Why hardgainers are hardginers

[iron addict]

First things first. MOST lifters that beleive they are hardgainers just don't have a handle on their diet and training. If all is dialed and results suck--then they just might be an actual hardgainer. Here is some info covering that.

I see posts very frequently by guys that are just completely CLUELESS about the role genetics play in how one responds to training. These posts USUALLY come from one of two types of people. Guys with great genetics that have never had training partners that didn?t, or have never worked with a group of lifters over the long-term, and young guys that REALLY, REALLY want to believe that they can be the next Arnold, Yates, or Coleman.

Here are just SOME of the factors that ultimately determine how big and strong you get, and what paths are appropriate to get you there:

Cortisol output
Adrenaline output
Insulin output
insulin sensitivity
Thyroid output
Thyroid sensitivity
Testosterone production
Testosterone/hormone sensitivity
Testosterone to estrogen conversion
SHGB sensitivity
Testosterone to DHT conversion
Estrogen sensitivity
Growth Hormone output
Growth Hormone sensitivity
IGF output
IGF sensitivity
Digestive capability
Basic protein synthesis ability
Muscle fiber composition
CNS output
CNS recovery rate
Digestive capacity

AND A WHOLE BUNCH MORE

ALL THESE FACTORS ARE ALL DETERMINED BY AN INDIVIUALS GENETICS. AND THEY DON?T VARY A LITTLE, THEY VARY A LOT. AND THERE ARE MANY, MANY MORE!

Take a guy that has very little fast twitch fibers, or just very little muscle fibers compared to the average person, or well above average person and this person is NEVER, NEVER going to have anywhere NEAR the growth potential of someone that has more fiber to begin with no matter HOW BIG they hypertrophy them.

Oh, just add steroids and the below average guy is even. WRONG again. In the Soviet Union where the state spent much time researching these issues, they determined that hormone (steroid) sensitivity varied as much as 2 to 4 times. Which means the response and thus results one guy might get from a gram of gear would take 4 grams for another person to achieve. And these were highly technical studies carried out with good controls. Not what a bunch of gym meatheads observed. YES, THAT IS genetics in action.

To say genetics only accounts for a small degree of the achieved results is just PLAIN FLAT OUT WRONG AND ANY GOOD STRENGTH COACH OR SPORTS PHYSIOLIGIST WILL TELL YOU THAT.

This does NOT mean you cannot make great progress or build a great body, but it does mean that most just simply don?t have the potential to be top bodybuilders. And EVERYONE responds differently. I am not trying to rain on anyone?s parade, and potential can only be known in retrospect AFTER you have tried. But all these posts by guys saying genetics are not important and guys just use them as an excuse is pure BS

OK, so maybe you haven?t been dealt the best hand. Well, you got what you got. Now you have to make the best of it, and guess what? Many hardgainers do a LOT of things that are CONTRARY to their goals.

I am going to deal with ectos? this time and leave the endo?s for another article. We have two archetypical types on ectos. Skinny ectos, ectos and skinny-fat ectos. These guys are all over the place and are very often the types that are drawn to bodybuilding because they are dissatisfied with their skinny physiques. Then once entering the bodybuilding world they are quickly left out in the cold and alone as far as applicable information goes as the mainstream publications focuses on genetic elite lifters doing lots of steroids. Hardly the proper role model for a hardgainer with genetic disadvantages.

I look at quite a bit of lab results from hardgaining lifters and in a good amount of the cases thyroid levels are high, test levels are low, and cortical is high and in skinny-fat hardgainers estrogen levels are high, and glucose tolerance is in the toilet along with high cortisol levels topping things off. Sleep and stress are usually bad for both types. Pretty simple?you can?t get there from here. At least not at a pace that makes anyone even marginally happy.

From a physical standpoint work capacity levels are most often dismally low and CNS is very delicate. And most hardgainers make matters worse by doing either way too much tonnage or way too much intensity?bad mojo!

So what is the answer to this dilemma? Well it would take a book to cover all bases but in the most simplistic terms here is what has to happen.

Skinny Hardgainer
Training load suited to recovery. Usually low volume and frequency without training to failure.
Work capacity MUST BE BROUGHT UP?THIS IS CRITICAL!!
All stimulants cut out!
Stress reduction techniques used.
Sleep habits improved
Supplementation suited to needs
Eating brought up to a level that exceeds maintenance with at LEAST 1.5 grams protein per lb of bodyweight. THIS SOLVES MANY, MANY hardginers primary issue immediately. If thyroid is too high, diet must be higher!

