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Hardgainer is a term used in bodybuilding to describe people who have a hard time increasing their muscle mass.
Hardgainers make their muscle gains through a long slow process at times barely putting on any muscle, often for years hardgainers will almost stagnate no matter how hard they train or what they seem to do.
Here is how to cure your 'hardgainer genetics' and to pack muscle on explosively...
If you consider yourself a HARDGAINER then you really need to read this article through.
Cures For Hardgainers?
Previously I personally trained over a 2 year period 4-5 times a week, I trained hard and heavy and I barely grew, my bodyweight stayed the same and I could not see any difference in my muscle mass, I thought I was a hardgainer.
Yet I broke through the Hardgainer stage - this is how I did it:
Eat Your Way Out Of Being A Hardgainer
"Hardgainers" should eat six nutrient dense meals a day - no excuses. Nutrient dense meal means unprocessed, natural foods like steak and potato, tuna and brown rice, oats and scrambled eggs and does not include such manufactured foodstuffs as Coca Cola, Pepsi, McDonalds, Pizza, KFC, Orange or Apple Juice, Ice Cream, Oreo Biscuits, or any other packaged rubbish they sell these days.
Protein powders, protein bars and meal replacement powders are NOT nutritious foods, they are emergency supplies to keep in your car in case you are stuck in a traffic jam, or to take with you on a long airplane journey. "Hardgainer" types often have all the latest supplements, powders and potions - forget them they are not food.
If you want to stop being a hardgainer then get in 6 good meals with a good mix of fresh fruits and vegetables everyday.
"Hardgainers" have to eat 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight spread evenly through out your meals, have a protein drink in the middle of the night if you have to.
If you are not eating enough then your body cannot regrow and it cannot build. You have to keep your body in an anabolic state by eating at least every 3 hours - you cannot miss meals at all.
Can you "eat anything and not gain a pound"? And you call yourself a hardgainer?
Mr. Hargainer - guess what? You are not eating enough, no matter how much you think you are eating. Buy a set of accurate kitchen scales and start weighing and recording every bit of food that you eat, calculate your protein, carbs and fat intake as well as your calorie intake each and every day for 3 months. Increase them until you start putting on weight, if you eat enough you will put on weight, it is a simple scientific fact.
Not eating enough is the number 1 reason people think that they are a hardgainer, don't make this mistake.
With your body in an optimal repair state you will start growing again.
Eating more is the #1 cure for a Hardgainer
Eat more, with natural foods it is extremely difficult to get fat eating natural unprocessed low fat foods, you need to make sure your body has all the nutrients it needs so eat as much as you can. If you find yourself getting fatter then cut out the fats/oils in your diet, then cut some carbs if you need to.
Supplements For Hargainers
Arnold Swcharzenegger made his physique without muscle magazine supplements and you can too. Do not rely on marketing gimmicks to grow your muscle. If you want to take supplements take the few basics, and spend your time concentrating on the 'hardgainer' essentials like the 'cures' found in this article.
Eat 15-30 minutes before your workout and then have whey protein (50g) directly after a workout.
Creatine Monohydrate, it's cheap, legal, available and proven effective
Multi-vitamin from natural sources in addition to a full quota of fresh fruit and vegetables.
Fish Oil or Cold Pressed Flax Seed oil because they are good for so many reasons.
DHEA if you are over 50
Tribulus and the other proven testosterone boosters can help.
That's it, forget the latest and greatest marketing gimmick. If you think you're a hardgainer stick with the basics... they work.
Training Your Way Out Of Being A Hardgainer
Do you use machines a lot? Stop it. Get into the free weights section
Do you Squat? Deadlift? Benchpress a barbell? Guess what you are going to add to your training program to beat those 'hardgainer genetics'?
Do you swing the weight and throw it around? Lower your weights as it is time to learn technique and correct groove. Get a more advanced and honest trainer to assess your form, even go to the lengths of hiring the best (and biggest) personal trainer you can for a few sessions - and listen to him.
Do you have a training routine written down that you follow?
Do you train every body part equally or do you skip legs because they are too hard?
Do you train with a Zen like focus or are you talking to the guys and chatting the girls?
Lots of guys who blame their lack of progress on being "hardgainers" could do a lot by learning to train hard and stop talking when in the gym.
