I seem to have a hard time putting on mass compared to others I know. So I was wondering if its possible to put on 10lbs of muscle in 2 months, not only for a hard gainer, but just the average Joe. Thanks you all.
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I seem to have a hard time putting on mass compared to others I know. So I was wondering if its possible to put on 10lbs of muscle in 2 months, not only for a hard gainer, but just the average Joe. Thanks you all.
10 pounds? yes.
10 pounds muscle? Probably not. I don't know how fast muscle is put on, but that is quite a bit in a short time.
Yes.
Is a pound a week of actual muscle unrealistic?
10lbs in 2 weeks?Without drugs,no.With drugs?Probably not.
Theres no such thing as a hardgainer.Your underfed and need more rest.Some of the most successful Powerlifters/Bodybuilders were "hardgainers" until they realized they needed to eat more and rest more to support growth.Calling yourself a "Hardgainer" is saying you arent willing to do what it takes to get bigger.Eat alot,sleep alot,lift heavy.
No not 10lbs in 2 weeks, 10 lbs in 2 months. I probably need to get more sleep. I usually only get 6-7 hours because I am so busy. How much will naps help?
im a hardgainer with a very low body fat and 10 pounds in 2 months of just muscle...not possible. without drugs
If your training drug free,you will be lucky to put on 10lbs of quality muscle in a year.Youd have to get a BMI test done regularly.Thats askin alot.And yes,naps will help.
10 lbs a year for those of us who have been training a long time would be good and possible, but for someone who has yet to put a good diet, good split, good rest, and consistency together could gain more I think, dont you? (especially some of these self proclaimed "hard gainers")
To the OP:
There is no such thing as a hard gainer. Answer these two questions then reevaluate your position and question.
Are you getting adequate rest?
Whats your split look like? How are your lifting #s?
What is your metabolic rate?
What are your daily macros?
:)
I beg to differ. Some people can bulk easily on 3000 calories. Some people can barely gain weight on 5000-6000 or even more. 3000 calories is simple to eat, 6000 is pushing it for a lot of people, so by definition, that makes them a hardgainer. I agree that they aren't eating enough, but if they have to eat a substantial amount more just to gain any weight, that makes it "harder" than others. Eating is by far harder for me than the actual training. Not an excuse, just saying how I see things.Quote:
Theres no such thing as a hardgainer
Yes, technically they would be a "hardgainer" in comparison to the average joe. I used to think I was a hard gainer when I was lazy and looking for a cop out as to why I was so small. Eventually I manned up, started eating till I felt sick, and then, at that point, I was taking in ~5500cals. But what did it make me do? Gain weight. Eating is the hardest part for me too. (btw, this post wasnt directed at you berfles, just speaking in general)Quote:
Originally Posted by berfles
To the OP - It is much easier to drink 1000+cals than it is to eat them
I see what you are saying about those that are already big to gain 10 lbs of muscle, but i am 6'0'' and 160lbs, so I have some room to grow, hopefully quickly. So, what I am getting out of this is that its not likely that I could gain 10lbs of muscle in 2 months?
Do Rippetoe's and drink a gallon of milk a day. You'll put on 10lbs in less than 2 months.
Regarding naps: No. Most naps are going to be non-REM sleep, which is significantly less beneficial in regards to the hormonal responses of a full night's sleep.
Heres the difference between a "Hardgainer" and someone who will do whatever it takes to get big.The guy who "Cant gain weight" will spend 2 hrs a day in a gym,read a ton of articles,ask alot of questions,but when it comes time for nutrition-say "I cant eat alot".Or "Im full".The other guy will eat til he pukes and then eat more.He will eat anything and everything to gain weight.Most skinny guys are reading bodybuilding magazines on how to gain weight.They eat chix,tuna,rice,eggs.These are foods that should be incorporated,but higher calorie-fatty foods are whats needed.If your skinny,eating fat wont make you fat.And you need to keep track of how much your eating.You have to reach that number or more everyday.I find it absolutely pointless to spend 1 second in a gym if your not gonna eat accordingly to your goals.So to me,there are no hardgainers.Its lack of will and sacrifice.Ask Rhodes about being a hardgainer or genetics.
yep.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tennessee Mike
yep
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tennessee Mike
Well that just proves my point that there are hard gainers out there. If you have to go through that, obviously it's harder for you to gain than an average person, thus making you a hard(er)gainer. That's all I'm saying. I was going to write more, but it's pointless here and now.
