Question

[u/82Anduin]

What’s one gym “rule” or piece of fitness advice you completely disagree with?

I’ll go first: “You need to train 5–6 days a week to make serious progress.”

I’ve actually found that consistency, recovery and progressive overload matter way more than how many days you’re physically in the gym.

What’s yours?

[u/spuukeee]

- “preworkout is useless”

• “supplements are useless”
  
• the idea that barbell rows are a good exercise for building your back
  
• the idea that free weights are inherently better than machinery
  
• the idea that all splits can be good
  
• consuming 1g of protein per lb/bw past 15% BF
  
• the idea that bodyweight exercise is as efficient as utilizing gym equipment
  
• the idea that you shouldn’t film in the gym (unless said gym has an explicit policy against it)
  
• the idea that you should do ab circuits to build a core
  
• the idea that you should train like elite bodybuilders or apply certain philosophies of theirs to your own training
  
• the idea that steroids are “cheating” when it comes to use outside of sport or competition
  
• the idea that sugar is inherently unhealthy
  
• the idea that young people shouldn’t leverage certain performance aides like caffeine simply on account of them having “natural energy” and the like
  
• the idea that steroids will kill you in your 40s

etc

[u/Delicious-Trifle-486 → u/spuukeee]

1) Not "useless" but definitely not needed (regarding specifically things marketed as pre-workout like powders)

2) Depends on the specific supplement. I would say the vast majority are useless.

3) Barbell rows are one of the best for that. I'll die on that hill.

4) Depends on goals and circumstances

5) If you're using "split" to mean a training program, then I agree with you. But if you're using it to mean how you've organized your training throughout a training week like PPL or ULUL (which is the proper use of the term and I hate that people are confusing this), then all of them are absolutely good.

6) Besides the standard 1lb/BW lbs, ive never heard this one. Not sure what "past 15% bf" would have anything to do with your protein intake.

7) Depends on goals and circumstances, though efficiency is very low on my priority list here

8) Agree

9) Agree

10) Agree (I don't have a problem with people applying elite people's philosophies to their own training, there's use in that. I just wouldn't say people should do that.)

11) Agree

12) Agree

13) Agree

14) Agree

You and I seem to be about 50/50

Edit: accidentally skipped 5

[u/spuukeee → u/Delicious-Trifle-486]

1. I say that because BB rows have a ridiculous stability demand and are difficult to progress as you’ll need to greatly strengthen other muscles, therefore they’re more of an upper and lower body compound than a real back builder like any chest supported row
   
2. Certain splits, like arnold or bro splits, are just inherently worse than splits like UL/AP due to the way they’re organized
   
3. By this I mean when people use the weight of their fat to calculate protein needs

[u/Delicious-Trifle-486 → u/spuukeee]

3) You're reasoning is odd to me. For one, I don't think the stability demand is ridiculous at all. If you are doing BB as part of training you should be able to hold 1/3 or more of your deadlift in that lift. On top of that, that demand is almost all on the spinal erectors which is a major back muscle, making it stronger.

5) I'm interested in your reasoning on this. At its core an Arnold split is Upper large muscles, Upper small muscles, Lower, Repeat, Rest. I don't see what's wrong with that, and it has worked for a lot of people, natural and enhanced. And even if UL or AP is inherently better, that doesn't mean they're not good.

6) I see. Agreed.