With the resources of internet at the tip of our fingers, information is very easy to come across. However, how do you know what is real and what is just recycled from other websites? I have decided to write an article on it, I will tackle one diet myth and one training myth that really bug me.
Myth 1: Eating 6 meals a day ‘speeds up’ you metabolism
The eating 6 meals a day or eating regular meals to lose weight is one of the oldest myths in bodybuilding and weight loss. Unfortunately it is regularly propagated in books and all over the internet as a must when trying to lose weight.
The majority of studies done on meal frequency have shown no improvement in body composition (ratio of body fat to lean tissue) or higher thermodynamic effect in higher frequency meal diets. Instead what a lot of these studies have found is that breakfast is simply a must for improving memory, testing, nutrient levels, weight control and muscle protein synthesis.
On the other hand at over 100kg’s my required protein intake to build muscle is 140g – 200g (1.4 – 2 x kgs) per day and seeing as recent studies state that I can only absorb 30g of protein in each meal, I need to eat 5 – 7 meals per day to reach those protein requirements. Eating regular meals also keeps blood sugar levels elevated, therefore providing constant energy throughout the day. It has also been shown to reduce hunger levels during the day, however from personal experience I feel fuller eating 5 larger meals rather than 6 or 7 smaller meals.
So what do I do? I eat 3 meals and 2 snacks per day. The meals are always around the same time with the snacks being placed in when I get hungry (Morning Tea, Afternoon Tea or Supper). As for what you do, do what is convenient. Don’t try to move heaven and earth so you can eat your 6 meals of chicken and rice a day. Instead aim for consistency in when you eat and how much you eat. Following this will allow you to reach you goals.
More can be read on this topic in an excellent article by Alan Aragon.
Myth 2: Bench press is key to upper body development
Go into a gym on a Monday night, any gym around the world and you will find someone using the bench press. Monday is unofficially known in gym circles as ‘International Chest Day’ in which most gym goers train their favourite body part for the first day of the week. It’s kind of strange how you then don’t see them until next week… and how their upper body sucks.
I’m not trying to say bench press is useless, it just needs to be prioritized correctly. The muscles of the back (upper, middle, lower trapezius and latissimus dorsi) are the largest muscles in our upper body. Working on these muscles will build a truly impressive physique. The muscles of the back (specifically the rhomboids, lower and middle traps) serve to keep our shoulder blades retracted and out posture upright. Strengthening these muscles with pulling exercises will counterbalance the bad posture we get from slouching, bending over desks, pushing open doors etc etc.
Now doing bench press (which is another pushing exercise) compounds our bad posture even further. So if you are training only bench press for you upper body you are going to end up looking like one of our neanderthal ancestors. We therefore need to ensure that we do at least enough pulling exercises to counter our pushing exercises.
I know I have strayed a little off topic, but as you now understand, bench pressing alone will only building an impressive slouch. For true upper body strength and looks, don’t forget to pull :)
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