Just what are the advantages that separate the great majority of us from the minuscule minority of bodybuilders who were born with the potential for building phenomenal size and strength?
There’s a bodybuilding opinion that fosters the notion that the world’s top physiques are made, not born; that unfavorable genetics only slow down muscle growth, while never actually preventing the development of huge muscles. This opinion urges the disregarding of genetics. So, with a lot of commitment, Woody Allen could have matched Lee Haney on a posing platform, Stan Laurel could have held his own with Eugen Sandow, and Bing Crosby could have kept pace with John Grimek. After all, genetics don’t matter.
Such opinion lives in domains that have no contact with truth. It’s the opinion that encourages bodybuilders, especially young neophytes, to live their lives in the clouds of unrealistic expectations while following the training routines of the top physiques.
It’s the opinion that leads millions of bodybuilders down the road of utterly inappropriate and ineffective training programs.
It’s the opinion that encourages the excessive attention upon supplements and, ultimately, the dangerous use of anabolic steroids and other nocuous substances.
It’s the opinion that causes so much heartache and frustration because it promises something it can’t deliver. It often leads the falsely guided to extreme measures. However, even with drugs, the genetically typical can’t emulate the achievements of the genetically gifted.
This “genetics don’t matter” opinion believes that work and application build huge muscles, irrespective of genetic inheritance. (The importance of drugs is casually forgotten.) Of course, how well you realize your potential is a reflection of your application, dedication, desire and type of program used, but ultimate muscular size is determined by genetic endowment.
To state, or imply, that all serious and determined hard gainers didn’t develop spectacular size merely because they haven’t trained hard enough and long enough, and because they didn’t have a sufficiently positive attitude, is a gross insult. I’m but one of the countless number of typical bodybuilders who have applied themselves to bodybuilding with dedication and diligence enough to match any winner of a top title. Don’t tell us that we didn’t try hard enough or seriously enough. My God, don’t tell us that!
We tried all right. We tried, tried and tried some more. And we tried with utter and complete—no, fanatical—dedication. We lived, slept, ate and drank bodybuilding, with our self-esteem and goals way up in the clouds. We gave our ton of flesh. But we never looked like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sergio Oliva, Jay Cutler or any other elite bodybuilder.
What’s particularly galling, for typical bodybuilders, is to have a drug-using genetic superior lecturing about how, while genetic variation plays a role, it’s a small role relative to application and know-how. Even more infuriating is when a prominent physique moans about how hard he found it to bring up a lagging body part. He neglects to say that the lagging body part was already well ahead of even a successful hard gainer’s, and that he built massive muscles throughout most of his physique before he was 30, 25 or even 20, and that he used (or uses) drugs. (There is, however, a connection with reality when at least some top bodybuilders acknowledge the role of heredity in endowing them with the necessary talent for elite achievement.)
As I’ve already said, the genetically gifted (although, of course, flawed in some way) simply can’t understand true hard gaining. No matter how much they try, they can’t understand. If I had a magic wand I would put some writers and title winners in the shoes of a genetically typical hard gainer weighed down with family, financial and employment concerns. After he’s struggled to build just a 230-pound bench press, and a 315 squat, after years of determined effort and many setbacks, then he may begin to understand what I mean. If I could then wish him into the shoes of the ultra-hard gainer, he would, when feeling suicidal, finally get the full message that genetics matter one heck of a lot.
Having “perfect” genetics isn’t necessary to become a professional bodybuilder. All the genetic superiors have faults they try to correct or hide as best they can. Some have high calves, some have flat biceps, and some have broad hips. But most have less noticeable blemishes.
These men made the best of their shortcomings. However, bear in mind that, because they had so much going for them outside of the shortcomings, they could make a good job of coping with the weaknesses. They could make a far better job than can hard gainers with the same shortcomings but in a genetically typical body. Plus, the championship-level bodybuilders use drugs. It’s just a different world for them. Let’s just stop comparing drug-assisted and drug-built easy gainers with hard gainers. (Let’s also dismiss the training methods of hard gainers who have built themselves up using drugs. While surrendering their integrity and self-esteem, and damaging their health, they have nothing to teach us about training.)
The “imperfections” of the top competitors are but a drop in the ocean compared to the bodybuilding difficulties and limitations imposed upon the majority of us by average genetics. Most typical bodybuilders would love to have to deal with the “imperfections” that the top bodybuilders have. The latter were so generously blessed with advantages that their shortcomings could be overlooked.
Relative to the limitations that average genetics impose on our ultimate bodybuilding success, every single one of the top competitors doesn’t know the meaning of genetic limitation.
