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Fast-Slow Gainer Chart
By akaplan@arches.uga.edu (reprinted from misc.fitness.weights)
The following chart illustrates the ability of people to make fast, slow, or average gains. This is predominantly based on fiber distribution.
For those who are primarily White/Fast Twitch (Type IIb) gains will come rapidly. Meso-endomorphs fall more in this area. Biopsies of Ectomorphs revealed more Type I (Slow Twitch/Red) fiber distribution.
The problem is, however, that each muscle group's tolerance to exercise probably differs. Each exercise you do for each body part can - and often does - possess an entirely individual rep ability at 80 percent max. To discern your specific tolerance level for each body part, follow these simple instructions:
- Determine your approximate one rep maximum (1RM) for each exercise.
- Load 80 percent on the bar (machine) & rep out with it for one all-out effort to see how many reps you can do.
- Apply this information to the table below to determine each body part's exercise tolerance.
- Take into account ALL of the factors listed above that can affect your exercise tolerance.
- Critically evaluate whether your predicted exercise tolerance levels stand up to what you know from experience to be true. Remember, "low tolerance" means that you probably make easy gains for that body part, and "high tolerance" means that you're probably a hard gainer for that body part.
Here is an example of what I've found in regards to exercise tolerances for fast gainers, average gainers and slow gainers. Perhaps you'll find these figures and estimations to be pretty close estimates. But perhaps you won't. One thing is clear, you must look! Your continued progress toward your maximum potential may well depend on it!
| Reps Performed w/ 80% Max | Standard Deviation from Mean | Tolerance Level | Ability to Make Gains |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 or less | -3 | Very Very Low | Fast Gainer (20-25% of total population) |
| 4-6 | -2 | Very Low | |
| 6-10 | -1 | Low | |
| 10-13 | Mean | Average | Average Gainer (50-60% of total population) |
| 13-17 | +1 | High | |
| 17-21 | +2 | Very High | |
| 21-more | +3 | Very Very High | Slow Gainer (20-25% of total population) |
The distribution of Fast, slow, etc is Normal (Bell-curved). Any time the distriution is Bell curved, the Empirical rule states approximately 68% of the values are within one standard deviation, 95% of the values are withing 2 standart deviations, and 99.7% percent are within 3 standard devitations.
This means that, any people who can do less 4 or less reps represent about 2-5% of the total population and consequently find it easiest to get huge. Hardgainers (normal/slow) would constitute about 75-80% of the population. In a physiological sense, elite sprinters typically are about 80% white fiber, and Marathon runners often can be as much as 75-80% red fiber.
Reader's Comments:
Please leave your comments or suggestions below!I want to talk to you.
John
or just free weights like dumbell press?
With nutrition, it isnt that hard to figure out. If you have a sky high metabolism, then make some homemade weightgainer shakes consisting of protein powder and oatmeal. Add three spoons of extra virgin olive oil if that doesnt work. Get the shakes in between your meals. Write down all you eat in a food log. You might not eat as much as you think you eat.
For the slower metabolism guys (i.e. me), veggies is now your only source of carbs exept post workout shakes and pw meals. High protein, moderate fat and veggies. If you have a real fat gain problem, eat only green veggies and dont eat carbs afte five or six o'clock unless it's a pw meal.
All sounds easy. But I spent the past two years figuring out this for myself. Endos do well with low carbs (hence eat alot of veggies).
Flat Barbell bench is a greate tricep builder. For chest size, stick to dumbell inclines/declines and barbell incline/decline. As a powerlifter, I've only performed flatbench, squats, deadlifts, chins, barbell rows and milliary presses. The only place I have obvious weakness is upper chest. My chest is wide, though not popping out. So for all you newer guys looking for bench as a chest developer, don't. Narrow your grip (pinkys on the rings) and use it for a powerful tricep builder instead and rely on barbell and dumbell inclines and declines instead.
I've also found out through my own and my friends' experience that when training with 3-5 reps, you don't really start to grow fast till you get pretty strong. So you can pretty much aim at 200 lbs bw for a 5'8 lifter when you reach 450 deadlift, 315 bench and about 450 squat if you train with only 3-5 reps. Thats why powerlifters should also include some hyperthropy work in the 10-12 rep range. Westside is one such program. And it is nice. "Westside for skinnybastards" if youre a newer lifter.
am doing exercise for quite some time now. But the problem am facing is if i don't go to the gym for even 4-5days i start loosing what i have gained.. Help me with some tips or suggestions, keeping in mind i have a small structure.. please...
rohit
One question though. How do you apply the rep range, say of an average trainer/bodybuilder (5-8 sets of 10-12 reps)to their heavy day? Is a heavy day 3-5 sets of 4-8 reps such as a fast gainer would do? 5-8 sets of 10-12 reps going heavy is practically impossible.
I'm looking at a weekly 3 day split, cycling the heavy, medium and light sessions between the varying muscle groups( I'm currently unable to use double splits because of commitments.
Personally my whole upper body, apart from my delts, has a low tolerance level - my delts are average and my legs are average to high.
I've been bodybuilding for almost 20 years, so I suppose I'm fairly advanced. Anyway, if you have any further explanation of this approach (approx muscle fibre type targeting) then I would be extremely happy.
Regards, Rob N.