It's tough to bulk up. But even “hard gainers” can add muscle if they follow these crucial tips.

Some guys put on muscle just by Googling. A lot of men, though, aren’t so lucky. They're “hard gainers,” for whom nothing comes “in bulk.”

But even the skinniest guys can put on some halfway-respectable mass if they work it right. Hey, if you’ve seen Christian Bale’s skeletal stick figure in The Machinist, you’d never guess he could become the buffed Dark Knight. So, if you’d like to go from machinist to Batman, follow these quick, effective tips on how to put on the right kind of weight (muscle, not fat). True, you may not wind up as muscular as the Caped Crusader (genetics can be quite the super-villain), but surely you can look as good as Robin. Here’s how:

Leave the Bodybuilding Routines for the Bodybuilders
You’ve got the latest issue of Muscle Maniacs Magazine in your hand, and you’re tempted to try that chest workout Mr. Galaxy is using. Stop.

“Those magazines are based on steroid bodybuilders, and what works for somebody on steroids doesn’t work for somebody who wants to be natural,” says Fit Chicago owner Clint Phillips, a certified personal trainer. “Many hard gainers think more is better and end up doing an insane amount of sets and reps. They’ll often be in the gym for two or three hours.”

Instead, Phillips recommends spending only 45 minutes to an hour with the weights and no more than two to three weight workouts a week.

To Get Bigger, Go Basic
Get rid of the so-called “shaping exercises” done with little dumbbells -- such as shoulder raises, chest flyes and concentration curls -- as these target only part of a muscle group. Instead, stick with barbell-type moves and heavier weights, and aim for compound movements that involve at least two or more muscle groups, such as the chest, shoulders and triceps for the bench press.

Why? Your muscles respond most to lifting heavier loads, and the impact on the muscles can be considerably magnified by moves that involve more muscle groups. This will enable you to lift even heavier weights and build more muscle thanks to those bigger loads.

“Choose the more difficult movements,” advises certified personal trainer Mike Boyle, who owns Mike Boyle's Strength & Conditioning in Winchester, Mass. Go for the bigger exercises like squats, presses, deadlifts, chin-ups and straight bar curls.

Challenge Yourself
To maximize your gains, choose challenging moves and go hard during every set. “Intensity is much more important to muscle growth than quantity. I would much prefer to see two very intense sets to failure [until you can’t lift anymore] with heavy weights and with forced reps [four to eight] than four to five sets of 12 to 15 reps at moderate intensity,” explains Phillips. For example, if you get to 10 reps with a lot of muscle straining, then you're going too light. Pound up!

 

Boyle agrees, saying he sees too many guys take the easy route in the weight room. “Many would rather do tricep press-downs than dips, or leg presses than squats … but they’re just cheating themselves of better muscle gains,” he explains.

Choose “Muscle Cardio”
The last thing you need -- after putting your muscles on the get-bigger track -- is going through a long cardio session, which will only whittle down those gains. Inevitably, your body will extract the energy it needs for long cardio from your muscle tissues, no matter how fueled up you are before.

Instead, further enhance the muscle-building process by adding some “muscle cardio” or “explosive cardio” -- short bursts of power followed by longer bouts of rest -- two to three times a week. Do eight rounds of 10 to 20 seconds of high-intensity cardio, such as wind sprints or cycle sprints, followed by 20 to 40 seconds rest.

Master Before-and-after Eating
There’s no shortcut to the muscled-up “after” picture of a stick-figure “before” you. Frankly, a lot of it has to do with what you routinely eat -- including different kinds of carbohydrates and proteins -- before and after workouts, and before and after sleep.

After you wake up, you want to get your muscles back into the anabolic (muscle building) state and out of the catabolic (muscle breakdown) state they fall into by morning time. Susan Kleiner, Ph.D., a registered dietitian and author of Power Eating, recommends eating protein for breakfast to avoid that latter state -- and that’s why eggs are a good start to the day. If you prefer to sip rather than chew early in the day, go with a whey protein shake -- which your muscles rapidly absorb -- with fruit.

