How to build Muscle for HardGainers

Hardgainers can find it difficult to build muscle mass due to their fast metabolism and small frame. While gaining muscle can be a challenge, there are a few key strategies that hardgainers can use in order to maximize their gains. Through proper nutrition, weight training, and adequate rest, hardgainers can successfully increase their muscle mass.

Are you a Hard Gainer?

One of those people who train hard at the gym month after month with barely any results to show for?

Can you do serious damage to a buffet spread but still find it hard to pile on slabs of muscle onto that bony frame?

Do people stare at you blankly when you tell them you go to the gym……….. 5 times a week?

If you’re stuck in Hard Gainer Hell, read on to discover a few methods to pull you out of this seemingly permanent rut.

Building Muscle – Keep Your Eye On The Prize

Building muscle takes patience, consistency and hard work. For hard gainers, it’s going to be take twice the effort.

Find comfort in the fact that this isn’t a death sentence. It’s just harder, that’s all.

Take small, incremental steps towards your goals. Putting on an extra 10 pounds of muscle mass doesn’t happen overnight. Make the commitment to step into the gym TODAY. Eat well TODAY. Sleep early TODAY.

Roadblocks will be inevitable but don’t give up. Stick to the plan, eat like a boss, increase training intensity and the rewards will soon be yours. 

Eat Like A Boss

Because of your freakishly high metabolisms, hard gainers need more calories than the average folk, and they need it on a regular basis.

To gain weight effectively, while the average person can achieve results by taking in 12 calories per pound of bodyweight, the hard gainer needs up to to DOUBLE the effort, taking in as much 24 calories per pound of bodyweight to see any weight gain.

Therefore, if you weigh 140 lbs, your daily caloric intake will be 140 x 24, which equates to 3360 calories.

Adjust this calculation to your body weight, hit this target every day, consistently for a month and I’ll be shocked if you don’t see the results.

Eat Like A Boss (Part II)

If you think it will be hard to eat enough calories, here’s a proven tip to help you stay on track.

Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. So prepare your meals beforehand.

It’s a fool proof plan to ensure you don’t have any excuses when you’re running short on time. A good practice to follow is to dedicate one day preparing most of your meals for the week ahead.

Do your cooking on the weekend, and put all your meals in a freezer (in Ziplocs or Tupperware containers.)

Move each day’s servings from the freezer to the fridge the night before to thaw overnight. 

The Macro Equation

So we’ve established that you will need to eat – A LOT – if you want to gain muscle.

But what should your calories consist of?

What will your macro nutrient breakdown look like? From experience, I find that the secret to getting results for a hard gainer is to go hard on all 3 macros – Protein, Carbs & Fat.

A typical macronutrient breakdown for a hardgainer will look something like 40% P, 30% C & 30%F.

Remember that your immediate goal is to pile on the pounds, so don’t shy away from fat, which is important for building muscle and staying healthy. 

1 gram of Fat has 9 calories, double the amount vs carbs & proteins, making it easier to hit your preset quotas.

To ensure you hit your daily calorie quota, it’s important to consume calorically dense foods like poultry, beef, whole eggs, fish, nuts, oils, avocados, rice, potatoes and whole grain breads.

While vegetables and fruits are essential for a balanced diet, don’t expect to be hitting the upper levels of calorie intake by stuffing your face with huge servings of fruits and salads.

Get Your Sleep In

Real progress lies in the recovery stage, not at the gym.

For optimal muscle building and recovery, 8 hours of sleep is a must. Even more so if you’re a hard gainer! Try to sneak in a nap after a workout if possible, 15 minutes isn’t much but everything adds up in the long run.

Hitting the gym before you’re recovered will just further break down your body – not what you want.

Rest, recover, sleep will fuel muscle growth.

Pre-Workout Nutrition

For anyone serious about bodybuilding,  pre, during and post-workout nutrition is critical for putting on size, regardless of metabolism. This is even more important if you’re a hard gainer.

