The Ultimate Newbified Mass Gain Thread!

[POWrCLEANr]

The Facts of Gaining Mass

The Myth of Gaining Muscle and Losing Fat at the Same Time

"Throughout my attempts to gain weight, I had always been very afraid of gaining fat. Being naturally thin, I did not want to get fat - I just wanted to gain more muscle. So, I focused on low fat foods, did my aerobic exercise and did everything I was supposed to do to keep my body fat low. Unfortunately, what I did no know was that this type of dieting and training was also keeping me from gaining muscle!

Training to lose fat requires different methods than training to gain muscle. Losing fat involves eating a low calorie diet, while building muscle requires a higher calorie diet.

This is a point that most hardgainers don't realize -- if you want to get bigger and gain more muscle, you will have to deal with the fact that you will also gain some additional body fat. Period. This is due to the high calorie diet you must eat to build more mass.

Though some people will be able to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time, most WILL NOT. The fact is, there are no magic pills, powders, foods or exercises that will allow you to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time. It all is determined by your genetics and metabolism. If you are naturally thin and have a difficult time gaining weight of any kind, it would be silly of you to think that you will be able to gain muscle while trying to keep your body fat low.

Most skinny guys want to gain more muscle, but are afraid of gaining body fat. They see all the bodybuilder photos and read the stories about people gaining pounds of muscle while losing pounds of fat -- They want to do the same.

When looking at these photos, you have to remember that most of these people do not have your body type. The majority of them are overweight and want to lose fat. So their training is focused on losing fat. If you went on a fat loss diet, you would lose fat, but not gain much muscle. The low calorie diet combined with your fast metabolism will give you very little muscle gain and possibly some muscle loss.

For maximum results, you either have to train and diet to gain muscle or lose fat. One or the other. The most effective way for hardgainers to build a large amount of muscle mass quickly is to focus on gaining the weight first, then later on, go on a short-term fat loss diet to lower your body fat levels.

You Must Shock Your Body Into Growth

Because gaining weight for hardgainers is extremely difficult, the only way we will get bigger is to shock our bodies into growth. We do this by:

Eating a lot of calories
Training with heavy weights
The first shock is by eating more calories than your body is used to. This is the most important factor in gaining mass. When you overload your system with plenty of protein and fats, your body has no other choice but to gain weight. The goal is to eat just enough calories to allow your body to build more muscle, but not so many calories that you gain a large amount of body fat.

The second way we must shock our body is with weight training. Weight training is the fastest way to get your body to build more muscle. Dieting and weight training both work together. The weight training overloads the muscles and stimulates growth, while the food you eat provides the necessary building blocks to repair and build new muscle tissue.

If you don't eat correctly while weight training, you WILL lose muscle tissue.

To Gain Mass, You Must Eat, Eat and then Eat Some More!

To gain weight you have to eat, period! It basically must become a job. This is very simple, but most people never grasp the concept of eating.

Not only was I not eating enough calories for my fast metabolism, but I was also eating too many carbohydrates and not enough high quality protein. To build muscle you must eat the right foods in the right quantities. If you are not getting at least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, then you will not gain muscle, period. In the past, I would just skip over this part. It seemed too difficult to grasp. That was my biggest mistake.

Only protein can build muscle tissue!

To make sure I was eating enough, I had to learn to measure and calculate my daily food intake. If you don't do this, you will never know what you are actually eating. I used to guess, but judging by my previous failure, I was guessing incorrectly.

In addition to eating more calories, I also had to eat more often. Eating three meals per day did not cut it! It did not provide my body with the constant flow of nutrients and energy it needs to grow. So, I increased my meal intake to 6 per day - eating every three hours. Yes, six meals per day.

Eating six meals per day takes planning, and this is where nutritional supplements have helped me the most. Now, I know that this is a very sensitive subject with many people. Some say that they are a waste of money, that they don't work, and that you don't need them. Well, they are partly correct.

Do Supplements Really Work?

There is a lot of hype in this industry. It is true that some supplements are a complete waste of money, but there are also a few great products out there that can really help you achieve your goal. Remember, supplements are not a magic pill. They simply supplement your existing diet and training program. If you are not training and eating correctly then they will not help you. You will be wasting your money!

Supplements are not a substitute for proper nutrition and training.

Supplements don't make the program, they are only there to help you. You will still get results without them. The most important element is the diet and weight training, not supplements. A good strong diet with plenty of protein is essential. If you can't get that, then the first supplement you need is whey protein. Because it is very difficult for me to eat 6 real food meals per day, the protein supplement was essential.

The supplement that has helped me the most has to be the Meal Replacement Powder (MRP). MRP's consist of whey protein powder and maltodextrin (a carbohydrate). They are designed to be quick meal substitutes, which take the place of a real food meal.

Since it represents one meal, that's one less meal I have to worry about preparing. Also, MRP's help me reach my daily protein requirement by providing me with one of the best types of protein for muscle building - whey protein. In this respect, it is much better than meat or poultry, not to mention far more convenient. If you have a busy schedule, being able to get a complete, high-protein meal quickly and conveniently throughout the day can mean the difference between success or failure.

