban Dictionary! I actually found two very opposing views of the term.

One by respected nutritionist Alan Aragon:

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.”

 

I also came upon this similar description which elaborates a bit further:

Word of mouth knowledge passed off as fact, primarily among bodybuilders + weightlifters. Generally spouted most by guys who have used loads of steroids and are huge, have no idea what is happening to their bodies and then share that same cluelessness with others who make the false assumption that their experience means that they have knowledge.

 

Conversely I found this one, which highlights an opposing view, a bit humorous:

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.

 

So what does it all mean? Well, for the Workout Lab, nothing – okay, maybe just a little. My mission with this site is to dispense information that has helped me and others I have trained get results through time-tested techniques and tips. Some information is researched while other words of advice are from years of experience and experimentation.

Is the Workout Lab Broscience? All that depends on your own definition. Do I do my research when needed? Yes. Will I pass along great pieces of advice and tips about training and nutrition from my own experiences so others can reap the rewards and gains? You bet!

This site is for you.

What about you? What words of Broscience have you heard lately?