General
hardgainer
What does hardgainer mean?
A person, often with a fast metabolism, who finds it very hard to add muscle and bodyweight even when training and eating a lot.
"As a hardgainer he has to force-feed to grow."
Origin
Bodybuilding slang; 'hard' plus 'gainer'.
Frequently asked questions
What is a hardgainer?
A hardgainer is someone who finds it very difficult to add muscle and bodyweight, often due to a fast metabolism, even with consistent training and eating.
How does a hardgainer build muscle?
Hardgainers typically need to eat in a consistent calorie surplus, sometimes force-feeding, train progressively and be patient, since gains come slowly for them.
Is being a hardgainer real or an excuse?
It's real for some people with genuinely high metabolisms, but often it comes down to underestimating how little they actually eat and train.
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