| In this article I am going to share with you what I | | | | 6. Think big to get big |
| believe to be the top 10 tips for a hardgainer pursuing | | | | One essential aspect of all successful and champion |
| natural bodybuilding. These top 10 tips are based | | | | natural bodybuilders is a powerful mindset and |
| around the 3 main areas of successful bodybuilding, | | | | psychology. They all think positive when it comes to |
| training, nutrition and mindset. | | | | their training, their nutrition and their lifestyle ion general. |
| Taking from these 3 pillars of successful natural | | | | Negative thoughts, worry and stress all create and |
| bodybuilding I have identified the top 10 tips for | | | | produce catabolic hormones which stops muscle |
| hardgainers who wish to build massive amounts of | | | | growth in its tracks. Think big to get big! Think positive |
| muscle as quickly as possible. Use these top 10 tips as | | | | to initiate and produce anabolic hormones which |
| a checklist and follow and apply them consistently and | | | | promote muscle growth. |
| you will see great results from your efforts! | | | | 7. Focus, focus, focus |
| 1. Intensity vs. Volume | | | | What you focus on the most you will inevitably get. |
| There are two main training variables in your workouts | | | | What you think about mist usually shows up in your life. |
| that affect every set of every exercise and they are | | | | Most people focus on what they don't want. I don't |
| intensity and volume. You cannot have both! When | | | | want to be fat, I don't want to be broke, I don't want to |
| volume increases intensity must and will decrease and | | | | be skinny and small and yet this directs their thoughts, |
| when intensity increase volume must and will | | | | feelings and actions towards the very things that they |
| decrease. You cannot sprint a marathon! In order to | | | | wish to avoid. You must direct your focus like a laser |
| build the maximum amount of muscle possible you | | | | onto the things you want and desire instead of the |
| must keep intensity high and volume low. | | | | things you don't want! Think about, focus on and |
| 2. Lift big to get big | | | | visualize how you wish to be now, see yourself looking |
| No one ever got big by lifting light weight, even the | | | | the way you wish to look, the size you wish to be. I |
| genetically gifted and those using performance | | | | promise you this one things can make all the |
| enhancing drugs have to lift big weights to build big | | | | difference as it will direct your thoughts, feelings and |
| muscle. But as a hardgainer it is essential you lift big to | | | | actions in a very different direction! |
| get big. You must continuously strive to get stronger | | | | 8. Stick to the basics |
| and lift more over time. You training must be | | | | Keep it simple! While variety in training is important far |
| Progressive! | | | | too many people try to many fancy, complex |
| 3. Protein, protein, protein! | | | | gimmicky exercises or machines. Professionals, |
| As a hardgainer chances are you will need more | | | | champions and anyone who has built a significant |
| protein than the average person when trying to build | | | | amount of muscle mass has done it using old school |
| muscle. You do not build or maintain the muscle you do | | | | basic compound movement. Nothing fancy, simple but |
| build very easily. You need more protein simply to | | | | effective exercises that produce the greatest results. |
| maintain the muscle you have built. Especially combined | | | | Exercises that have stood the test of time. Do not go |
| with the super high intensity workouts you are | | | | looking for the next trend or fade or advanced way of |
| exposing your body and your muscles to on a regular | | | | doing an exercise. Stick to the basic go heavy and |
| basis. I know from experience whenever I have | | | | intense with good technique and you will see results. |
| increased my protein intake I have seen gains almost | | | | 9. Believe to achieve |
| immediately without changing my training. Muscles are | | | | Whatever the mind can conceive and believe the |
| made from protein and you should be drip feeding | | | | body can achieve. The one thing all successful people |
| them every 2 hours or so throughout the day with high | | | | share in common is the belief about what is possible |
| quality protein. Either shakes, bars, eggs, fish, chicken, | | | | for themselves. No one ever lifted a record weight |
| meat or cottage cheese should be the cornerstone of | | | | without first believing it was possible. Whether you |
| every meal! | | | | believe you can or you can't you are right! Because if |
| 4. Eat big to get big! | | | | you doubt yourself or doubt what is really possible |
| If you are not gaining weight then you are not eating | | | | then your level of commitment and action will be |
| enough Period! Most hardgainers fail to understand just | | | | insufficient to get the greatest gains and produce the |
| how much they need to eat to continue to build, gain | | | | best results. If you have what is known as unwavering |
| and grow! If you are training hard with the right | | | | faith and real belief in your own potential and what is |
| systems for success and eating high protein diet, are | | | | truly possible then your will take greater levels of |
| not over-training and you are not seeing gains then | | | | action be more committed and produce greater |
| chances are you are not eating enough calories | | | | results. Its simple cause and effect and your beliefs |
| overall. To get big you must eat big! Keep increasing | | | | govern your actions which are the cause... |
| your meal sizes and calorie intake every week until | | | | 10. Consistency is key! |
| you start to see gains! | | | | I always talk about consistency in anything I write or |
| 5. Rest & Recovery | | | | teach because it is the one thing that brings everything |
| Probably the must underestimated area of a | | | | else together. You can know the best training |
| bodybuilder's lifestyle is their rest and recovery. | | | | strategies, eat the best diet, buy all the best |
| Particularly beginners and hardgainers with so much | | | | supplements but if you fail to follow through and be |
| desire to build muscle fast they fall into the trap of | | | | consistent then your results will be greatly limited! |
| believing more is better and then end up over training. | | | | Consistent action is what produces the greatest |
| You must understand that your muscles grow while | | | | results in bodybuilding. You may have the pieces of the |
| you are resting and sleeping not while you are training! | | | | puzzle but it is only in applying them consistently that |
| So get in hit it hard and get out of the gym fast, eat | | | | you can see the big picture and build the biggest best |
| well and eat a lot and then let your body do it's job of | | | | physic possible. Nothing else sums up the art and the |
| effective recovery and repair. Train hard, eat well and | | | | skill of bodybuilding as much as the one word |
| rest lots and gains will come quickly! | | | | consistency! |