How To Tell if You’re a Fast or Slow Muscle Gainer

Have you been weight training for months without gains in muscle size?

Maybe you’re a hard gainer! But how can you tell if you’re a slow or fast muscle gainer?

There is a simple test that can be done using weights which will assess whether you’re a hard or fast muscle gainer.

How does it work?

There is a test that can roughly assess a person’s rate at which they can gain muscle mass. It is a simple test that requires the trainee to perform as many repetitions as possible with 80% of their one-rep maximum weight for a particular exercise. If the individual can perform ten or more reps, then it would indicate he/she is a hard gainer. A very low number of reps performed, less than 5, usually indicates the ability to gain muscle mass relatively quickly. Anything between 6 and 9 reps often means an average rate of gains for the muscle group being tested. There can be slight differences between muscle groups with the same person, so trainees often test some upper body muscle groups as well as the lower groups of the legs in order to gain an idea of their overall ability for gaining muscular weight.

Testing the Different ratio of Muscle Fiber Types

The following test is a good indicator of how fast, or slow muscle can be gained because it tests the different types of muscle fibers that are working within the skeletal muscles. There are fast twitch and slow twitch muscle fibers in all our skeletal muscles, and we all have a different combination or ratio of fast twitch to slow twitch muscle fibers. People with a high ratio of fast twitch fibers compared to slow twitch, tend to gain muscle fairly quickly. This is because fast twitch are the powerhouse cells that are used more for heavy contractions. However, they don’t last very long because they fatigue quickly. They also have more protein molecules within them, and thus have more potential for expansion when further protein is deposited within the cell structure. Fast twitch also respond well to intense exercises from a weight training program. Therefore, the more fast twitch fibers a person has, the faster they can potentially gain muscle from doing heavy weights.

Fast twitch are also responsible for high speed movement, hence their name, and also the reason why sprinters tend to possess a higher proportion of fast twitch compared to an average person. This can be evident when looking at some sportsmen that require speed for their sport - it’s not often we see a weak, skinny sprinter or boxer!

Fast twitch fibers fatigue quickly under work loads. This is simply due to the way they’re made up chemically. This is where the test identifies the potential ratio. If you cannot perform many reps with 80% of your maximum weight, then it’s an indication that you have more fast twitch over slow twitch fibers, and therefore indicates a fast muscle gainer.

Slow twitch fibers are classed as the endurance worker muscle cells. Their chemical make up allows them to work well with low intensity loads that require numerous contractions. They are often smaller and hard to stimulate for growth as they tend to possess less protein molecules but more mitochondria for energy production. Sportsmen with a higher ratio of slow-twitch fibers are usually long-distance runners or other endurance athletes.

How To Find Out If You’re A Hard Gainer

It is recommended that multi-joint exercises are used for testing the different muscle groups. I use bench presses and lat pulldowns for testing the main muscles of the upper body, and leg press for testing the growth rate of my legs. This test only needs to be completed once for the major muscle groups of the body. If it indicates that you’re a hard gainer, then it cannot be changed no matter how much training is completed. Although, this doesn’t mean you can’t gain good amounts of muscle mass, it is still possible with the correct training, all it means is that it’ll take longer than those who are fast gainers!

Test to Find Hard / Fast Gainer Step 1.

Firstly you need to know your one repetition maximum for the exercise you intend to do. This is how much total weight can be pushed for one complete repetition. When trying to assess your one-rep maximum weight, I think it’s ok to guess a little by gauging how hard the last attempt was, instead of over-loading the bar too much and causing any possible injuries. For example, if 140 pounds is a lot of effort, with the face feeling flushed, and the weight only moving very slowly, then it may be best to leave it at that. If you feel you could do more then simply estimate an extra 5-10 pounds without attempting to push it. So in this case, we could estimate that 148 is roughly the one-rep max in this example.

Not actually attempting to push real heavy weights is probably a wise thing as you don’t want to weaken the muscles too much before attempting the next step of the test, and it’s also best to avoid any possible injury from attempting very heavy weights.

In fact, it would be better if you could avoid trying for your one-rep max altogether, instead use past experience as a guide. Most weight training guys have a rough idea of the maximum amount of weight they have pushed in the past. Use what you know to be the one-rep max rather than wasting energy finding out. This way you’ll have more energy to perform the next step for the test to be more accurate. If you do need to find out what your one-rep maximum weight is, then always use a partner to help and make sure you’re thoroughly warmed up before attempting to push a heavy weight. You should also think about leaving the test for a few days until you’ve completely recovered from the one-rep max attempt before trying the second part of the test. You will then be more prepared with full energy reserves.

Hard / Slow Gainers Test Step 2.

Now, warm up thoroughly before attempting the second phase of the test. Do a couple of sets of ten repetitions with lighter weights on the intended exercise. Each set should be progressively heavier, but not using too much effort. You want to warm up the muscles, not burn them out!

Now load the bar with 80% of your one-repetition maximum weight. To do this on a calculator, multiply your one-rep max by 80 percent, so if your max is 150 pounds, then you would do this on a calculator:

150 x 80 then press the % sign, do not press the equals sign at all!
The answer for this example should be 120 pounds.

Once ready, have a spotter standing by, and then push the weight for as many repetitions as possible on your own until you cannot do any more. If your partner has to help at any stage, then stop counting and remember the number you reached before the help. You want the exact number that you managed on your own. Once you have that number, use the chart below to assess the speed you could potentially gain muscle mass if you were to train correctly for your body type.

2 -- 5 repetition range = fast muscle gainer
6 -- 9 reps = average rate of muscular gains
10 – 15 + reps = slow or hard muscle gainer

If you’re a hard gainer, then you’ll benefit by training more scientifically. I think slow gainers would gain faster if training intensity is increased at each workout, and also training time reduced at the same time. A power lifting program would probably suit a slow gainer more than completing a workout full of single-joint, low muscle stimulating exercises.

Hard gainers can use the high intensity principles shown by Jason Ferruggia's new articles "Muscle Gaining Secrets". Jason is a world renowned strength and conditioning coach, who has been featured in many fitness magazines, as well as appearing on a few TV programs. He reveals the Huge mistakes that many hard gainers make when trying to build muscle mass and gain weight. Check out his site below:

www.musclegainingsecrets.com

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