All of us can transform ourselves, and develop physiques and strength levels that make us true super-beings relative to the untrained person. However, we can never, ever, compete with the tiny minority that is extraordinarily genetically favored. This may not be a palatable truth, but it’s the truth nevertheless.
Grasp this key point right from the beginning. Don’t devote yourself to becoming a professional bodybuilder.
What proportions of bodybuilders belong in each category? The genetic mega-superiors of the ilk of Schwarzenegger, Oliva, Haney, Coleman and Cutler are extraordinarily rare. (In no way am I criticizing their natural talent for bodybuilding. I’ve spent years of my life wishing I had their same freak genetic condition.) Let’s be generous and say 1% of a sample of bodybuilders have the potential to be super-achievers should they put in the work and dedication, and take enough drugs.
I would say that over three quarters of a random sample of bodybuilders (not from an elite group or elite gym) are typical bodybuilders—hard gainers—varying from extreme hard gainers to just “regular” hard gainers. All these get nowhere using the orthodox training methods. This leaves a balance of bodybuilders who are neither typical hard gainers nor phenomenal easy gainers. They are, however, easy gainers to some degree. Some of them are capable of developing very big muscles, although not in the fantastic category.
Bodybuilders in this group can make progress using the orthodox training methods that are so vigorously promoted in the bodybuilding literature. While they could grow faster using more hard-gainer type routines, they make enough progress to demonstrate in gyms that progress can be made using the popular routines. Although they aren’t genetic mega-superiors, they still have sufficient advantages relative to the majority of us for them not to be fit role models for us.
This book is aimed specifically at the majority of bodybuilders—typical hard gainers. My concern is with developing the substance needed before you even think about concerning yourself with the detail and finishing off (advanced) work that so many trainers and writers concern themselves with. My criticism of this latter aspect of bodybuilding is that it’s stressed in the literature way out of proportion to the percentage of bodybuilders who are sufficiently advanced or genetically gifted to benefit from it.
I don’t doubt that this or that aspect of a muscle can be stressed, to provide “balance” and “finish.” As there’s so much emphasis upon this finishing aspect of training, I don’t need to deal with it here. Once you’re big enough and strong enough from having diligently and conscientiously followed the advice in this book, irrespective of genetic starting point, then, and only then, can you graduate (should you be interested) to the finishing routines and try to hone the mass into its final form. Just don’t start to hone the mass into its final form before you have enough mass in the first place.
Once you’re as big or bigger than the measurements given in the next chapter, then you can experiment, at least some of the time, with the other routines to see if they can do some of what they claim they can do. (You may still find these methods unproductive even when you’re big by hard gainers’ standards.) The rest of your time, devote yourself to more advanced hard-gainer type basic routines that use more volume, possibly more frequency, and substantial use of the power rack. Continue with getting bigger and stronger, while throwing in periods of finishing type work to keep the body in good proportion.
Few typical bodybuilders get to this stage, so this book’s focus is on getting you big enough to qualify for the advanced routines.
The fine-tuning of supplements and diet, the ins and outs of exercise selection, the training attire to be seen in, the gossip in the training world, contest results, the political wrangles, and all the rest of it, are irrelevant to your progress in the gym. While it all has interest value to some people, and it all helps to sell magazines, it has no value where it matters most—in the gym, and in satisfying the requirements of recuperation outside of the gym.
What you read in this book, and in HARDGAINER, isn’t concocted just to fill pages. What you read here is the opinion in the bodybuilding world that gets little mention in the mainstream literature. That it gets so little mention there, in no way detracts from its importance.
This book, and HARDGAINER, are devoted to the minority opinion because it was only this opinion that had the chance of building me—and countless other typical bodybuilders—from runts to fair specimens. It was the only opinion that could deliver the goods. That it hasn’t delivered the goods of spectacular development isn’t significant. What’s important is that it got us out of runt-land and into respectability-land for people not favored by genetics.
Don’t let anyone deflect you from priorities: Substance, not detail. Basics, not the frills. Progressive poundages, not gym attendance records. Effort and seriousness, not acting and frivolity. Determination to improve yourself, not the imitating of the gifted minority. The sanity of cycling training intensity, not beating your body into stagnation. Experimenting with the radical, not sticking with the conventional methods. Being open-minded, not being the mouthpiece of those who are so genetically superior that they can no longer be called homo sapiens. The worship of rest and recovery, not the worship of the utterances of drug-using mega-achievers.
Although we’re all physically similar in basic physical structure and metabolism, the characteristics that govern ultimate strength and muscular development vary hugely.
No amount of genetic advantage matters unless it’s combined with effort, persistence and good coaching. But all the effort, persistence and good coaching in the world can’t alter genetics.
