5'9 125lbs Hard-Gainer (Looking for help)

[GetLIFTED]

Hello, I have just registered looking for advice this summer to finally get in shape. I have never participated in basically any physical activities over the years besides gym classes.

I weigh between 120-125lbs, which is basically water weight and I can lose it daily. I have never really followed a planned routine or diet to try to gain muscles. I think I am what would be considered a "hard-gainer" as I read on something like Yahoo questions or something, where it said it will take you like 2x as hard to build muscle because of a fast metabolism and you aren't turning fat to muscle.

I have basically no fat whatsoever, possibly like 2-4%, I am so skinny that I have a full six pack without ever attempting to get it. My legs are fairly toned from basic running and required stuff we had to do in gym, the only thing lacking is my bicep/tricep area and chest.

I can do about 20-25 pushups in a row till exhaustion, in which I'll have to take a few minute break. I have never benched anything before in my life, but I can lift about maybe a 40-45 with my right hand and possibly a 30 with my left. My left arm is considerably weaker than my left.

Is there any possible routines/diets you guys can point me in that will help me increase the power of my left arm to where it matches my left, so I can efficiently get bigger?

Any help will be appreciated, thank you.

[HSfootball16]

eat 4000 calories a day , with about (for your current weight) about 170 grams of protein. also you should do rippetoes or a 5x5. rippetoes has worked for me (even though im anything but a hardgainer) but many people like the 5x5. do a little research and you will figure them out (google it, im not doing all your work for you).

[GetLIFTED]

How much protein should I take before and after working out?

What are rippletoes? and 5x5's?

How much would it cost to finance an at home work out room? My dad has been interested in purchasing a bench and all that, would that cost a lot of money? Then I could just hit up the gym for squats and other things?

[Darkhorse]

Well, you have a very fast metabolism. That means any moderate/high volume routines are out. It also means high reps and short rest periods aren't wise either.

Ectomorphs always do better training like a powerlifter than a "typical" bodybuilder. Reps need to be low, weight heavy, and long rest between sets.

^^ That's how you should be training ONCE you've got some time weightlifting under your belt.

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Most ectomorphs fail in the gym because of APPETITE and METABOLISM. I guess another one could be trying to do "popular" intensification techniques such as supersets, trisets, giant sets, ect.

Since you posted in the training forum, I'll stick to training. If you ARE serious though, you'd ought to post in the nutrition forum as well. If you're not forcing your body to eat, eat, eat.. Then don't bother training.. It's that important! *See my sig*


If you're brand spankin' new to lifting, then I wouldn't be hitting the gym more than three days a week. Full body's a good split if you restrict yourself to compounds. Any two day split might be better IME since you need more time and attention into learning certain lifts and what muscles they affect. I also won't recommend any 5x5 (5 sets of 5 reps) since it's too much.

Here's a hardgainer routine I hack and pasted from ironaddict:

Originally Posted by Ironaddict

Hardgainer/Low Volume/Frequency Routine

This format is one that after everyone reads the routines, not one in 20 will pick this one, and the truth is, many of the 20 will do better on this one than any of the others. Why will no one pick it? It’s not “flashy” it doesn’t have a fancy name, nor will most guys ever believe it could be “enough” work after reading “Flex” and the like seeing the “routines of the pro’s”. Well the truth is those damn routines of the “pro’s” work for a select few and most guys reading this are not likely to one of those guys.


Day One:

Dips or Bench Press 2-3 x 6-8

Incline Press, or incline Fly 2 x 10-12

Military Press, Or Hammer Shoulder Press 2-3 x 6-8

Tricep (skull crushers) Extensions or Tricep Pushdowns 2-3 x 10-12

Heavy Abs 3 x 10

Day Two:

Pull-Up 3 sets to failure

Barbell Row 2-3 x 8

EZ-Bar Or Dumbell Curl 1-2 x 10

Squats 2 x 10

Deadlifts, or Stiff-Legged Deadlift 1 x 10

Sub-Routine:

Here is another Hardgainer Style Routine done three days a week. TRUE hardgainers will do MUCH better on the two-day, as will many lifters with fairly good recovery.


Day One:
Dips or Bench Press 2 x 6-8

Incline Press, or incline Fly 2 x 10-12

Military Press, Or Hammer Shoulder Press 2 x 6-8

Tricep (skull crushers) Extensions or Tricep Pushdowns 2 x 10-12


Day Two:

Pull-Up 3 sets to failure

Barbell Row 2 x 8

EZ-Bar Or Dumbell Curl 1 x 10

Heavy Abs 3 x 10


Day Three

Squats 2 x 10

Deadlifts, or Stiff-Legged Deadlift 1 x 10

Pull-Troughs, Glute/Ham Raises, or Reverse Hypers

[Darkhorse]

If you really want to do some homework, I highly recommend reading Beyond Brawn by Stuart McRobert. Superb training advice for people running from the get-go.

Just hit up Amazon.com.

[GetLIFTED]

Thank you for all of your help. I am not trying to pursue a career as a body builder or anything, I am just trying to pack on some muscle. So with my metabolism it is best I should do use a very high weight with low reps, I didn't know this, thank you.

I found the e-book online of a pdf of Beyond Brawn.
http://isohunt.com/download/13217961/Beyond+Brawn if anyone wants. (This is the revised 2nd edition)

I'll read this and report back later, thank you.