Hardgainer Plan for Building Muscle

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Hardgainer Plan for Building Muscle

by Sajjad

Hi Josh!

I'm a typical hardgainer with small bones and i'm 5'6" short :(

I have started the 5x5 strength training program this month and I have made decent and slow poundage progress so now my strength is equal to my normal friends.

I know my genetic strength potential is low compared to normal boned people. But is there any advantage of being a short, small boned hardgainer over the other body types other than fat loss?

Thanks
Sajjad

P.S- Good Job with this site. It really educates and motivates me.

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Hardgainer Plan for Building Muscle

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Find the Perfect Training Style for You
by: Josh -- Author WLC System

Hey Sajjad,

Yes, you could have some advantages with the body type that you have. I would really have to know more than just 5'6" with small joints and bones, though.

Small joints can actually be a huge advantage because they will make the musculature around that joint look larger. This means a lower amount of muscle will look larger than it actually is...

Another example: a small waist can make the rest of your body look larger. If you have a small waist, you can work on making your back, legs, and shoulders wider which will make you look bigger than you really are.

If you have ever noticed bodybuilders in pictures when they are by themselves... they can look huge because of their proportions. Big shoulders, small waist, wide back, and big flare in the quadriceps. This makes them look huge. If someone else that is much bigger (just a normal person who is big) stands beside them, you can see that they really aren't all that big.

It's all about getting wider shoulders/back, smaller waist, and bigger legs. That alone will help you look much bigger.

Being short will also help you fill out much easier than someone who is taller and skinny. It's very hard for a tall, skinny person to fill out. Takes much longer amount of time than it will for you to fill out.

So...

You need to find the perfect training style that works best for you. I believe you already have a copy of the WLC Workouts Manual... right? If you start out with the level 1 training there and keep moving up, you will find the weight training style that works best for you.

You might not be such the hardgainer that you think you might be. I do recommend that you do not think of yourself as a hardgainer. Change your mindset and believe that you can gain as much muscle as you want, and that it's easy.

When you change your mindset and begin to believe, it will become a reality. Never, ever fails. It's all up to you. You can do this!!!

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Thanks for the help
by: Sajjad

Hi Josh!

Ah! I see, I'm not really unlucky then.

I have already got a copy of the WLC guide and I just finished reading it. I have already bought a barbell and I have a place to do pull ups.

But I absolutely cannot find power rack or a squat stand and I can't even get a squat stand made since those guys just told me to join a gym.

The only gym near my house for about 80Km has no squat stands or a power rack.

They don't even have a leg press machine, only the leg extension and leg curl machines are available.

They also don't allow deadlifts and chalk. I tried cleaning the bar to my shoulders and then to my back, but I can't get any decent weight up like that and it really hurts my lower back when i do deadlifts on that day.

I love to do squats, specially the powerlifter type ones but i can't progress that way and it is ruining my deadlifts.

So can you please give me some advice on what to do.

Thanks a LOT for your help! a LOT!

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Weight Lifting Equipment Available
by: Josh -- Author WLC System

Can you tell me more about the equipment you have available to you?

Do you have machines? Which ones?

Do you dumbbells available?

Benches? Pull Up Bars? Dip Bars?

I know exactly what you mean about gyms. I went to see what the gym looks like at my new place of work and it was ridiculous.

Most gyms are now made to be safe.

So they think being safe is giving tiny little weights and no real weight training equipment to use.

The biggest barbell set they had went up to 100 pounds. The biggest dumbbell set went up to 50 pounds. The rest of the equipment was machines.

There was no power rack or any room within the gym to do squats, deadlifts, or even a real bench press with heavier weight.

I just walked out and decided to never go back again. Back to my real gym in the basement of my house. Thought I might be able to get a workout in every now and then at lunch time at work if needed but forget about that.

Gyms are getting worse. That's why I want to open a real gym one day.

Get back to me with the equipment you have available to you and I will help you with a good plan.

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The Equipment Available
by: Anonymous

Hey Josh,

You see, I'm only 17 and I don't earn yet, so I won't be able to afford a squat stand for a couple of years. And my parents don't like the idea of squatting with a heavy barbell on my back so they won't buy me a squat stand and there is really not enough space to add one in my house.

I tried to convince them, but they told me if I really want to train my legs that bad, I will have to do "safely" in the gym.

I have two friends who train but they still don't want to train their lower body even after I deeply explained the importance of training the lower body.

Equipment:

I have a 6ft barbell, and four 10Kg plates, four 5Kg plates,four 2.5Kg plates and four 1.25Kg plates that I use for military presses.

I also have a pull up bar for pull ups and chin ups and an old dip stand for dips. I also have a chain padded with cloth to hang weights around my hips when doing pull ups and dips and that's it.

I can get more weight plates from my parents, but they're afraid of me squatting so no squatting in my house. I also have no spotter.

I stopped weight training for about a month due to tendon surgery on both palms caused by an accident with tiny broken glass pieces. And it is unlikely that I will be able to lift weights for another month.

But i want to be prepared with a basic plan when I restart with an empty barbell military press and bodyweight pull ups and dips

So can you help me with a basic plan for a barbell set, pull up bar and a dip stand?

Can I do deadlifts as my cornerstone exercise in a 5x5 system until I can buy a squat stand?

Any advice you give will be greatly appreciated.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH for helping me.

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Workout Plan Without Heavy Squats
by: Josh -- Author WLC System

Oh yeah, we can definitely get you started with the right plan for building muscle without heavy squats with the weight on your back.

You will pass your friends up very quickly when you train your lower body and then they will listen to you... maybe. Some people will always be stubborn.

Here's what I want you to do:

Workout A:
1) Zercher Squats, 5x5
2) Overhead Press, 5x5
3) Chin Ups, 5x5

Workout B:
1) Deadlifts, 5x5
2) Dips, 5x5
3) Rows, 5x5

There you go. 15 total sets each workout. Alternate workouts. Every other day workouts or 3 workouts per week. Always have a day of rest between workouts and focus on increasing weight.

That's all you need to focus on at this time.

You will make very, very good progress with that workout plan. Remember that eating plenty of healthy food is just as important as the weight training workouts. Water intake, sleep, tracking results, making adjustments, etc is also just as important.

You might be wondering how to do Zercher Squats? Here's a video of how you should do them. Start out light. They work you abs and core very well along with your legs, back, arms and rest of your body.

Give this plan a shot, work really hard on getting better each workout, work even harder outside the gym on doing everything right and you will sky rocket past anything you imagined.

Keep me updated and let me know how everything is going.

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Zercher Squats
by: Anonymous

Wow, Thanks Josh!

I never thought about Zercher squats. Thanks for the plan.

I can definitely do this routine once my palms heal. Thanks a lot.

I will definitely tell you my progress. I already told my friends about your website.

Thanks again Josh!

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