Let’s face it. If the aim is to gain weight then you want to gain mass in the form of lean muscle and not fat. You are required to have an understanding of muscle anatomy so you can know what specific exercises you can do to target the major muscle groups. A weight training program designed to gain size should focus on 5 major muscle groups (shoulders and arms, chest, back, legs and abs).
The basic compound movements target the larger muscles whereas isolation exercises such as bicep curls only target the biceps. As a hard gainer your time is best spent working out with the basic compound exercises because it will allow you to stress the most amount of muscle fibers in the shortest amount of time. It should also prevent overtraining as you will get the most bang for buck.
Shoulders
The deltoid muscle (also known as delts) is located in the upper arm. It is the largest shoulder muscle and originates from the clavicle and the scapula at the rear of the shoulder and extends down to the upper arm.The deltoid muscle forms the rounded flesh which surrounds the outside of the upper arm. The trapezius is a smaller shoulder muscle and originates from the neck and then extends out and down between the shoulder blades.
Shoulder exercises include the military press, dumbbell shoulder press, lateral and front raises.
Arms
The biceps brachii muscle with point of origin under the deltoid and point of insertion below the elbow. Bicep exercises would have to be the most popular arm workout. Who doesn’t want to build big guns.
The triceps brachii muscle works in opposition to the biceps, also attaching under the deltoid and below the elbow.
The forearm muscles are located on the outside and inside of the lower arm that control the actions of hand and wrist.
Arm exercises include the bicep curls, preacher curls and dumbbell curls.
Chest
The pectoral muscles (also known as pecs) include two parts, the clavicular (upper) portion and sternal (lower) portion. The largest muscle mass of the pectorals extends from the upper arm bone (humerus), fast ended at a point under and just above where the deltoids attach to the humerus.
Chest exercises include the flat bench press, incline bench press and dumbbell flyes.
Back
The latissimus dorsi muscle (also known as lats) is the largest muscles of the upper back and extends from under the shoulders down to the lower part of the back on both sides. The latissimus dorsi is one of the more popular back muscles to exercise because it’s crucial for adding width to your back and well defined lats give you a sexy “V” shape.
Back exercises include chin ups, pull ups, lat pulldowns and bentover rows.
All of the above exercises will give you a well defined upper body. But there is no point in having a huge upper body if you have stick legs and no sick pack abs. On to the lower body anatomy and specific exercises.
Legs
The quadriceps are a group of muscles which are located at the front of the thigh. The four muscles of the quadriceps include the rectus femoris, vastus intermedius, vastus medialis (inner thigh), and vastus lateralis (outer thigh).
The biceps femoris muscle is located at the back of the thigh in the rear of the legs.
The calf muscles consist of the soleus muscle and gastrocnemius muscle.
The soleus muscle is the smaller of the two calf muscles and extends from the fibula to the tibia.
The gastrocnemius muscle is the larger muscle at the back of the lower leg and extends from the lateral aspect to the lower femur.
Leg exercises include squats, leg press and deadlifts,
Abs
The rectus abdominis muscle extends along the length of the ventral aspect of the abdomen. It originates in the area of the pubis and inserts into the cartilage of the fifth, sixth, and seventh ribs.
The obliquus externus abdominis, muscles at each side of the torso attached to the lower eight ribs and inserting at the side of the pelvis.
The intercostal muscles, two thin planes of muscular and tendon fibers occupying the spaces between the ribs.
Abdominal exercises include ab crunches, bicycle crunches, leg raises and situps.
Let’s face it. If the aim is to gain weight then you want to gain mass in the form of lean muscle and not fat. You are required to have an understanding of muscle anatomy so you can know what specific exercises you can do to target the major muscle groups. A weight training program designed to gain size should focus on 5 major muscle groups (shoulders and arms, chest, back, legs and abs).
The basic compound movements target the larger muscles whereas isolation exercises such as bicep curls only target the biceps. As a hard gainer your time is best spent working out with the basic compound exercises because it will allow you to stress the most amount of muscle fibers in the shortest amount of time. It should also prevent overtraining as you will get the most bang for buck.
Shoulders
The deltoid muscle (also known as delts) is located in the upper arm. It is the largest shoulder muscle and originates from the clavicle and the scapula at the rear of the shoulder and extends down to the upper arm.The deltoid muscle forms the rounded flesh which surrounds the outside of the upper arm. The trapezius is a smaller shoulder muscle and originates from the neck and then extends out and down between the shoulder blades.
Shoulder exercises include the military press, dumbbell shoulder press, lateral and front raises.
Arms
The biceps brachii muscle with point of origin under the deltoid and point of insertion below the elbow. Bicep exercises would have to be the most popular arm workout. Who doesn’t want to build big guns.
The triceps brachii muscle works in opposition to the biceps, also attaching under the deltoid and below the elbow.
The forearm muscles are located on the outside and inside of the lower arm that control the actions of hand and wrist.
Arm exercises include the bicep curls, preacher curls and dumbbell curls.
Chest
The pectoral muscles (also known as pecs) include two parts, the clavicular (upper) portion and sternal (lower) portion. The largest muscle mass of the pectorals extends from the upper arm bone (humerus), fast ended at a point under and just above where the deltoids attach to the humerus.
Chest exercises include the flat bench press, incline bench press and dumbbell flyes.
Back
The latissimus dorsi muscle (also known as lats) is the largest muscles of the upper back and extends from under the shoulders down to the lower part of the back on both sides. The latissimus dorsi is one of the more popular back muscles to exercise because it’s crucial for adding width to your back and well defined lats give you a sexy “V” shape.
Back exercises include chin ups, pull ups, lat pulldowns and bentover rows.
All of the above exercises will give you a well defined upper body. But there is no point in having a huge upper body if you have stick legs and no sick pack abs. On to the lower body anatomy and specific exercises.
Legs
The quadriceps are a group of muscles which are located at the front of the thigh. The four muscles of the quadriceps include the rectus femoris, vastus intermedius, vastus medialis (inner thigh), and vastus lateralis (outer thigh).
The biceps femoris muscle is located at the back of the thigh in the rear of the legs.
The calf muscles consist of the soleus muscle and gastrocnemius muscle.
The soleus muscle is the smaller of the two calf muscles and extends from the fibula to the tibia.
The gastrocnemius muscle is the larger muscle at the back of the lower leg and extends from the lateral aspect to the lower femur.
Leg exercises include squats, leg press and deadlifts,
Abs
The rectus abdominis muscle extends along the length of the ventral aspect of the abdomen. It originates in the area of the pubis and inserts into the cartilage of the fifth, sixth, and seventh ribs.
The obliquus externus abdominis, muscles at each side of the torso attached to the lower eight ribs and inserting at the side of the pelvis.
The intercostal muscles, two thin planes of muscular and tendon fibers occupying the spaces between the ribs.
Abdominal exercises include ab crunches, bicycle crunches, leg raises and situps.