Maybe there is no such thing as a hard gainer, but it just seems like some guys are genetically predisposed to grow really fast or pack on mass really quick. I haven't started my bulking phase yet. I am going to be doing a routine similar to what Zen always tells people, but here is the thing, I will be lifting heavy in the mornings, then wrestling or boxing in the evenings. Would that hinder my growth? Probably not as long as I eat enough right.
I wouldn't call myself a hard gainer....it's not like i've been thin me whole life it's just for a certain peroid of time between 11-15 years old i ate absolutely NOTHING...I was more concerned about sitting on my computer all the time. Now that I'm 16 (17 in october) I'm taking lifting alot more seriously and realising how much I have to eat to gain weight...I now see that I musnt just eat till i'm full, or until i feel like i've had enough, i should eat all the time till i feel i can't handle one more bite. I must admit that most days I do not eat till i feel sick...but for me i've just said to myself that there's no point in spending all this time in the gym and busting my ass off if i'm not going to do what it requires to get bigger. If bodybuilding was easy then everyone would be doing it but it's tough and i just have to stick to my goals of gaining mass and there's no doubt that i'll reach them. i'm going to eat all the time and when i'm full i'm going to force the food down with water...seems like the only way!
Right. Provided you eat enough and get enough sleep, you should be fine.Quote:
Would that hinder my growth? Probably not as long as I eat enough right.
Let it be known that I was once one of those "I just can't gain any weight no matter what" while I was eating 2500 calories, because to me, that was a lot. That was years ago. Since then I've gone from eating 3000 to 3500, 3500 to 4000, 4000 to 5000, and 5000 to 6000/6500 and as long as I don't have a job where I'm running around all day and burning energy, I'm currently gaining about 1.5-2lbs a week eating this much. If I had another physical job again my gains would stop or I would lose because I just wouldn't be able to eat enough. I'm not going to make myself 100% miserable every day of my life for something I'm supposed to enjoy.
If you are eating that many and not gaining, and you swear you can't eat anymore, then it is an issue of burning too many calories. Its not that your body doesn't want to grow, its just that you won't let it.Quote:
Originally Posted by berfles
you were also on a pretty crappy lookin splitQuote:
Originally Posted by berfles
...Quote:
Originally Posted by ZenMonkey
This was before I even started that split, and this split is the only thing that I've seen gains on. It's not even a problem right now because as I said, I'm gaining weight currently. I was strictly talking before.
Well there's not too much I can do working a fast paced job that burns too many calories.Quote:
If you are eating that many and not gaining, and you swear you can't eat anymore, then it is an issue of burning too many calories. Its not that your body doesn't want to grow, its just that you won't let it.
(I'll use that to respond to your other post just above)Quote:
Originally Posted by berfles
I see that, however what I'm saying is, is that very few people (esp. not everyone who claims to be a hard grainer) have a BMR of 5000-6000 calories. They are doing something outside the lifting and normal life that is causing them to burn the calroies that make it hard to gain weight. Weather it be a job that Berfles has, other sports or something else, it isn't that its harder for you to gain, you are just making it harder for yourself.
I'm not saying you suck if you can't gain weight for the reasons above, but that is where the issue lies (and thus what causes someone to think of themsleves as a hard gainer).
Its a matter of calories in vs calories out, and both are controllable to a large extent based on diet and exercise.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Reko
Alrighty, I see what you're saying now. Still though, even sitting on my ass doing literally nothing other than lifting I'm only gaining 1.5ish pounds week eating 6000+ a day. That would cause a normal person to balloon up most likely.
But to further your other point, I was just reading that Michael Phelps eats 12000 a day and doesn't gain anything, but he also has to swim for 30 hours a week.
Excellent.The fact that you recognize and understand what it takes means your on your way.Its not fun being in the gym all week and not seeing results,especially when everyone else is making gains.Bodybuilding/powerlifting is a journey.And with that journey comes wisdom.Ask anyone who's trained for a good amount of time and if they were asked if they could go back and do things different,they would all have something to say.For me,I would have trained less,not listened to Flex magazine for advice,asked more questions,trained with bigger/stronger people,and ate more food/protein.But you seem to have a good head on your shoulders and most important,your open to advice. Cheers.Quote:
Originally Posted by Vicioustorms