My friend over at Hardgainer Transformation, Brian Kotoka, posted a great-tasting and effective muscle-building protein milk shake recipe that you may want to try.

It’s good for several reasons:

• It’s a great meal replacement shake. If you’re on the go or don’t have much time to prepare a nutritous meal, this shake is easy to mix up and carry around with you.
• It’s full of the nutrients you need: 430 calories, 50 g protein, 36 g carbohydrates, 4 g total fat
• It’s easy on the wallet. Hey, in hard times, we all need to save a little. This shake is super-cheap to make.

The recipe is here.

When I’m training for growth, I mix up a shake like this (double the quantities), put it in a Thermos bottle, and carry it around with me. I take sips every few minutes, perhaps 15-20 minutes apart.

Doing this allows me to keep a positive nitrogen balance in my bloodstream, which is a necessary condition to build muscle. I’m sure that if you do this, you, too, can gain a bunch of weight in a short time period.

TRAIN – EAT – REST

For a quick primer on a program that works for hardgainers, check out the Hardgainer Manifesto.

joe g asked:

Basically, I’ve been at a standstill for muscle growth. I know what I’m doing though- I use creatine, whey (with essential amino’s), casien before bed, eat healthy, etc. I have a great routine that I switch up every 2-3 weeks, and I work very hard. I thought that I wasn’t eating enough, so I increased calories. No gain in strength, just gain in weight (probably fat, although I’m not fat). I’ve already accounted for the possibility that I’m overtraining, which I’m not. I am 18. The only thing I can think of is that I am slow to develop (no facial hair, scarce pit hair). The only reason I am decently strong for my age is because I work hard. Am I right, or is there something I’m missing?

I’ve tried techniques like dropsets, negatives, forced reps, super and giant sets, without making noticable progress. It has taken me forever to get where I am strengthwise, and the rate at which I get stronger seems to be slowing.