Most hard gainers put most of their effort into their nutrition program when it comes to learning how to gain weight, and although it is critical, the other half of the equation for maximizing weight gain cannot be ignored.
Workouts need to be designed for weight gain too! You can't go to the gym with no game plan; you will only end up with minimal results at best, not the pounds of muscle you are hoping to put on! Stop hoping, and start using a workout plan that is designed to gain weight and muscle! Before getting on to the fundamentals of designing your workout and learning how to gain weight properly, let's take a look at the role cardio plays when it comes to packing on size.
Cardio and mass gains is an area where much debate occurs.
If you are the kind of guy who simply looks at a cardio machine and burns a ton of calories than skip out on the cardio plan altogether.
But for most guys the inclusion of some cardio can be beneficial.
It can help increase appetite, keep conditioning of your cardiovascular system in prime condition and can even keep fat gains to a minimum.
Just don't over-do it! Perform 3 to 4 sessions per week of 30 minutes and you will be in fine form.
Too much cardio can lead to overtraining - especially of the leg muscles and area that most guys have a hard time packing on size and muscle! As for your workout plan, since you are gunning for weight gain, you should be hitting all your muscles at least twice per week, especially the muscles you feel are underdeveloped.
A weekly training frequency of 4 to 5 times per week, will allow for sufficient rest between muscle groups for optimal recovery! Your workouts can be split any which way you prefer, but each workout should focus on utilizing compound movements, which are the basic fundamental exercises for maximum muscle recruitment and growth.
Compound movements recruit multiple muscle groups at once to perform a single coordinated action through a range of motion.
Compound movements can quickly build strength, muscle mass and overall fitness, by developing the whole body at once.
Common compound exercises to gain weight include squats, deadlifts, overhead pressing, and bench press.
The second factor to consider when designing a workout plan for weight gain is the number of sets and reps.
Sets and reps should stimulate muscle hypertrophy - or that of muscle growth.
That means you need to make sure that the weight you lift for each set is between 8 and 12 repetitions, this is considered the sweet spot when it comes to muscle and weight gain.
Basically the weight should be challenging - if it isn't you are wasting your time! Muscle weight gain occurs due to progressive tension overload, so if you're not adding weight to the bar over time, you're not going to grow! As for sets, target between 4 and 8.
At the low end, perform 4 sets of 10 reps for any given exercise, and at the high end aim for 8 sets of 8 reps for those muscles you really want to develop.
Lastly, don't forget variety is the key, after you have put a plan together for weight gain, don't set it and forget it.
After 6 to 8 weeks on the same program, change it up! Overtime the body will plateau, change up your exercises, the order of your workouts, and the sets and reps schemes.
To build muscle, and pack on size takes time, dedication and continuous change!