Post: #1

Came across these articles about a year ago. If your a naturally skinny dude you might just want to check them out. You may have it far better than you think. And if your following the usual bodybuilding advice you may be short cutting yourself.

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_arti...ated_equal

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_arti...rd_gainers

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_arti...gainers_ii

Post: #2

I'm not a hardgainer, but I've been in this game long enough to have an opinion. I think the author over complicates things immensely, makes up catch phrases (low rep extended sets used to be called rest-pause sets), and makes some wild claims (guy moves his bench from 275 to repping 315 in a month or whatever it was). Some people will have a harder time putting weight on than others, but I've never met a person who hasn't overcome that by getting their nutrition and training dialed in. To keep it basic it is calories in vs calories out. If you weigh 160lbs and have a crazy metabolism and burn 2500 or 3000 calories a day and you don't eat a caloric surplus you won't grow. Also, that has to be done for months rather than days or weeks. I do like that he emphasizes low reps, but progressively adding small increments of weight over weeks and months will work in any rep range. Whatever rep ranges you use, if you added 5lbs to your work sets each week you would add 400lbs a year. Obviously things don't work that way and reps get lower as weight gets heavier, but slowly working up and then after a period of time starting over again (hopefully at a higher starting weight) will always produce results.

Post: #3

(11-03-2012 05:03 PM)Doctor Wrote:  I'm not a hardgainer, but I've been in this game long enough to have an opinion. I think the author over complicates things immensely, makes up catch phrases (low rep extended sets used to be called rest-pause sets), and makes some wild claims (guy moves his bench from 275 to repping 315 in a month or whatever it was). Some people will have a harder time putting weight on than others, but I've never met a person who hasn't overcome that by getting their nutrition and training dialed in. To keep it basic it is calories in vs calories out. If you weigh 160lbs and have a crazy metabolism and burn 2500 or 3000 calories a day and you don't eat a caloric surplus you won't grow. Also, that has to be done for months rather than days or weeks. I do like that he emphasizes low reps, but progressively adding small increments of weight over weeks and months will work in any rep range. Whatever rep ranges you use, if you added 5lbs to your work sets each week you would add 400lbs a year. Obviously things don't work that way and reps get lower as weight gets heavier, but slowly working up and then after a period of time starting over again (hopefully at a higher starting weight) will always produce results.

I am a Hardgainer and I can confirm what the Doctor say's.

I always thought I was eating alot and can't gain weight but if you count't you calories you're actualy not eating more than you're burning. If I would want to build up more muscles I would have to eat alot more than I currently do and I think that is the Problem with So Called "Hard Gainers"

Post: #4

(11-05-2012 03:43 PM)SelfPaid Wrote:  I am a Hardgainer and I can confirm what the Doctor say's.

I always thought I was eating alot and can't gain weight but if you count't you calories you're actualy not eating more than you're burning. If I would want to build up more muscles I would have to eat alot more than I currently do and I think that is the Problem with So Called "Hard Gainers"

I agree, we as "hardgainers" have it actually pretty easy. We don't need to look at our bodyfat percentage at all, we just eat all the time, and still stay lean while gaining pure muscle mass.
Although for me , as a skinny dude, it is quite exhausting to eat all the time. I constantly need to remember myself to eat and look for stuff with alot of carbs.
We just have a little stomach, we don't need to stuff ourselves in order to supply our body with energy.
But on the other side I think we loose muscle mass very quickly if we stop "overeating" . I've had already experience with this already when I was in the hospital because of a surgery. I lost alot kg.

Post: #5

The point in the articles is to point out that all hardgainers are not the same. You basically get naturally skinny/fat dudes or skinny/ripped dudes. I have had a 6 pack from abut the age of 13 doing basically nothing for it. I'm a great sprinter but barely cut it as average over long distance endurance.

In school I could also jump very high, something i discovered through trampets in gymnastics and doing ski jumps at the school. A combination of being light yet having a nervous system wired for power and speed.