Skinny-Fat Hardgainer
Training load suited to recovery. Usually low volume and frequency without training to failure.
Work capacity MUST BE BROUGHT UP?THIS IS CRITICAL!!
All stimulants cut out!
Stress reduction techniques used.
Sleep habits improved
Eating brought up to a level that at least meets maintenance with at LEAST 1.5 grams protein per lb of bodyweight
Supplementation suited to needs
GLUCOSE TOLERANCE/INSULIN SENSITIVITY BROUGHT UP!

One of the biggest mistakes hardgainers make is first understanding they are hardgainers, tailoring the workload to their limited recovery, and then NEVER attempting to raise their work capacity. While that approach works in the short term, it s poison over the long term. That type of loading is needed in the beginning, and may be needed for a long time, but if it is never raised you will find yourself stuck soon and again be blaming your genetics on something you had control over.

Another HUGE mistake hardgainers make is too high of intensity level training. MOST HG?s have pretty frail CNS recovery. QUIT BEATING A DEAD HORSE.

These steps will go a long way towards making one an ?average gainer? if you will take the time to implement them.

Iron Addict

 

[mappgh]

good read....I have dealt with many people/clients who have had similar issues, such as "I can't lose weight" or "I can't build muscle" etc. etc. I find most of the time people don't have their diet or training in order as mentioned above. Even if they have tough genetics to deal with they don't have the knowledge or understanding on how to work towards their goals. Drives me nuts when people claim they can't lose fat and workout all the time but don't follow a strict diet, also drives me nuts when people claim they can't build muscle when they do the same exact training day in and day out and never change. I always tell people that they need to educate themselves too and understand how their bodies work etc. etc.

 

[liftsiron]

Good information. I had a number of clients who eat like pigs but still expect to trim up by 45 mins in the gym three times per week.

 

[mappgh]

Good information. I had a number of clients who eat like pigs but still expect to trim up by 45 mins in the gym three times per week.

I had quite a few myself, its funny because a few of them would come to me right off the bat and say "I am not changing the way I eat, I know it has a lot to do with losing weight but I'm not changing it" and I would say "Ok, well if your trying to lose weight then don't expect me to produce results for you by exercising twice a week and not following my diet guidelines". Unbelievable. I once had a client that I only trained twice because she had all kinds of issues. This women was a Cardio Queen, and very hardcore, she worked out...no lie....45 mins. each on three different pieces of cardio equipment (6) days a week and she challenged herself each time, very motivated, very determined, she also ate barely any food at all, very low caloric intake, very low, this women was beyond being fit, she basically did not have a pinch of fat or muscle on her, she looked like a skeleton, looked very unhealthy, now her deal was that she wanted to put on muscle, but she didn't want to change her cardio routine, didn't want to up her calories and didn't want to lift heavy weights, the only weights she was willing to lift were ones that would allow her to do 35 reps....not heavy enough by any means. Now, honestly she looked great and she was in her late 40's, but she definitely needed some muscle and she would have looked much better. I trained her twice and showed her some things to do and while going over my normal questions with her I found out that she didn't want to do anything I was explaining to her, she didn't want to change one bit, so there wasn't much I could do, that was an interesting client.

 

[Tatyana]

Iron Addict,

All your posts are gold.

I must admit, I have cut and paste a few (giving you credit with your email addie at the bottom) to a number of BBing forums.

I would also add to the mix of the genetics:

Genetic polymorphisms with the myostatin gene, EPO gene, Insulin receptors (GLUT 1-5).

There is a also a intra and inter individual in growth hormone release..............

The acute inflammatory response is being revealed as an important factor in muscle building, and as this is mediated by COX (cyclooxygenase enzymes) 1 and 2 for the release of prostagladins, which are 'pain' cytokines, pain tolerance levels.

I would also think that polymorphisms in the lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase enzyme would also have a major impact on muscle growth.

x
x
x

T

 

[the shocker]

I was always a hardgainer but now since i am hitting 25 my metabolism for sure has slown down

 

[flatlandbmx]

What is a good way to determine when to not go to failure?

If I'm a hardgainer (if) and I lift to failure everytime what am i loosing out on when I recover?

I guess I don't really understand the concept of not training to failure.

Lets say I bench 4 sets
135 x 10 reps
145 x 8 reps
155 x 6 reps and
165 x to fail

what am I gaining if I do the same 4 sets but
the last set I do
165 x 3 reps instead of failure?

 

[Chris08]

Is there any best way to tell if you are a hard gainer or not?

 

[flatlandbmx]

Is there any best way to tell if you are a hard gainer or not?

Even though Iron's OP is really well written and does go over a lot of things I think it all comes down to determination.

You might never look like a top BB but if you push yourself enough you can gain weight.

Just have to keep chowin everything in site.