Bodybuilding rests far more upon genetically determined physical factors than do predominantly skill and practice orientated activities such as sailing and horse riding. The more an activity depends upon physical factors, the less that achievement there is affected by pure practice and application.
There’s a lot to be said for selecting at an early age the activities most suited to an individual’s natural make-up. This is the starting ground for ultimate high individual achievement.
We shouldn’t have to have our eyes set upon championship winning achievement to motivate us to take up an activity. Even modest achievements (relative to the achievements of the extraordinarily genetically blessed) are astonishing achievements relative to the physical standard of what almost the entire population ever achieves. Taking up an activity with the purpose to compete internationally isn’t a recipe for the life-long bodybuilding activity that enhances life in all respects.
Woody Allen could have transformed his physique and strength levels, and produced an impressive physique. However, no matter what he could have done for himself, he could never have gotten even close to any of the most genetically favored bodybuilders.
Now for a look at some of the genetically determined attributes that are responsible for the differences between genetically gifted and genetically typical bodybuilders. (The outline of these attributes is based on Daniel P. Riley’s article on genetic factors in Strength Training by the Experts.)
While you read these attributes, keep in mind that it’s their total that matters. There are some astonishing physiques that have been less than generously blessed in some areas, but sufficiently blessed in the other areas to be still left with an outstanding package.
For example, bone structure alone isn’t the be-all and end-all to indicate bodybuilding potential. It’s an important indicator for ultimate size and strength, but some very big, powerful bodies have been built on medium to light frames.
And while muscle length counts a lot in influencing ultimate size, strength and power, it’s not omnipotent. Power, for example, depends, among other things, upon coordination, muscle fiber type, bone length and nervous innervation.
Bodytype, or somatotype, depicts body structure. It refers largely to the bone structure and the amounts of muscle and fat that cover the body. Regarding the bone structure, for adult males of average height, 6 to 7 inch wrists indicate a small bone structure, 7 to 8 inch wrists show a medium bone structure and more than 8 inches belongs to a large bone structure. While wrist measurements usually correlate with ankle structure—the latter typically being about 2 to 2-1/2 inches thicker—this isn’t always so. Some people have a heavier lower-body structure than upper—for example, a wrist of 6-1/2 inches, and an ankle of 10 inches. Some have a heavier upper-body structure than lower—an ankle nearly the same size as the wrist.
Although there are three basic categories of bodytype, many, if not most people, possess characteristics from more than one of the divisions. By dietary and training measures it’s possible to change drastically the appearance of the body, and its apparent bodytype, but with the removal of the training and dietary discipline, the body would revert to its natural type. (There are personality traits that can be generalized according to bodytype, though there are plenty of exceptions.)
Whatever you have, make the most of it. Rest assured that you can transform yourself, no matter where you started from. The most important body part is the mind. With the will and know-how, you can perform near miracles.
Here are the three elementary categories of bodytype, as described by the theories of Dr. William H. Sheldon:
| a. | The mesomorph is distinguished by a musculature that is naturally—without training—hard and visible, with little fat. The body is square and rugged. Bones are large and muscle is thick. This is the bodytype most suited to building large and strong bodies. How aesthetic the developed physique is, is another matter, but the potential for muscular size and strength is great. There are ectomorphic mesomorphs, and endomorphic mesomorphs, so not all predominantly mesomorphic bodies have the potential for developing the largest lean physiques. They all have a potential for size and strength far greater than have predominantly ectomorphic bodies. However, only a few of these mesomorphs are the extreme easy gainers that have the potential to become internationally competitive bodybuilders. |
| c. | The ectomorph is characterized by a thin and long bone structure, apparent frailty, little fat and thin muscles. The extreme ectomorph is the hardest of hard gainers. Archetypal ectomorphs, although not uncommon, don’t fill gyms. A greater number of ectomorphs found in gyms, trying to transform themselves, have some non-ectomorph characteristics and so have a less difficult time putting on the mass than do the archetypal ectomorphs. |
A muscle produces movement by being connected to two bones. For example, the upper ends of the two heads of the biceps brachii are attached to the outer edges of the shoulder blade, and the other ends are attached to the forearm. When the biceps contracts, it pulls the forearm to the shoulder. Where the muscle is attached to the more moveable bone—a forearm bone in this case—is called the insertion point. The other attachment end is called the origin of the muscle.
While the origins of muscles vary little, the points of insertion can vary from individual to individual. Following on with the biceps example, the farther down the forearm the biceps has its insertion, the better the mechanical advantage. Only a small difference in insertion can make a big difference in the mechanical efficiency that results.