Overall, she says that each day hard gainers must consume at least 0.73 grams of protein per pound of body weight and 2.73 or more grams of carbohydrates. In other words, if you're 180 pounds -- and don’t worry, you’ll get there -- that means 131.4 grams of protein and 491.4 grams of carbohydrates per day. If you have five meals per day, that translates to 26.3 grams of protein (equivalent to about four eggs) and 98.3 grams of carbohydrates (about five pancakes) per meal. A four-ounce chicken sandwich with a side of brown rice and vegetables would be a perfectly balanced meal.

Two to three hours before the workout, down a carbohydrate-protein mixture, such as a mixed-nutrient sports bar or a PB&J. Kleiner says it will provide immediate energy and decrease the negative effects of exercise, such as damage to muscle tissue and muscle soreness.

After your workout, don’t waste any time. “Within 15 to 30 minutes after setting down that last weight, take in some carbohydrates to refill your glycogen stores, build new proteins and refuel for tomorrow’s training session,” urges Kleiner.

Lastly, before bed, switch out the fast-digesting whey protein for slow-digesting, time-release proteins like casein protein powder and dairy food. Says Kleiner, this will help keep your body in muscle-building state during the dark night.

 

Or is that, “dark knight?”

Think it’s wimpy to slather on sunscreen, wear hats and avoid the brightest outdoor rays? Then you better be man enough to stare down melanoma, the most common form of cancer for young adults.

Why should you worry about skin cancer? You’re young and fit. Skin cancer -- that’s something that happens to geezers and grandmas, right?

Maybe that explains why so many people your age ignore the risks. Even big-time athletes, who have access to the best medical advice and the most to lose by not taking care of their bodies, rarely take precautions. According to a 2006 study of male and female NCAA athletes, only 8 percent used sunscreen.

Even docs know how young men feel about it. “They don’t heed the warnings,” says Dr. Jeffrey Dover, an associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale University. “You feel infallible at that point in your life,” agrees dermatologist Dr. Kenneth Bielinski, a spokesman for the American Academy of Dermatology. “You tend to throw caution to the wind.”

But the wind’s not the problem, here. It’s the sun. And here’s why you should care: Skin cancer is caused by the cumulative effects of sun exposure. When do you think you get most of that exposure? When you’re 40 and spending five days a week in an office? No, siree. It’s when you’re working and playing and hanging out at the beach, by the lake, in the park.

In other words, you could be frying up a nice case of skin cancer for yourself right now. Oh, and it doesn’t always wait until you’re way into “man-o-pause” to strike, either. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, melanoma -- the deadliest form of skin cancer -- is now the most common form of cancer for young adults 25 to 29 years old and the second most common form of cancer for adolescents and young adults 15 to 29 years old.

You want to look like the young stud you are for the girls on the beach -- and prevent the big C? “In a nutshell, sunscreen and protection are the keys to staying young-looking and avoiding skin cancer,” says Dr. Dover.

Here’s what the good doctors and the American Academy of Dermatology recommend:

Wear a Hat
Your noggin is one of the most susceptible places for skin cancer, especially if you shave your head, or have a buzz cut or thinning hair. Typically, says Dr. Bielinski, “the recommendation is to wear a loose, floppy hat. That may come across as potentially dorky, but if you just put on your typical baseball cap, you’ll get some benefit, and that’s better than none.” And, he adds, nobody has to know why you’re wearing it -- it could be because you really are a Yankees fan.

Wear Sunscreen
Yes, you should seriously lather up. And we’re not talking about single-digit protection. Use water-resistant sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 that provides protection from both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB). Reapply every two hours, even on cloudy days, and after swimming or sweating.

Stay out of the Strongest Sun
Go to the beach at night: It’s more romantic, no one can see what you’re doing and you’re avoiding maximum exposure when the sun’s rays are strongest (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

Eat a Balanced Diet
Our bodies produce the essential vitamin D when we’re exposed to sunlight. A safer way to get vitamin D is through a balanced diet that includes milk (fortified with vitamin D) and vitamin supplements.

Avoid Tanning Beds
Ultraviolet light from the sun and tanning beds can cause skin cancer and wrinkling. If you want to look like you’ve been in the sun, consider using a sunless self-tanning product.

