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What
is a hardgainer?
(1)
Hardgainers
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1.1 What is a "hardgainer"?
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A Hardgainer is a genetically-typical person (if there is such a thing).
To be more specific he/she is born with no special genetic 'gifts' which
enable them to pack on muscle mass quickly. Such people cannot gain lots
of strength using VOLUME training, but a hardgainer can make impressive
gains using less frequent workouts with considerably less volume.
Estimates of the percentage of the population who are "hardgainers"
range from 60% (Steve Holman, in his book "The Home Gym Handbook"
from Ironman Publications) to 95% (Some writers in HARDGAINER magazine).
The authors of this FAQ believe this percentage to be at least 85%. On
this percentage, maybe we should call ourselves NORMALgainers? :-)
We grant that some people (the lucky few?) can make great gains training
4-6 days per week using split routines and lots of hours in the gym as
the pros do. However these people are in the minority, and hardgainers
who use these routines will only overtrain, -perhaps- making decent gains
at first, but quickly reaching a frustrating plateau.
1.2
Am I a hardgainer?
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This is a tough question. Some decisions on "hardgainer-ness"
depend on physical measurements such as wrist/ankle-size etc. But if you
find it impossible to add some poundage regularly to each of your exercises
every week or two using a "conventional/popular" training program
(one that has you training with the weights more than three days a week),
then it is highly likely that you are overtraining. As a hard gainer,
your tolerance to exercise is much less than that of an easy gainer, so
what the latter can gain on will just wear you down and out. For sure
you will be much better off doing fewer exercises and sets and training
less often.
So the question of being a hardgainer is very much a side issue. The core
question is whether the "Hardgainer Method" would work better
than current "popular" methods. The answer is an emphatic YES,
in a large majority of cases; especially if you follow the guidelines
laid out below as much as you can.
1.3
What is overtraining / How do I know if I am overtraining?
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Overtraining occurs when you train your body beyond its ability to recover
(its so-called recovery-ability). If your body cannot recover from the
last workout then it will be unable to adapt and unable to grow.
Symptoms of overtraining include:
(i) A higher-than-normal resting pulse
(ii) Illnesses become more frequent and last longer than usual
(iii) Muscle spasms while resting e.g. eyelid twitch etc.
(iv) Shaky hands
(v) Loss of Sleep
(vi) Loss of appetite
(vii) Unexpected and unexplained fatigue
(viii) Unintended weight loss
and MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL --
(ix) very slow or non-existent gains in exercise poundages in the gym;
i.e. static poundages or poundages that are only a few pounds more than
you were using months ago. In extreme cases, overtraining can lead to
a loss of strength and the use of reduced poundages.
Solution: If you are overtraining on your current routine, then
cut back on workout-days per week, and exercises and number of sets used.
Best of all give "The Hardgainer Method" a shot for 6-8 weeks
just to see what you are missing. In most cases the person who tries this
for the first time will experience a rapid gain in strength and muscle
mass, along with an increase in energy. The method is outlined below in
Section 2.
1.4
What kind of results/gains can a Hardgainer expect?
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A common experience when an overtrained person switches to a hardgainer-
style workout, is for rapid gains initially (4-8 weeks). This would mean
being able to add 5-10 lbs on the 'big basic' exercises (Squat, Deadlift,
Rows, Bench Press etc.) each week, along with 2-5lb increases on the smaller
exercises such as the Arm Curl etc.
After this period the gains slow down to 1-2lbs poundage increase each
week for a further 4-8 weeks, after which the gains stop. It is here where
we apply 'intensity cycling' (see Section 3). Basically this involves
working on lighter weights (80-95% of your best poundages) for 3-4 weeks
without going to failure so as to allow your body to recover. It also
prepares your body for further gains of 2-5lbs each week in the next cycle.
Writers for the magazine HARDGAINER
(such as Stuart McRobert) believe that an "advanced" hardgainer
can reach (and surpass) 300lbs in the bench, 400lbs in the Squat, and
500lbs in the classic style deadlift a.k.a the bent-legged deadlift, at
LEAST for single reps. This is called the 300-400-500 level. Many of the
writers for HARDGAINER (commonly abbreviated to just HG) are much stronger
than this level, for example in 1992 Stuart McRobert deadlifted 400lbs
for 20 reps!
However, these goals are NOT unconditional: they are based upon an advanced
hardgainer, who did not start too late in life and who has no serious
structural or injury limitation, who trains diligently and very seriously
for several years. In other words, being a hardgainer does not
mean being unable to get extraordinarily strong; it just means having
to work out differently.
Learn
more about being a Hardgainer
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