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For many hardgainer trainers, making gains in terms of muscle mass, size and strength is next to impossible. They are blessed with the speedy metabolism, which allows them to show off ripped midsections year round. They develop their strength in the gym, improving rapidly on all of their major compound lifts such as bench press, squats and deadlifts. However, when it comes to adding inches of muscle to their frame, and seeing the scale increase by tens of pounds – they just cannot seem to make that happen.

They eat plenty of food. So much food that, at time, it will make them sick. They will often grow frustrated at their inability to defeat their surging metabolisms, and may consider leaving the iron sport for something more fitting their metabolism.

Sometimes, hard-gainers like this will need to shock their bodies into growing like they never have before. Sometimes, it will take such a shock in the gym that their bodies will have no choice but to begin growing. That shock should come in the form of 20-rep squats, if you’ve never tried them before.

Twenty Rep squats are an older concept, but one that has been proven to work for lifters for many years now. The concept is fairly simple. Begin with enough weight on the bar that you would normally use for 10 repetitions. Complete ten reps. Take 5 breaths, then complete repetition number 11. take five breaths, then complete repetition number 12. Continue until you reach repetition number 20. At this point, your legs should be on fire, your legs should be ready to explode, and you should promptly fall upon the floor after completing your set.

Each week, you will add five pounds to that bar. It may become harder and harder to complete your twenty repetitions each week, but you’ll do it somehow. As you reach 300 or 400 or more pounds for your set, there will be weeks when only 1 or 2 pounds can be added to the bar. That is perfectly acceptable. By the time you reach that point, you’ll have become one of the biggest men in your gym!

You “can” follow up the sets of 20 rep squats with leg extensions, and should them move on to using 12 sets of hamstrings and 10 for calves to ensure your legs are fully saturated with blood and ready for growth.

In addition to training with 20 rep squats, there are other avenues you need to explore. Milk is a key component in the dietary adjustment made by many lifters using 20 rep squats. For decades, it’s been said that Milk + Squats + plenty of food and rest = growth. Give it a shot. Your diet should increase in the total number of overall daily calories consumed, as well as the number of grams of protein. Sleep more, train heavy on all your other body parts, and continually add more weight to the bar in order to get the most our of 20 rep squats. Good luck!