Suit up
Buy cool clothes with SPF built in: Dr. Brian Adams of the University of Cincinnati cites new performance wear with built-in SPF as one of the more notable developments in skin protection in the last couple of years. “You can wear beach shirts, shorts and outdoor gear with a neck collar that are not hot and keep you protected,” he says. A garment made of fabric with an SPF of 50 blocks 98 percent of UV radiation, according to Coolibar, the Minneapolis-based manufacturer of sun-protective clothing. Other sun-smart outdoor clothes include those by Solartex, UV Skinz and Solumbra.

Remember: If you think you look good with a deep tan, think about how disfiguring a scar from melanoma removal can be (and sometimes, that’s the best-case scenario).

Think what you do today has no bearing on your sex life tomorrow, or the day after? Think again.

The plight of the typical young man isn’t the inability to have sex; it's usually the inability to find someone to have sex with.

Fact is, though, if you think you don’t have to worry about erectile dysfunction (ED) until your hair starts to turn gray, think again. Even in your early 20s, chances are your arteries are already undergoing changes that may culminate years from now in ED.

Fundamentally, erection depends on blood flow into the penis. The more blood, the more reliable and firm your erection. But when arteries become narrowed by cholesterol-rich atherosclerotic plaque deposits, less blood flows into the penis and erections wilt. This becomes apparent by the time a man hits 50.

Harvard researchers tracked 31,742 middle-aged men for 14 years and found that ED is strongly linked to lifestyle factors that spur the growth of atherosclerotic plaques: smoking, obesity, heavy drinking and lack of exercise.

But plaques don’t pop up out of nowhere when you hit 50. They start to develop in childhood. Autopsies of American males killed in their late teens and 20s in accidents or in war consistently show the beginnings of atherosclerotic plaques, which means the beginning of ED.

Meanwhile, a healthy lifestyle keeps blood flowing freely through the arteries and preserves erection function. Healthy living doesn’t mean you’ll have the ability of legends at 90. But if you want to function sexually on Social Security, you’d be smart to adopt a healthy lifestyle now. Here’s how:

Get Regular, Moderate Exercise
Exercise is crucial for arterial health and blood flow into the penis. Exercise lowers cholesterol, which minimizes the deposits (plaques) on artery walls that narrow them and reduce blood flow. A study of middle-aged men at the University of California, San Diego, shows that as regular, moderate exercise increased, erections become more reliable. ED-preventive exercise doesn’t require extreme sports, but rather the equivalent of brisk walking for about an hour a day. “No question about it,” says Hank Wuh, M.D., author of Sexual Fitness. “Regular exercise improves erection function and sex.”

Eat Less Meat, Cheese and Junk Food, and More fruits and Vegetables
Meat, cheese and junk food are high in saturated (animal) fat. Like cholesterol, this fat narrows the arteries, limiting blood flow to the penis. Fruits and vegetables, on the other hand, contain antioxidant nutrients that minimize plaques and improve arterial blood flow. Italian researchers identified 65 men with incipient ED and asked half of them to eat less meat and cheese, and more fruits and vegetables. After two years, those who maintained a high-fat diet continued to have erection difficulties. But those who increased their fruit and vegetable consumption reported significantly less ED.

Lose Excess Weight
According to the Harvard study of middle-aged men, obesity is strongly associated with ED, and weight loss improves erection function. That’s not surprising. As we’ve seen, exercise and a diet low in saturated fat improve erections. They are also cornerstones of weight control. Studies at the Duke University Diet and Fitness Center show that as men lose weight and become more physically active, they report better erections.

Stop Smoking
Cigarettes greatly accelerate the growth of artery-narrowing plaques. A study at the New England Research Institute in Watertown, Mass., shows that smoking almost doubles risk of ED. Australian epidemiologist Christopher Millett, Ph.D., says, “Health promotion programs should use the link between tobacco and ED to help convince men to quit smoking.”

Manage Your Stress
Many young men feel like they have heavy weights on their shoulders. In one recent survey, 60 percent of Americans said they feel they’re “under significant stress” at least once a week. And since the stock market crash last fall, ComPsych, the nation’s largest employee-assistance program, reports that requests for psychotherapy have surged 40 percent.

The biological result of this emotional stress: the release of two hormones (cortisol and adrenaline) that constrict arteries, reducing blood flow into the genitals.