You can work out easily with a 100lb weight or you can work out hard with a 50lb weight, it all depends on how you do it. Keep the weight in perfect control and only train the muscle you are supposed to be working. Too many times I see a hardgainer swinging too heavy weights around using their body weight to gain momentum.
Don't listen to skinny hargainer type people in the gym, get a training routine from the biggest guy in the gym, and follow it, beat last weeks lifts each time, strive to continually improve. Take records so you can remember. Better yet train with someone bigger than you and more experienced if you can.
Do powerlift style basic compound exercises like Squats, Deadlift, Bent OverRows, Benchpress, Shoulder Press. Funnily enough there only seem to be many hardgainer bodybuilders, but I have never met a hardgainer powerlifter.
Most hardgainer types avoid these exercises because they are hard. Guess what? They are hard because they work the muscle, it takes real effort - and they build muscle fastest.
Basic power movements listed above cause your body stress, in response your body releases hormones including testosterone and Human Growth Hormone thus stimulating your overall health, well being and best yet - overall muscle growth.
Hardgainers need to train with intensity and single minded focus. You can socialise and chat later, now is time for work.
Hardgainers Do Not Rest Well Or Rest Often
Get into a habit of going to bed and getting up at the same time, get enough sleep so you feel alert and awake when you get up, if you are still groggy then you need more sleep.
If you are stressed out in your personal life or your job you will not recover from your workouts as well, sort out any problems and get yourself the quality rest time you need. Tossing and turning all night over problems will stop growth no matter how many hours you get.
Hardgainers Overtrain
Many hardgainers who train hard are actually overtraining, working out 4 times a week with heavy weights is enough. Take time off for your body to recover and grow, without time off your body will not grow.
If you feel like a nap in the afternoon then take one, it's your body telling you it wants rest to recover. Listen to your body, but take a quick protein drink first.
Don't go to work, go to the gym then hit the nightclubs until late every night, get in 7-9 hours good rest every night, whatever your body needs.
Take a week off training if you have stopped gaining, you probably need
a rest. Take 3-4 days off a week and take one full week off every three
months. During these off days eat well, it is when you are recoving.
Trust me on this one, don't be like the hardgainer I used to be going to the gym days a week for longer and longer sessions with more and more sets to try and grow.
Also 9 to 12 sets is enough for any body part in one day, arms may need less. Don't run around doing 5 sets of every excercise you can find for todays workout.
1 hour at most in the gym is enough, get in, workout and get the heck out. Hardgainer types are notorious for hanging around the gyms for hours and hours at a time.
Lack of growth in a hardgainer is often a combination of all the 'cures for the hardgainer', they go hand in hand, lack of nutrients lead to lack of recovery this can cause the hargainer to work out harder or longer or to stack on too heavy a weight in frustration, this then expands the cycle and adds in another symptom and so on.
Are You Really A Hardgainer?
Are you a hargainer? Do you do everything above 100% correctly? With no exceptions?
Do you still think you are a hardgainer or do you think maybe you could work better in one or more of the above points?
Why would you even label yourself as a hardgainer muscle loser before you even give yourself a chance to be a winner, do all the above, if that doesn't work over the next 3 months then change your routine, or your diet composition, until you figure out what works for you, and keep modifiying it so your body does not get used to the same old same old again. Increase your weights or reps weekly.
I Thought I Was A Hardgainer
Personally I broke my 2 year 'hardgainer' barrier with food, I was not eating enough, it is still a problem I have to keep a close eye on even today. I upped my calorie intake significantly and low and behold I packed on weight faster than I had ever seen before.
Try the above tactics and I am sure you too can find what is making you into a 'hardgainer' as I do not believe a genetic hardgainer even exists.
A hardgainer is just someone who has unfortunately read too much of the rubbish printed in the commercial magazines (so they can sell more supplements) OR someone who wants an excuse to cling to so they don't have to get off their backside and make a real effort.
If you want a good body you can do it. If I can go from skinny 70kg runner to 150kg monster then you can do at least 1/4 of that and make yourself from 'hardgainer' into a muscleman
For info on my exact best practises read Gain Big Muscles Fast also read how I gained weight fast - 20kg (44lb) in 3 month.
Hargainer? They don't even exist.
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