Hardgainer Training, Nutrition & Recovery Tips

Doing a Hardgainer training regime does not mean you should be training like a hardgainer, instead it should be training in reaction to what makes you a hardgainer. The difference is not just a play on words but an attitude change that will serve you well as you attempt to change your physique from a skinny runt into a muscular, ripped and confident guy that stands out from the crowd.

A training regime that does directly combat the genetic reasons that you remain a skinny hardgainer must extend beyond the gym floor and into every aspect of your life because the process of muscle building lasts well beyond the workout too. This means you must always be thinking about every choice you make and how it affects your chances at getting buff. IT is not as arduous as it sounds however as long as you know the reasons behind each choices and plan ahead so you are on the shortest path to big gains. Here is some information to help you plan and make the right choices.

Weight Training

When weight training you need to really force your muscles into growth mode by doing a few things that will spark serious muscle growth in your body.

• Lift Heavy - Heavy weights place enough pressure on your muscles to tear the muscle fibers through your target muscle group for the exercise. This is the basis of building muscle as the body heals those tears and then builds more muscle over them to adapt to this new pressure. This adds muscle mass but only if you leave the tiny weights behind and start lifting close to your maximum.
• Compound Exercises - Exercises that go through more than a single joint movement will work more muscles in your body than isolation exercises. This means more muscles will need repair and growth and another additional benefit is that the body produces testosterone and growth hormones when you stress a lot of muscle groups which are needed to help build muscle.
• Intensity - If you workout at a high speed with heavy weights you will put your body into an intense anaerobic mode which can be painful due to lactic acid buildup but it the best way to get more muscle growth hormones working as the body goes into building mode once you finish your workout.

Nutrition

Now you have sparked muscle growth you need to fuel your body so it had the materials it need to add muscle. There are a few things you must consider when planning your hardgainer training diet.

• More Calories - As a skinny guy your metabolism burns through calories very quickly. You must eat enough to satisfy your resting metabolism and calories burned from exercise and everyday living and then add more calories on top of that so you have excess energy the body need to build muscle.
• More Meals - Dividing your calories between about 5-6 meals a day will help keep you fueled at all point and makes it easier to east such a large amount. If you run out of energy the body will burn away fat and muscle to keep everything running you see!
• More Protein - Protein is a building block of body structure growth like muscles. Without protein your excess energy will most likely turn to fat not muscle.

Recovery

The last main area of hardgainer training is how you rest and recover. This is important because muscles actually grow when at rest not when your exercise or eat. The workouts start the process and the food gives you the fuel to do the work but the end result happens in your bed when you are fast asleep mostly. Here are some things to consider on planning your week.

• Good Sleep - Never neglect your sleeping patterns. While you may be tempted to stay out all night partying or burning the midnight oil working or studying or whatever takes your time you must sacrifice something to build your body. Sleep is when your body goes into muscle building overdrive so you want to get a good 8 hours sleep a night to give it every opportunity it can get. Less sleep or interrupted sleep will significantly reduce your gains.
• High Intensity = More Recovery - The more intense you make your workouts the more muscle growth you will be able to do. It also means you will need more time to let the body do its thing. This means if you are really pushing it in the gym and going hard you can afford to workout 2 times a week only or maybe 3. This will save you time to do other things and will stop you from hitting the gym before your muscle are fully repaired and ready to go again.