The erection-firming antidote is an ongoing stress-management program. Proven stress relievers include exercise -- aerobic or non-aerobic (e.g., yoga) -- meditation, music (playing or listening to), massage, laughter, hot baths, gardening, caring for a pet, visualization (of relaxing scenes) and quality time with friends, family or a lover. Incorporate one or more into your daily life, or even better, combine them: Exercise with friends or bathe with your girlfriend, for instance.

Bottom line: Couch potatoes are on a one-way trip to ED. But if you get off the sofa, work out and switch from Big Macs to big salads -- with low-fat dressing, of course -- you’re much more likely to maintain firm, reliable erections as you get older and to enjoy satisfying sex.

Photo Credit: Meghan Holmes

You’ve seen commercials that feature athletes grunting through pain as if it’s a virtue. You’ve watched sports icons lead their teams to unbelievable comebacks on their seemingly inexhaustible shoulders. You’ve seen veins popping on the grimacing faces of those on “World’s Strongest Men” and Tour de France riders alike.

It’s not just macho to push yourself to the limit -- it’s considered cool. But how do you know if you’re about to take your body beyond that limit and into dangerous territory? Especially in hot weather, there are risks you should you know about. As long as you can read your body’s signs, you can prepare for pushing it without going over the top. Here, your body’s warning signs and what to do about ‘em:

Warning 1: You Stop Sweating
When doing cardio, your biggest risk is overheating. “If you stop sweating, you’re in danger of heatstroke -- which can kill you,” warns Clint Phillips, a certified strength and conditioning specialist.

What to do: In such a case, “Stop working out immediately, hydrate and cool off. Go somewhere air-conditioned, splash water on you, get in front of a fan, use an ice pack on your head.” Avoid overheating when you’re training outside in hot or humid weather by going out in the morning or evening for more effective, less risky workouts.

Warning 2: Your Urine Isn’t Clear
Tom Seabourne, Ph.D., an exercise physiologist and holder of four ultradistance cycling world records, recommends that you check your hydration levels via your urine color -- ideally, it’s clear. The darker (yellow) it gets, the closer you are to dehydration.

What to do: Go-to drinks should contain electrolytes with essential elements like sodium, potassium and magnesium. While sports drinks can be a boon for hot outdoor workouts, Phillips urges that you avoid energy drinks, which may push your heart rate too high. Oh, and water’s good!

Warning 3: Your Resting Heart Rate Is High
Keep abreast of your resting heart rate, which you can check after a good night’s sleep. “If you wake up and your resting heart rate is consistently 10 beats above your regular resting heart rate, that’s a red flag,” says Seabourne. It indicates that the body is in an overtrained mode and is not sufficiently recovered, even after a night’s rest. This can be due to a very strenuous cardio workout or even a grueling strength training session.  According to Greg Haff, Ph.D., an exercise physiologist at West Virginia University, higher repetition schemes -- such as 20 ser set -- can take four times as long to recover from than lower rep sets, such as five. If summer heat is involved, fatigue can be even greater, making recovery time longer.

What to do: During cardio workouts, make sure you use a heart rate monitor. Phillips advises that you never go over 90 percent of your maximum heart rate. (This can be calculated by subtracting your age from the number 220. To calculate 90 percent of that, multiply by 0.9.) And on days when you wake up with a resting heart rate that is higher than normal, your body is telling you that it needs more recovery. Listen and take the day off.

Warning 4: You’re Still Sore
For strength training, soreness that lasts more than a day or two usually means overtraining. Other symptoms include a lingering sense of lethargy, achiness, almost flu-like symptoms, a lack of motivation to train and even irritability. “If you can't lift as much weight or do as many reps [as you did the week before], you are probably overtraining,” says Phillips. And pain is only normal when it is throughout the whole working muscle, he adds, but pain in a joint or isolated in one small spot in a muscle means something’s wrong.

What to do: Get your z’s. Says Seabourne: Seven to eight hours of sleep is needed for an adequate release of growth hormone to build and repair muscle. When working out, err on the side of intensity over volume. Phillips says a couple of heavy sets for each muscle group is plenty. As “for cardio, I'd rather have someone do 20 to 30 minutes of high-intensity intervals than an hour of lower intensity work.” Also, consider working out with a partner, who can keep an eye on you (and vice versa).