Health Fitness

How to know if you really are a hard winner

The definition of a hard winner is someone who has a hard time gaining muscle mass. Unfortunately, because that definition is so open, it can be difficult to know who exactly fits this description and who is simply trying to blame an outside influence for their lack of progress.

Let’s face it: if you never exercise … you will have a “hard time gaining muscle mass.” So that qualifies you as a tough winner? Not in my book, but I’ve seen a lot of people apply the hard-winner label where they don’t.

So today, let’s clear everything up once and for all. In my book, a real hard winner is a person who had a hard time gaining muscle mass due to genetics. Not out of laziness or ignorance … but because his mother and father didn’t bless him with good genes for building muscle.

How can you tell if a person is endowed with good genetics for muscle development? After all, we cannot open a person’s DNA and take a look.

There is no way to know with 100% accuracy if a person is a hard winner or not. But luckily, there are a few pointers we can use to determine if someone is truly a tough winner or just looking for an excuse to justify their lack of progress.

Rule # 1: If you are a mesomorph … you are NOT a hard winner.

There are three categories that are used to classify body types. I use analogies with soccer to facilitate rankings.

Ectomorphs are tall and thin and often have a hard time gaining muscle. Ectomorphs tend to have long limbs and a fast metabolism. An ectomorph on the soccer field is likely a wide receiver. If you are an ectomorph … chances are high that you are a tough winner.

Endomorphs tend towards larger classifications. Endomorphs can be characterized by having a slow metabolism. Endomorphs generally have no trouble gaining muscle, but they are riddled with excess body fat and must constantly watch what they eat as they gain fat rapidly.

An endomorph on the soccer field would be a linebacker or offensive lineman. Some endomorphs also have ectomorphic tendencies when it comes to building muscle and therefore could be considered hard winners.

Mesomorphs are blessed with what can be the perfect body type. They seem to gain muscle easily without worrying about gaining fat. Mesomorphs are the type of people who seem to exercise for hours every day, but surprise everyone when they reveal that they don’t actually do much of anything. A mesomorph on the soccer field is usually a well-formed runner or a strong strongman. Mesomorphs are NOT hard winners.

Rule No. 2: Do you have tiny calves?

Calf size is a good indicator of whether or not you really have a hard time gaining muscle. In fact, the bigger your calves are before you start training, the easier it will be for you to gain muscle.

So … if you have weak calves, chances are you have trouble gaining muscle. If you were blessed with big calves, you probably have the potential to gain quite a bit of muscle. Bottom line: tiny calves are hard to come by.

Rule No. 3: If you have small wrists and ankles … you could earn a lot.

If your wrist is less than seven inches long, it means that you have smaller-than-average bone structure, and as a result, this may indicate that you will have trouble gaining muscle mass.

If you have small ankles, it will probably be difficult for you to gain muscle.

Rule No. # 4: Do you often get sick after just 3-4 weeks of weight training?

Thin guys traditionally need more rest than normal guys. While an average man can train with weights four or five times a week and still make a profit, a tough winner who follows a similar schedule will far exceed his recovery capabilities and will eventually wear out and become ill.

If your strength stops and finally stops within three to four weeks of starting a new program that causes you to exercise more than three times a week, this may also indicate a more difficult than average time to gain muscle.

Conclusion … and hope for the desperate

Some of the characteristics of difficult winners may apply to you, while others may not. This is not an exact science, but if you find that two or more of the above apply to you, it is very likely that you are a hard winner or have some hard winner tendencies.

But there is hope for guys who have a hard time gaining muscle. Hard winners can gain muscle mass. They just have to follow a different set of rules. Because if you haven’t been blessed with genetics that allow you to gain muscle easily, you should follow a training program specifically designed for men without large genes.

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