Hardgainer Transformation

There are thousands of Weight Training Routines available in books, the net, and at local gyms all over the world.

But are they all right for Hardgainers?

What is the most effective Hardgainer Bodybuilding Workout Routine?

In my opinion almost any workout routine will work as long as your muscle are stimulated BUT there are some characteristics you should look for when choosing a routine for yourself. Choosing the routine that is best optimized to maximize our strengths and minimize our training deficiencies will help us get to our goals a lot faster.

Most Hardgainers are predominantly slow-twitch, meaning their muscles are composed primarily of slow twitch fibers. These fibers are well suited for endurance sports but don’t have the hypertrophy potential of fast twitch fibers. They are also less responsive to typical strength training protocols.

If this is the case for most Hardgainers what are we to do?

I’d love to give you the answer right here and now but there are way too many genetic factors that determine what advantages and disadvantages Hardgainers and (Normal gainers) will have. Some of these factors include:

• Cortisol output
• Insulin sensitivity
• Thyroid output
• Thyroid sensitivity
• Testosterone production
• Growth hormone output
• IGF output
• Muscle fiber composition
• CNS recovery rate
• Digestive capacity
• Amount of muscle fibers
• Length of muscle bellies/tendons
• Muscle insertion points

Even though all these differences exist there are specific things you should look for in your workout routine that will give you a better chance at putting on muscle mass. So What is a Hardgainer Specific Weight Training Program?

It a Program that:

Consists of Sessions that are less than 60 minutes – After 60 minutes the level of muscle building hormones such as testosterone begin to drop. Muscle glycogen levels are also depleted so exercise performance is now in decline. Training past the point where Hormonal levels drop and Fuel stores have dropped can lead to over training which will regularly results in a loss of strength and muscle mass.

Is high intensity – Hardgainers need to push themselves in the gym. This doesn’t mean training stupid and lifting the heaviest weights possible. It means training smart and lifting within your limits with controlled rest periods between each set. Keep rest periods at 90 seconds or less for all exercises. This will help you finish your workout within 60 minutes also with high intensity workouts you maximize the output of growth hormone.

Does not consist of more than two training day in a row – Most mesomorphs and Endomorphs can handle 5 and 6 day a week programs but this would spell DEATH for the Hardgainer. The nervous system can become taxed after two days of high intensity weight training so working more than 2 days in a row can actually negativity affect your CNS. This will prevent the body from recruiting muscle fibers during workouts and will make it hard to make strength gains.

Is progressive – The Aim of each session should be progressively harder and harder. This might mean adding weight each week to your current lifts. BUT DON’T GO OVERBOARD. There will be weeks and in some cases months where you cannot progress anymore. If this happens try to progress in different ways such as getting more work done within your 60 minute workout window.

Is varied – You should change up your program every 4- 8 weeks. Our bodies will get used the same stimulus if it is applied over a long period of time. This is why the program you choose should have some form of variation such as:

• Different exercises
• Different repetition patterns
• Different rest periods between sets

Generally every 4 – 8 weeks your selected program should be changed up to keep your body guessing

Should focus on the Big 3 Lifts – You can recruit most muscle fibers with the Bench Press, Squat, and Deadlift. This in turn results in massive muscle growth so if you haven’t incorporated these lifts into your routine I suggest you do so now (unless you have some sort of physical injury)

So as you might have noticed, I didn’t give a specific answer to the purposed question. I want you guys to go out and do some homework and examine different workout routines. Keep in mind some of the things I’ve just pointed out to you and see if you can find the right fit for you.

I’ll be periodically post different routines on this website too, so make sure you Subscribe to this this website to get weekly updates.

This is Part 1 of the How Can Hardgainers Gain Weight Healthfully series