Over the years, I have tried hundreds of different supplements, but only a few have actually proven to help me put on muscle mass. One of those is the MRP described above. Another product I recommend is Creatine Monohydrate. I have had incredible results with this form of creatine. I know many skeptics question its effectiveness and safety, but it has absolutely worked for me. That is why it is the number one selling sports nutrition supplement for amateur and pro athletes. Creatine has been proven to increase strength and muscle endurance, which will enable you to lift heavier weights, and ultimately stimulate more muscle growth.

How to Weight Train for Maximum Muscle Gain

Not only did I have to change my diet, I had to learn the correct way to weight train for muscle mass as well.

The best way to gain muscle mass quickly is to use free weights. You must focus on compound free-weight exercises, and lift heavy/challenging weights. This will stimulate the largest amount of muscle fibers. Your body responds to this stimulus by increasing your muscle mass.

In the past, I used mostly machines. I was always told that free weights were a waste of time, and machines were much more effective. Boy, was I mislead!

Most machines are a waste of time for us. They will limit our development, because they help to support the weight. On the other hand, free weights make you support the weight along the entire path of the movement, which helps to stimulate more muscle fibers, while also strengthening smaller/weaker muscles. If your smaller supporting muscles are weak, your larger muscles won't grow. To build size and strength quickly, pro bodybuilders and professional athletes do not use machines - they use free weights almost exclusively!

I also had to stop training so often, and understand that for hardgainers, "less is more". Some people still believe that the more you train the bigger you will get. If that were true, all I would have to do is workout 8 hours a everyday, and I would be huge! Unfortunately, it's not true, it doesn't work that way. You do not get bigger while working out.

Your muscles do NOT grow in the gym; they only grow when you are resting!

Weight training is needed only to stimulate growth. After that, your body needs rest and food to build the muscle. Hardgainers, of course, need more rest and food than others.

That took me a long time to understand. Working out too often does not allow your muscles the necessary time to recuperate. Not only will you not grow, but you will also be setting yourself up for chronic injuries from over training, and possible muscle loss.

Improper diet and over training are two reasons why most people never get beyond an average physique. I see guys at the gym that workout 5-6 days per week for 2 hours or more each day - but they always look the same. They have the right motivation, but the wrong information. In other words, they're wasting their time, effort and money doing the wrong things.

[POWrCLEANr]

Cont...

The Best Kept Secret of Success

The final item that helped me achieve these incredible results was consistency. I followed my plan consistently day in and day out without fail. I did not skip workouts or meals. If you cannot do this, then forget about getting incredible results. Working out, and dieting on an inconsistent basis will not bring a significant increase in size. I know this because that's what I had been doing most of my life.

Do it right or don't do it at all! To be successful in anything, you must commit yourself and follow through. It is that simple. Once I became consistent, results came quickly.

If you are not eating the right foods AND the right amount of food,
you WILL NOT get bigger

If you are not eating the right foods AND the right amount of food,
you WILL NOT get bigger "

HYDRATION IS KEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bibliography

Ellis, Anthony. MUSCLE GAIN.musclegaintips.com/

[maGz]

Awesome post bro, great info there!

[Determ1ned]

Very good reading. Thanks

[BACKSTOP29]

Nice post. What then, in your opinion would a good mass building training routine look like? Please outline days, sample exercises, sets and reps. Thanks.

[ThaShiz420]

Man, that's just the info i've been looking for. Thanks a lot bro

[<^>]

bump- good stuff bro.

[321bh]

Article on clean bulking - http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/topicoftheweek41.htm

[POWrCLEANr]

Nice post. What then, in your opinion would a good mass building training routine look like? Please outline days, sample exercises, sets and reps. Thanks.

try this.

http://www.thepumpingstation.com/intermediate.html

Clicking on the excercise will show you the right form or how to do it if you dont know.

[BACKSTOP29]

Thanks for the link, looks like a great routine. I'm going to start that proram in about a month or so. My nutrition is all set. I log all my calories in a journal, and I have figured out how many calories, grams of protein carbs, and fat I should take in order to gain muscle.

With regards to this routine, would you suggest doing the first workout of each muscle group heavy, (4-6) then the second time you hit the muscle group go with an 8-10 rep scheme?

(monday-4-6 reps, thurs 8-10 reps)

[POWrCLEANr]

Thanks for the link, looks like a great routine. I'm going to start that proram in about a month or so. My nutrition is all set. I log all my calories in a journal, and I have figured out how many calories, grams of protein carbs, and fat I should take in order to gain muscle.

With regards to this routine, would you suggest doing the first workout of each muscle group heavy, (4-6) then the second time you hit the muscle group go with an 8-10 rep scheme?

(monday-4-6 reps, thurs 8-10 reps)

That depends on your goals..if you want to help build some strength while trying to put on size....i would do high reps but then maybe your last set or something go heavy and do lower reps despite the program...so for example
10,10,8,6 on bench. theoretically...
instead....do 10,10,8, 2-4 reps.

[Rippedtohell]

"REP" it up, good job.

[Joel2213]

Really good information answear alot of my questions as i am skinny and find it hard to gain weight and was worried about getting fat not any more... thanks heaps

[davidshaffer93]

Hello everyone i am new to this forum and i need some help. i am 19 years old and 160 pounds and i was just recently hired as a correction officer and i really need to put on some size as fast as possible so maybe ill be take a little more serious and not just some little kid working in a jail with grown men. anything at will help i need to put some size on fast ive tried all different mass gainers but my metabolism is so fast and i can not keep any weight on. i also work out five days a week with cardio to the minimum. thanks!