Generally, typical people have insertion points near their joints. Genetically blessed athletes have insertion points farther from their joints. Assuming same sized muscles and same length of bones, the athlete with the more distant insertion points will be able to lift more weight. No amount of effort and application (other than surgical) can change your points of insertion.
This is the ability to employ muscle fibers through the signals that come from the nervous system. The greater the efficiency, the greater the number of muscle fibers that can be called up to work. The more fibers you have laying dormant, the less force you can apply relative to the total muscle mass. If the body could miraculously increase its neuromuscular efficiency, there would be a large increase in work output from the same level of effort as before the miracle.
Although the size of muscles is a major factor determining strength and work output, it’s by no means the only one. Neuromuscular efficiency determines just how well your body can call upon the muscle to do what it wants the muscle to do.
Skeletal muscles are attached to bones by tendons. Tendons are bundles of connective tissue—sinew—that fix the muscle on to the bones. Cut off the entire tendons from the body of the muscle and you’re left with the muscle belly. The muscle belly is the meat part of the muscle, the part that provides the rounded mass of the muscle.
While muscle cross-sectional area can be considerably increased, muscle length can’t be. The longer the muscle bellies, the greater the potential for cross-sectional area and overall volume, other considerations being equal. If short muscle bellies have been inherited, then ultimate size is vastly reduced relative to long bellies.
Those with huge muscles, or the potential for developing them, have short tendon attachments and long muscle bellies. Stocky people have long muscle bellies and short tendons and so have thick arms, thighs and legs even if they don’t train.
The length of the belly of the calf muscle is a dramatic example of the importance of belly length. Some people have short calf bellies—the so-called “high calves.” No matter what they do, their calves will always be behind the rest of their physiques. Larger calves they can develop, but the ultimate size is proportionately much less than for the other muscles that have long bellies. Generally, whether or not you have longer than average bellies is true throughout the body. However, there are many bodybuilders who are eloquent testimony to a variation throughout their physiques. Some have upper arm bellies that are disproportionately large relative to the rest of their bodies. Their arms can become huge and rounded, while other body parts remain much more flat, regardless of what is done for the latter.
Great generosity of genetically endowed muscle belly length throughout the body, together with a single example of an unusually short belly, is seen quite often. Of the top bodybuilders over recent decades, Brian Buchanan and Roy Callender are examples of men extraordinarily blessed with long muscle bellies and other advantages, everywhere except in their calves.
Muscle isn’t made up of a single muscle type. The percentage of each type can vary from individual to individual. Some fibers are more suited to size and strength development while others are more suited to endurance activities. If you’re endowed with an unusual generosity of the growth and strength fibers, your muscles—if properly and appropriately trained—will have a greater ultimate size and strength potential than muscle that is endowed with a greater percentage of endurance biased fibers. Some bodies are more suited to endurance activities while others are more suited to strength activities.
Muscle grows by the myofibrils that comprise each muscle fiber increasing in size and number. The number of fibers each muscle contains is generally thought to be genetically determined, although there’s a minority opinion that says some splitting of fibers may occur with some types of training. If you have tricep muscles that were given to you with an average or below average number of muscle fibers in them, you’re at a huge disadvantage relative to someone who inherited an above average number of fibers in the triceps.
The initial size of an untrained muscle isn’t an automatic indication of the number of fibers. A thinly muscled person, due to a very inactive life, may have muscles before training that are of similar size to those of an active ectomorph. However, once both start to train with the weights, the differences in fiber numbers will become apparent very soon. For the ectomorph, the muscles will fill out slowly. For the mesomorph with a plentiful supply of fibers, the muscles will visibly swell with growth for month after month after month.
Put together these five contributions to genetically endowed variation and you quickly see why the typical hard gainer is in a different universe of existence relative to the rampant easy gainer. It’s rather like considering that hard gainers have inherited small sized balloons with only a moderate degree of elasticity. The muscles can be made to grow all right, but only so far. Enormous muscular size is simply out of the question. For the genetically gifted, larger balloons with great elasticity were inherited. These balloons can be made to grow very large.
Imagine a full-blown mesomorph endowed with muscle insertions an unusual distance away from the joints, long muscle bellies throughout the body, unusually profuse numbers of muscle fibers throughout the body, and great neuromuscular efficiency, and all of this in an aesthetic package. Combine all of this with the will to achieve and you get a genetic mega-superior who can take the world of bodybuilding in his stride.
In practice, even the most superior of genetic superiors don’t fully satisfy the optimum for each of the five factors, but nevertheless they get quite near. However, even having the five factors well satisfied (in an aesthetic package) is only part of the story—although, of course, for an aspiring title-winner it’s the most important part. Contest preparation and contest presentation, together with influence developed through reputation, are only three of the other factors that greatly influence contest success, irrespective of physical advantages.