Protein shakes, creatine and glutamine are 3 bodybuilding supplements that can come in handy for a hard gainer who wants to get the most out of their workouts.

Keep Weight Training Short But Intense

Due to higher metabolism rates, hard gainers burn more calories both at rest and during workouts compared to other individuals.

For maximum results, skinny guys need to understand that less is more. 

Stop spending all your time the gym. Training should be 60 minutes max.

Nothing more.

Pick a training program that cut down on training volume but INCREASE the load and intensity, leaving out the fluff.

Forcing your body to adapt to heavier weights gives it the training stimulus necessary for bigger muscles and mass.

Do Cardio…. Once In A While

It probably makes sense for a hardgainer to avoid cardio entirely.

Just to be clear, by cardio I mean typical activities like the treadmill and jogging as well as sports like basketball or hiking.

While there’s some base logic to this, it’s not entirely true.  You might have the body of a Greek God, but what’s the point if walking up the stairs leaves you gasping for air?

So don’t ignore the most important muscle in your body – the heart.

Keep cardio at low and moderate intensities, 1-3 times a week to keep you heart strong and healthy and maximize recovery.

FAQ for Hardgainers

How many times a week should a hardgainer workout?

Hardgainers may benefit from working out more often, such as 3-5 times per week. But the workouts should be shorter and more intense.

Which body type is hardest to gain muscle?

Ectomorphs are unable to increase their weight due to their high metabolism.

Should hard gainers run/do cardio?

Running can be a great way to improve cardiovascular health, burn calories, and promote overall fitness.

However..

for hardgainers who struggle to gain muscle mass, running can be counterproductive if it interferes with their ability to recover from strength training workouts or if it causes them to burn excess calories that would otherwise be used for muscle growth.

Stress and Muscle

Stress management is important for hardgainers because stress can interfere with the body’s ability to build and repair muscle tissue.

Not to mention, having stress for long periods of time can have other health risks on our bodies.

Keep your stress level low!

Why is protein important?

Taking protein rich meal everyday is important for hardgainers because:

Promotes muscle protein synthesis

Protein contains amino acids that are the building blocks of muscle tissue. Consuming protein-rich meals can help stimulate muscle protein synthesis, which is the process by which the body builds new muscle tissue.

Improves recovery

Hardgainers can struggle with recovery, which is the process by which the muscles repair and grow. Consuming protein-rich meals can help improve recovery time, which can lead to increased muscle growth and strength.

Supports a healthy body composition

Consuming the correct protein intake can help keep your body in its best condition, protecting lean muscle mass and helping you shed unwanted fat.

TLDR: How do hardgainers gain muscle?

Focus on compound exercises

Compound exercises are multi-joint exercises that work multiple muscle groups at the same time, such as squats, deadlifts, and bench press. These exercises can help stimulate muscle growth and improve overall strength.

Increase training volume and intensity

Hardgainers will benefit from increasing the volume and intensity of their workouts, such as performing less reps but heavier weights.

Allow adequate rest and recovery

Rest and recovery are important for muscle growth, as this is when the muscles repair and grow. Hardgainers may benefit from taking longer rest periods between sets and incorporating active recovery strategies, such as stretching or foam rolling.

Consume a calorie surplus

Consuming more calories than you burn can help support muscle growth. Hardgainers may need to consume a higher calorie diet than the average person to gain muscle. It is important to focus on consuming a balanced diet that is high in protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats.

Consider supplementation

Supplements such as creatine and protein powder can help support muscle growth, but they should not be relied upon as the sole solution.

Conclusion: How to build muscle for hardgainers

Due to their high metabolisms and unique body compositions, hard gainers do have trouble gaining weight.

But don’t give up. Success is not about the hand you’re dealt, but how you play it.

Follow the simple tips outlines above

• Make sure your food intake is at a caloric surplus.
• Pick a proper training program
• Sleep Well
• Stay Consistent!