— .... Hard gainers who have discovered the gaining formula often allow them-
selves to carry too much fat. Being leaner at the same muscular mass makes
for a more impressive physique. Always remember that you do not have to
be huge to be impressive. While this applies to everyone, it is particularly
comforting for hard gainers.Strength targets
. Male hard gainers who build to being able to squat pounds, bench press
and deadlift for single lifts in good form are much more impressive,
relative to the genetic material being worked with, than are the easy-gaining
elite.. e , and numbers, for a man of '" and a solid pounds or
so, roughly translate to a -inch arm and -inch chest, with other girths in
proportion. Percentage wise, and relative to bodyweight, these , and
numbers roughly translate to squatting, bench pressing, and
deadlifting. And bodyweight for overhead barbell pressing can
be included too.. Once you can strictly press a barbell weighing the equivalent of your body-
weight overhead, you will be a better presser than of all weight trai-
nees (including many big bodybuilders). Generally speaking, the press is a
neglected exercise. Pressing overhead at least your bodyweight should be one
of your most prized targets.. Successful hard gainers provide down-to-earth and practical examples
of how typical people with busy lives should train. ough modest when
compared to the huge men, a muscular -inch arm, -inch chest and other
girths to match—assuming you are lean enough to see your abdominal
lines—is enough to set you apart from over of the members of almost
any gym anywhere in the world. at is some going, though it will not win
you a Mr. Universe title. With such a development, however, you could have
placed very high in national bodybuilding competition back in the pre-ste-A physique has its biggest impact according to how it looks, not
how it measures. Of course the two are related, but not so closely
that you should concern yourself solely with measurements.