Elite bodybuilders have gotten close to getting a full measure of the five genetic attributes. And when their genetic good fortune is given assistance by the use of bodybuilding drugs, they are taken light years farther from the realm of role models for genetically typical and drug-free bodybuilders.
All of this doesn’t even consider the other advantages that the rampant easy gainers so often have—unusually strong constitutions and efficient digestive systems, and extraordinary recovery capacities and tolerance of exercise.
As an additional bonus, the most extraordinarily favored can find sponsors to support a professional or semi-professional bodybuilding lifestyle. Progress becomes even easier to make.
Understanding that genetic variation is the biggest factor determining how far you can go in bodybuilding doesn’t mean, “I can’t get to the top so I won’t bother training in the first place.” Neither does it mean, “I know I can’t go very far but I’ll go through the motions.” If you expect nothing you’ll get nothing. A high self-esteem and a positive attitude are vital.
Expect a lot of yourself—“a lot” in terms of the goals of the next chapter, not “a lot” in terms of the mega-achievers.
No matter how limited your genetic potential may be for size and strength, with effort and determination you can transform yourself. That’s more than enough incentive to train as if your life depended upon it. Who knows just how limiting your genetic potential is? You’ll never know unless you train intelligently and consistently for many years. Even modest achievements relative to the most extraordinarily developed physiques are still spectacular. Such achievements will have people ogling you when you’re in your trunks at the beach or swimming pool, and have beginners and intermediate bodybuilders in the gym thinking you’re some sort of star.
Many hard gainers, while not having the genetically endowed factors that contribute to huge muscular size, do have aesthetic bodies and some are exceptionally aesthetic. Bodies that have fine proportions, narrow hips and waists, small joints and natural leanness. These factors combine to present a package that, if well developed throughout, will create a physique of extreme impressiveness though of small size relative to the top professionals. This type of structure is, of course, a result of genetic good fortune. Getting huge is absolutely not necessary to achieve an impressive physique.
Other hard gainers don’t have an aesthetic structure. Whatever you have, you have to live with. That’s the frank reality. You can only make the best of what you have. However, the joy of bodybuilding is that no matter how unsuited your body may be for bodybuilding, you can still make spectacular progress relative to where you are now. You only have one body. Make the most of it!
The important thing is to make progress for yourself, no matter how fast or slow. No matter where you are now, you can progress, and progress a lot. Stop comparing yourself with others, especially with the drug-using genetically gifted. You can never be like them, even if you stuff yourself with steroids. Stop fantasizing being one of them. It may hurt having to accept this reality, but this book is about reality.
Compare yourself with how you were a few months ago. Then look to comparing yourself now with how you’re going to be a few months from now. Little by little you can achieve your own metamorphosis. That’s miles more interesting and relevant than being concerned with the achievements of others.
Concern yourself with yourself.
All of this reality of the huge disparity between the “haves” and the “have nots”—as far as bodybuilding potential is concerned—isn’t given to foster negativism and defeatism. It has been presented to instill a hefty understanding of the reality of the advantages we don’t have. All of this is of paramount importance when establishing realistic goals and adopting practical training methods that are appropriate to typical people. Now you can see why what works for the genetically gifted is nearly always irrelevant and inappropriate for the rest of us. The genetically gifted are different creatures to us.
The genetically blessed rampant easy gainers (and probably drug-assisted too) simply can’t truly understand the lot of the rampant hard gainer. (Most of them couldn’t care less about the struggling hard gainer anyway.) The more easily something comes to you, the harder you find putting yourself in the shoes of someone who finds things the opposite way round. Generally speaking—easy gainers are the antitheses of the models that hard-gaining bodybuilders need to depend upon in order to realize their modest potentials.
I’m not saying that all easy gainers have absolutely nothing of value to say to hard gainers. Many of the famous pre-steroids easy gainers had much to say of value to hard gainers. While out of reach for the average person, their physiques are inspiring because they are real, not drug-built achievements.
To avoid getting confused, ignore—once and for all—the training methods given by the drug-using genetically gifted. Instead, accept your genetic normality and follow the recommendations of successful hard gainers. These are people who have been through the mire of frustration and failure arising from following the methods used by those with extraordinary physical (and chemical) advantages, and can spare you undergoing the same trauma. This book gives you a summary of many of the findings of successful hard gainers.
The biggest lie I ever swallowed is the one that says anyone can become a top physique provided he adheres to a certain training program, diet and combination of supplements, and follows a specific person’s guidance.