The Hardgainer Size Solution

A 10-Week Mass Building Regimen for Lifters Struggling to Pack on Size

     I don’t like the term “hardgainer.”  I don’t mean to imply that some lifters don’t find it harder to pack on muscle size than others.  Some certainly do.  It’s just that when a lifter is labelled a “hardgainer” he (or she) often resorts to the kind of training that may not necessarily be what they really need.  I won’t go into all of the details here for why I find that to be the case.  If you want more information on that, then read my essay from last year “The Myth of the Hardgainer.”

     The gist of my theory, however, is that many lifters struggle to pack on muscle size because they do standard high-volume workouts, only to find that sort of training doesn’t work for them.  After that, they proceed to low-frequency, “high-intensity” workouts, but those don’t work, either.  It’s at that point that the lifter, or his lifting friends (or folks he might watch on YouTube), labels himself a “hardgainer.”  However, I believe that many lifters who come to this conclusion would put on muscle if they tried something different.  And that something different is a high-frequency training (HFT) program—not too high-frequency, mind you.  A 3 day per week, full-body workout works well.

     If you find yourself in the same boat, and are struggling to gain muscle, the program below might be just what you need in order to finally pack on the mass.  For hardgainers, full-body programs tend to be the best.  As I have written in other articles recently, there is just something more “anabolic” about training your entire body at one time.  I have written quite a lot of full-body programs over the years.  You can scour this blog and you’ll find dozens and dozens of full-body regimens.  But this one is different from most.  Here, you will do more exercises than I usually recommend combined with less sets than what I typically suggest.

     I will lay out the program first.  After that, I will explain the details.  Details matter.  Make sure you understand the parameters of this program before you rush off to the gym in order to try it.  After the details, I’ll give you some suggestions and tips for making it really work.

The Hardgainer Size Solution

1. Squats: 1x10-12 (that’s 1 set of 10-12 reps)

2. Romanian or stiff-legged deadlifts: 1x10-12

3. Incline bench presses: 1x10-12

4. Chins or lat pulldowns: 1x10-12

5. Behind-the-neck presses: 1x10-12

6. Barbell or dumbbell shrugs: 1x10-12

7. Barbell or cable curls: 1x10-12

8. Skull crushers: 1x10-12

9. Standing calf raises: 1x20-30

10. Steep incline sit-ups: 1x15-30

11. Farmer walks: 1 set, kind of hard, but not all-out

• This is a 3 days per week program, training, for example, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

• Week 1: Use a weight on all of your sets where you could get double the reps for one all-out set.  In other words, if you really tried, you could get between 20 and 24 reps for 1 gut-busting set.  Do NOT use a weight heavier than this when starting.  The key to this program is to start light, work up to a heavier and heavier workload over the ensuing weeks, then back-off when needed.

• Week 2: Add 10 pounds to the 1st 4 lifts and 5 pounds to the others, with the exception of the sit-ups; add 5 reps to your sit-ups using your bodyweight.  Do NOT add weight each workout.  In other words, use the new weight throughout the week.  For the farmer walks, just go a little bit longer than week 1.

• Week 3: Add 10 and 5 pounds again to your lifts.  Add another 5 reps to your sit-ups.

• Week 4: Return to the weights used in week 1.  This is your first de-load week.

• Week 5: Add 10 and 5 pounds again to your week 3 weights.

• Week 6: Add 10 and 5 pounds again to your week 5 weights.

• Week 7: Return again to the weights used in week 1.

• Week 8: Add 10 pounds and 5 pounds to your lifts from weights used in week 6.  Add another set to each movement so that you are now doing 2x10-12.

• Week 9: Add another 10 and 5 pounds to your exercises and another set, so that you are now doing 3x10-12.

• Week 10: Return to your week 1 weights and do only 1 set on all of your movements.

• You can stop after week 10 or continue for another couple weeks.  If you select to do 2 more weeks, add weight again to your sets and do either 2x10-12 or 3x10-12.

     Once you finish your 10 (or 12) weeks on the program, you can run the program straight through again if you got great results.  If you do this, however, change to some new exercises.  Just make sure you select same but different movements.  You can also switch to a lower rep range.  1x6-8 would be ideal.  If you do that, then make sure you use a weight where you can get 12-16 reps for one all-out set when starting the program.

     Rest at least 2 minutes between each movement.  3 minutes might be even better.  Do not train in a “circuit” fashion, moving quickly from one exercise to the next.  Most hardgainers have an overactive nervous system.  Getting big requires slowing down.  If it takes you an hour or longer to do the program, that’s perfectly fine.  That means you rested at least 5 minutes between sets.  As you adapt to it over the weeks, you might find that you naturally start taking less rest between sets.  If that happens, that’s fine as well, just don’t force it.  “Natural” is the word.

     Take it easy during the week when you’re not training.  Don’t go hiking at the state park or play pick-up basketball games.  Your body needs to focus on one thing and one thing only—gaining muscle.  It can’t do that if you don’t have a solitary, complete focus on that one thing.  When you finish the program, you can go back to a more active lifestyle.

     Eat as much healthy, muscle-building fuel as possible.  Get at least 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight daily and eat at least 20 times your bodyweight in calories on a daily basis.  You really need more than that, so, if you lack a big appetite, try to build up your ability to eat more as the program progresses.  By the end of the 10 (or 12) weeks, you should be a veritable eating machine.

     If muscle-building has been difficult for you—a hypertrophy puzzle that just couldn’t be solved—then this program could be the solution.

     If there are any questions about this workout, leave them in the “comments” section below.  If you want a more personalized response, send me an email.  I typically answer my emails within a couple days.

     Also, if you enjoy reading the blog, then please support my work.  I have several different books for sale—including my latest on the training programs of the great Bill Starr.  You can find more information, and links for purchase, on the My Books page.