How to Design a Weight Gain Program 

If you seriously want to pack on some lean body mass, you have to sit down and carefuly put together a detailed weight gain program.  You see, a weight gain program isn't just a weight training program, it's actually far more than that.

An effective weight gain program incorporates a combination of weight training, bodybuilding supplementation, bodybuilding nutrition and rest and recover.  They key is to get all four of these elements right on target.  Once you do this, your body will grow... big time.

If you are having trouble gaining weight, there is something missing.  If you find yourself working hard and following your weight training program to the letter but aren't getting the type of results you should be, then you know that you have failed to incorporate one or more of the four important elements.

The same goes for your weight gain supplement regimen. The same thing happens here. If you aren't getting the desired results from the supplements you are taking, you'll probably start experimenting with new supplements trying to ‘tweak’ your program to achieve your desired results.

Ultimately the outcome is that your results become further pushed back because there are one or more of the five elements that are missing from your weight gain program. 

Remember, you can weight train all of the time, but if you are missing sleep or proper nutrition, you will not gain weight.

To build a successful weight gain program, all four of these elements must be integrated into your routine.

The 4 Elements of an Effective Weight Gain Program

Your weight gain program must incorporate a proven weight gain diet.  This diet needs to increase your caloric intake and incorporate all of the best muscle building foods that will nourish your body and help it grow.  It is also very important to establish the correct ratio of carbohydrates, protein and fat.  Without the right foods, your body will not be able to recover from your workouts and will not grow new muscle tissue.

Although supplements are not mandatory, taking a handful of the right supplements can help.  supplements will help decrease recovery time and ultimately will increase the speed at which your body builds muscle. There are certain supplements like creatine and whey protein that have been proven over time to be very effective in aiding muscle growth.  Do remember that weight gain supplements do not replace real food.  They assist in weight gain and muscle growth but must remain as a supplemental component of your dietary plan. Buy only the well-established supplements and aren’t caught up in current fads.

This one is a given-you have to workout with weights at a high intensity to build muscle.   It's important to train with proven schedules and routines that balance intense resistance workouts with the right amount of rest and recovery. Don’t guess about your regimen hoping that your random program will give you the results you seek. There are specific weight training programs that will help you gain significant amounts of muscle weight. These programs place special emphasis on the type and form of the exercise being performed as well as the frequency, intensity, and time of each workout.

Simply put, if you don't rest, your muscle will not grow.  No matter how hard you train, or how well you eat, not allowing your body enough rest and recovery time will ultimately lead to overtraining, which can lead to even more serious problems.  High levels of stress can also pose a threat to the success of your weight gain program since it can lead to hormone imbalances that hinder muscle gains and promote muscle loss.

What's The Next Step to Gaining Weight?

What you need to do next is as much research as possible.  Look over every pages of this site and learn all you can about muscle nutrition, weight training, supplementation and rest & recovery.  Once you have learned enough start to design your weight gain plan.

Another option that I recommend is that you use one of these muscle building programs.  They will take all of the trial and error out of your own program design.  Although they do cost some money upfront, the amount of time you will save and what you will learn is priceless.