I also followed this program and got my shoulder press from 130 pounds to 170 pounds. I weighed 170 pounds.

Post: #6

(11-05-2012 03:56 PM)Branimir Wrote:  

(11-05-2012 03:43 PM)SelfPaid Wrote:  I am a Hardgainer and I can confirm what the Doctor say's.

I always thought I was eating alot and can't gain weight but if you count't you calories you're actualy not eating more than you're burning. If I would want to build up more muscles I would have to eat alot more than I currently do and I think that is the Problem with So Called "Hard Gainers"

I agree, we as "hardgainers" have it actually pretty easy. We don't need to look at our bodyfat percentage at all, we just eat all the time, and still stay lean while gaining pure muscle mass.
Although for me , as a skinny dude, it is quite exhausting to eat all the time. I constantly need to remember myself to eat and look for stuff with alot of carbs.
We just have a little stomach, we don't need to stuff ourselves in order to supply our body with energy.
But on the other side I think we loose muscle mass very quickly if we stop "overeating" . I've had already experience with this already when I was in the hospital because of a surgery. I lost alot kg.

Exactly that is the frustrating thing that happend to me I just started eating alot and then we went on Hollidays you just loose weight really fast if you don't stick to you're meals. Now I just eat Paleo and try to eat ase Healthy ase Possible so that I feel good getting big is great but that is not my 1. priority anymore.

Post: #7

(11-05-2012 04:02 PM)Rick91 Wrote:  The point in the articles is to point out that all hardgainers are not the same. You basically get naturally skinny/fat dudes or skinny/ripped dudes. I have had a 6 pack from abut the age of 13 doing basically nothing for it. I'm a great sprinter but barely cut it as average over long distance endurance.

In school I could also jump very high, something i discovered through trampets in gymnastics and doing ski jumps at the school. A combination of being light yet having a nervous system wired for power and speed.

I also followed this program and got my shoulder press from 130 pounds to 170 pounds. I weighed 170 pounds.

I just read the Article and I think it is Brilliant the Author truly seems to have real experience, I like what he say's about eliminating and reducing stress from you're Life I need to get back into more exercise I have realy neglected that part of my Life a bit in the last 2 Years.

Post: #8

I have difficulty describing my body type. I gain muscle tone very well on just training once a week, yet I can very rarely seem to move up on weights.

Post: #9

(11-05-2012 06:14 PM)Vicious Wrote:  I have difficulty describing my body type. I gain muscle tone very well on just training once a week, yet I can very rarely seem to move up on weights.

Have you tried lifting heavy but with fewer reps?

Post: #10

Yeah, but going below 8 I'd say is a bit futile. Since muscle tone is my main objective I'm not really complaining.

Post: #11

if people cant gain weight they just need to eat more.anything they want.dont mind "clean foods"

Post: #12

(11-05-2012 06:54 PM)Vicious Wrote:  Yeah, but going below 8 I'd say is a bit futile. Since muscle tone is my main objective I'm not really complaining.

I think you can have decent muscle tone and density in lower rep ranges, as long as you have some medium to higher rep ranges in your overall workout (and diet is decent).

If you're only in the 8 or higher range, you're going not going to move up in strength as much as you would with max effort training in the 1-3 range or even as much as 5.

Post: #13

(11-06-2012 03:17 PM)alecks Wrote:  if people cant gain weight they just need to eat more.anything they want.dont mind "clean foods"

Why shouldn't you mind clean food ? I just eat more paleo I don't understand why I should poison my body just to gain more weight ore muscle mass. There most be a better way just eating Trash isn't the best option but eating healthy and more.

Youst look at what that Guy eats like 6000 kalories per Day do that and I don't think you will look skinny after 12 months if you actualy lift weights

Post: #14

Interesting articles. I am somewhat skinny so I'll read into these articles a little better.