1. Never
Perform More Than 10 Reps.
If
you are lifting weights beyond 10 reps than you are emphasizing your
slow-twitch muscle fibers which have the smallest opportunity for
muscle growth. You are a hard gainer and you need recruit the maximal
amount of muscle fibers in every set. Always choose your weights
knowing that a 11th rep is forbidden and trespassing into 'skinny land.'
If you really want to gain muscle fast
than get your mind into heavy lifting mode. Every
single set and every single exercise. Keep the weights heavy and never
more than 10 reps. Approach every workout knowing that you are going to
be venturing into new territory and waging war on your skinny genetics.
I recommend these workouts with a workout partner so you can eliminate
any safetey issues, not slack off and push your limits every inch of
the way.
2. Reduce
Your Workout Time
Perform
more work in less time and you have increased your work capacity. Work
refers to the number of sets, reps and poundage within your workout.
Who is fitter? The guy who can do 4 sets of 185 pounds bench press with
30 second rest or the guy who can do 4 sets of 185 pound bench press
with 90 second rest? The one who can do the same amout of work in less
time. Guess who is more muscular? The one who has a higher work
capacity.
Next time you enter the
gym, try to complete your current workout in less time. Take shorter
rests. Move from one exercise to the next much quicker. Don't be
surprised if you feel out of shape! This is one of the easiest tips you
can take away to increase your muscle density and take your fitness to
a new level. Be prepared to humble yourself and get out of your comfort
zone.
3. Do Only
One Exercise Per Muscle Group
Only one? Yes, only one,
unless you want to buy into the notion that you must mutilate a muscle
for over an hour to get any growth out of it. Consider this typical day
in the gym. Today is your chest day. Your first exercise is bench
press. You perform your first set with 185 lbs, second set with 205
lbs, third set with 225 lbs and fourth set with 245 lbs.
Assuming this is your max
weight for the desired number of reps, is it not safe to say that you
have used the maximal number of muscle fibers? Your goal is to simple
spark your muscles into growth. Not exhaust them to death. Once they
experience a unknown assalut (stimulus), your body will be forced to
adapt and create new muscle to prevent future assaults! Therefore, your
take home lesson is this: Once you have out performed your last
workout, it is time to move onto the next exercise.
4. Do No
More Than 3-5 Sets Per Muscle Group
I question a hard gainers
workout intensity if they must do more than 3-5 sets per muscle group.
Now if you are using anabolic steroids or have muscle friendly genes
than you can safely dismiss this advice. Remember, learning how
to gain muscle fast for the hard gainer requires following a
new set of rules.
Consider the first 1-2
sets at 85% maximal effort. The third set at 95% maximal effort and the
fourth (and sometimes fifth) set at 100% maximal effort. It is only
this last all out set that contributes to the greatest muscle growth.
Anything over and above this last go till you blow set simply exhausts
the muscle beyond reason and delays your recovery ability to hit the
muscle again. It is this last set that you should perform at least 1-2
extra reps or 5-10 extra pounds than last workout. Mission
accomplished. You have sparked your muscles into growth. Time to move
on.
5. Increase
Your Strength 5% Every Two Weeks
One of the biggest
mistakes I see hard gainers make in the gym is not track there
progress. They return week-after-week to simply reherse the same
workouts with the absense of progress. How do you expect to gain
muscle fast if you continue to lift the same weights each
workout? Your body is designed to tolerate stress. Assault it and let
it get bigger. Assault it and let it get bigger. It's a simple concept.
So your take home message
is to aim for a minimum of 5% strength increase every two weeks. You
might progress a little quicker with larger muscle groups like back and
legs versus smaller muscles like biceps and triceps. Just think, in six
months from now, you will be over twice as strong as you are now! I
would actually recommend writing down your strength goals for six
months from now and than work backwords. If you are currently dead
lifting 135 lbs, aim to be deadlifting 270 lbs over the next few
months!
Vince DelMonte is the
author of No Nonsense Muscle Building: Skinny Guy Secrets To Insane
Muscle Gain found at http://www.VinceDelMonteFitness.com/
