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This article is from the Hardgainer Bodybuilding & Weightlifting FAQ, by Frank J. Kelly and Craig R. Sadler with numerous contributions by others.

2.4 What equipment is required?

With just a barbell, a bench, a safety stand for squatting and
an overhead bar for pull-ups, a hardgainer can get great results.
Other equipment, like a good leg press machine or even Nautilus
equipment, can be used for compound movements as long as
progressive poundage and abbreviated routines are adhered to. At
least one noted hardgainer trains the squat with no stand at all;
he cleans and presses the bar to start, then presses it again after
completing 15-20 slow reps!

2.5 What does an example Hardgainer workout look like?

The 'classic' hardgainer workout is a full-body workout done
at most twice a week, and in some cases once every 4-5 days.
The routine might look something like this:

10-20 minute whole body warmup used beforehand to get the body
thoroughly warmed-up (use stationary bike or calisthenics etc.).

		Squat           2x20       (or Deadlift(DL) )
		Stiff Leg DL    1x10       (don't do this if doing DL)
		Bench Press     2x6        (or Dumbbell press / dips)
		Dumbbell Rows   2x8        (or barbell rows/chins etc.)
		Shoulder Press  1x6        (or Dumbbell Press etc.)
		Calf Raises     1x15
		Arm Curl        1x6

Only the WORK sets are shown. 1-3 warmup sets are used. Abs are
worked for 1-2 sets to absolute failure before & after the workout.
Doing a whole-body routine infrequently, yields the most recovery time.

Another abbreviated routine might look like the following:

	Mon                       |Wed                  |Fri
	deadlift 5 x 6            |lat pull-downs 5 x 6 |leg press 1x8,2x12
	incline bench press 5 x 6 |barbell curls 3 x 6  |weighted dips 3x6
	weighted ab work 3 x 12   |calf work 3 x 15     |shoulder press 5x6
				  |side bends 3 x 12    |calf 3x20

Here warmup sets are shown as the first 2 sets of a 5 set exercise
and the first set in a 3 set exercise. As the weights increase
through the cycle, two things can be done to optimize the workload
to prevent overtraining. The first is to drop 1-3 sets from each
exercise, and the second is to eliminate the Wed workout and split its
exercises between the other days. Finally one might eliminate all
but the main exercise (deadlift in this case) and one or two others
in order to squeeze an extra 5-10 pound increase for the focus lift
out of the cycle.

A very abbreviated routine might look like this:
(only work sets shown, 1-2 warmups done prior to these)

		Day 1:  Squat               1x15 (affects whole body, thighs)
			Weighted Pressups   1x6  (Triceps, Pecs, front-delts)
			Arm Curl            1x6  (isolation for biceps)

		Day 2:  Deadlift             1x15 (whole body, back)
			Pulldowns to Front   1x15 (upper back)
			Shoulder Press       1x6  (delts, triceps)

One or two more warmup sets might be added to each exercise above
especially near the end of a cycle as the weights are getting very
heavy. Though this may seem extreme, a cycle like this could easily
result in a 25-30 lb increase in the poundage of the two focus lifts
over the one's previous max by the end of a 12 week cycle. This type
of schedule is also appropriate for the ultra-hardgainer who must
limit total sets to the minimum.

There are many exercise routines in "Brawn", some with as many as 7
exercises per workout. Some routines in "Brawn" are based on doing ONE
exercise in a workout! A maximum of 15 total sets early- to mid-cycle,
and around 8 total sets at the end of a cycle constitute the
abbreviated routine. The fewer sets you do, the more weight you'll be
able to lift, and the better you'll respond. If you get into an
overtrained state, you are not responding (growing) optimally and you
may very well regress!

 

Continue to:

• prev: 2.3.1 How often should I work out?
• Index
• next: 2.6 What must hardgainers focus on and what can they ignore?

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sport, hardgainer, bodybuilding, weightlifting, squats, exercise, overtraining, deadlift, cycle