# Training frequency for ectomorph/hard gainer



## Geat (Apr 22, 2013)

I know some people don't like the term hard gainer, or even ectomorph, but if they do exist then I'm a class example - 6ft2, 7ft wingspan, 7" wrists, etc.

I've been training for about a year now, and in the last few months have made a concerted effort to up my calorie intake (3,000 per day - by eating more complex carbs, bigger portions, oats in my protein shakes, etc) - that's worked to a certain extent, I'm up to 13st3 which is the heaviest I've ever been, but progress in building muscle is very slow (my shoulders respond surprisingly well, but biceps/triceps and legs are pretty rubbish)

I've always believed that overtraining is bad, as such I work each muscle group once a week only. However, I've read a few articles that say hard gainers can benefit from doing the same exercises 3 times a week, but by stopping 2 reps before failure.

I just wondered if any people in a similar situation on here have had any actual experience one way or the other?


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## Monkey skeleton (Jul 8, 2012)

I would recommend high frequency, have a look at Stronglifts or Starting Strength. Very simple but effective routines.


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## AngelsFall (Jul 19, 2012)

5x5 stronglifts + up cals from 3000.

Im no expert though!


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## L11 (Jan 21, 2011)

@ 13 stone you'd want more than 3000 calories a day. I maintain at 3000 calories when I'm 11.5 stone.


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## secondhandsoul (Feb 6, 2012)

Im 59kg @ 5ft 7 and I eat more than 3000 and am finding weight gain slow. Add another 500 mate and re assess you'll probably do well on more again.

I found 5x5 for 8 weeks then 8 weeks of 5 days (one muscle group a session) produced some nice growth. Now I do a mixture of both. Start each session with a compound @ 5x5 adding weight often and then the rest of the session train in the body building rep range.


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## Hooded (Dec 16, 2012)

3000 cals is no way enough IMO...

In my experience hard gainers are under eaters.

Eat more, lift more very basic advice but its not complicated chap.


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## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

hard gainers the problem isn't the training imo its the food intake


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## JAS12 (Apr 10, 2012)

I struggled getting in the calories at first too, build your way up slowly. I use to prepare all my meals to the full amount of calories I should be consuming, and just ate as much as I could, and noticed that in no time at all the leftovers were getting less.


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## Jason88 (Mar 24, 2013)

just remember you ate 3000 to get bigger, now your bigger eat more then 3000


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## Benls1991 (Feb 9, 2013)

How old we're you when you started and what weight was you? Also have you gained significant size?

I'm asking because I'm pretty much at where you started, and as you may know, little motivation goes far

Ben


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## monkeybiker (Jul 21, 2010)

I've found fullbody workouts twice a week or every 3 days works quite well. Not sure about 3 times unless you are a complete beginner. To do 3 times I feel I would have to drop the intensity too much.


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## Geat (Apr 22, 2013)

Thanks for the replies, guys. Looks like I'll be upping the cals by another 500 or so!



Benls1991 said:


> How old we're you when you started and what weight was you? Also have you gained significant size?
> 
> I'm asking because I'm pretty much at where you started, and as you may know, little motivation goes far
> 
> Ben


In response to Ben, I was 31 when I started, and around 11st7. I probably put on a stone through increased serving sizes and upping my protein intake, then plateaued until I upped the calories with the oat drinks. In the last year I've put half an inch on my arms (frustratingly little, but at least it's something), the same on my neck, and made pretty decent gains with my traps and shoulders.

Everybody says "work hard, eat hard" - and that seems to be true!


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## xpower (Jul 28, 2009)

Just need to eat

Fast metabolism/hard gainer/small eater

3,500-3700 cals a day should work well for ya

250g protein


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## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

The eating is the difficult thing for the ectomorph - a true ecto has a shallow ribcage and small hips and thus a relatively small stomach size compared to an endomorph of the same height. This makes it morre difficult to eat as much in a single setting. A long slim body type also has a greater surface area to mass ratio, and that means greater heat loss and so more calories burned to maintain body temp - thus more thyroid output and a faster metabolism.

Put the two together and you have less ability to eat food, but need of more food. Stuffing your face to get beyond this skinny stage is really hard, but it does get somewhat easier as you stretch out your stomach a bit and change body shape.

I agree with the others, up your calories and ensure a good protein intake.

For training I think an upper/lower split works well alternating high rep sessions with low rep sessions. The low rep/heavy loading sessions are important for progressive growth, but many ectos find that higher reps build the muscles of the arms and legs better, so is good to give equal priority to both forms of training rather than to just go heavy with a pump set or two tacked on at the end.


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