Hardgainer Performance Nutrition® the first stop for hardgainers.
Everything you need to know about being a hardgainer. From a hardgainer — for all hardgainers.
The first stop for everyone who struggles to gain.
We supply your hard gains™
By Christian Schönbauer — hardgainer since 1999. Mag. · Founder of Hardgainer Performance Nutrition®.
"Hardgainer" includes everyone who struggles to gain weight — regardless of gender.
You're not the only one. You're not the first.
Seven questions every hardgainer knows. The answers are below — on this page, in the tools, in the system.
- Why am I not gaining?
- Am I really eating enough?
- Am I doing something wrong?
- Why doesn't anything work for me?
- Is my metabolism broken?
- What am I missing?
- Is there a way out?
Short answer: Yes, there is. Long answer: keep scrolling.
It's not a lack of discipline.
It almost always comes down to one of these three points:
Not enough calories
You eat less than you think. Your NEAT burns more than you realize. Without a clear surplus, nothing happens.
Wrong training
Too much volume, too little structure. Hardgainers need less, but more targeted — between MEV and MRV.
No system
Every week a new plan, a new tip. What's missing: a repeatable process with measurable feedback.
Under 50 kg → 75 kg peak.
No fairy tale. Real numbers, real progress since 1999.
I know the problem because I lived it: trained for years, ate everything in sight — and still barely gained. The system I wish I'd had back then.
Mödling, 1999–2004 — coached classmates, supplement consulting, joint training
Frankfurt, 2001 — personally guided 2 hardgainers
Since 2025 — system digitized for everyone as HGPN
Your 6-Phase Hardgainer Guide
No guesswork, no tricks. Built phase by phase.
- Phase 1
Definition — What is a hardgainer?
Determine if you really are a hardgainer. Lock in your starting profile.
Start Phase 1 → - Phase 2
Biology — Understand your metabolism
BMR, TDEE, NEAT, TEF — how your body processes energy.
Metabolism system → - Phase 3
Training — Stimulate, do not annihilate
Dose volume and frequency so growth happens.
Build workout plan → - Phase 4
Nutrition — Calories, protein, timing
Calculate your lean surplus, structure your meals.
Calculate calories → - Phase 5
Monitoring — Measure, do not guess
Track weight, check rate of gain, adjust after 10–14 days.
Understand rate of gain → - Phase 6
Resources — Glossary, myth busting, briefing
66+ glossary terms, 2 seasons of myth busting and the weekly Hardgainer Mission Briefing™.
Open the full guide →
Six pillars. One system.
The hardgainer logic in six disciplines — training, nutrition, recovery, physiology, system and mindset. Each pillar is your map. The deployed articles are the territory.
Training
MEV, MRV, progression, frequency — dose the stimulus instead of destroying it.
Open pillar → 02Nutrition
Calories, macros, timing — the hardgainer surplus done right.
Open pillar → 03Recovery
Sleep, SRA, deload — the invisible multiplier.
Open pillar → 04Physiology
BMR, TDEE, NEAT, hormones — how your body processes energy.
Open pillar → 05System
Tracking, adjusting, weekly average — decisions instead of guesswork.
Open pillar → 06Mindset
Patience, consistency, identity — why hardgainers think differently.
Open pillar →You're not broken. You're missing a hardgainer system. I know that because I was right there. I tried everything that was standard. Powders, plans, programs — written for the 80-kilo standard guy. Hardgainers aren't in those plans. I had discipline. What was missing was a system that worked for me. So I started collecting, testing, discarding. 25 years of notes. Repetition beats motivation. Tracking beats gut feeling. Plan beats belief. The tools below are those 25 years, condensed. Products are coming too — because standard supplements don't work for hardgainers either. The system is what I wished for in 2002.
One tool, one mission.
No clutter. Each tool solves exactly one problem.
Hardgainer Test
9 questions. 2 minutes. Score + next steps.
Calorie Calculator
TDEE, macros, rate of gain. In 60 seconds.
MealPlan Generator
Meals from your macros. Built for real life.
Workout Plan Generator
Plan, volume, progression. Clearly guided.
Workout Templates
Full body A/B, PPL — start immediately.
Live preview: your result.
TDEE, lean bulk, macros — per day and per meal. Cleanly calculated. Hardgainer-calibrated.
Example values — 80 kg, lean bulk, 4 meals
Stop guessing. Start knowing.
Three tools. Full depth. Calories, macros, meals, training and progression in one system.
One-time purchase. No subscription. Permanent access. Over 25 years of practice.
Myths out. Clarity in.
The most common misconceptions that cost hardgainers years — debunked and replaced with clear alternatives.
"I eat a lot already."
Feeling full isn't a data point. Tracking reveals the truth.
"Clean eating is enough."
Caloric density beats food purity. You need calories, not morals.
"More protein, more muscle."
Beyond 1.6 g/kg, more barely helps. The surplus decides.
One email per week. One clear mission.
Plus you get the Hardgainer Hacks™ (PDF) download.
By signing up you will receive the Hardgainer Mission Briefing™ and Hardgainer Hacks™. Privacy policy.
Frequently asked questions
What is a hardgainer?
A hardgainer struggles to gain weight despite training and eating. Common reasons: high energy expenditure (NEAT), low appetite and incorrect training dosage. Full explanation.
Where do I start today?
Test → calorie calculator → 10 to 14 days trend → MealPlan → workout plan. Always one variable at a time.
How do I find my starting calories?
Start at your estimated maintenance calories, observe your weight over 10–14 days and adjust. Fastest with the calorie calculator.
How fast should I gain weight?
In a controlled way. Steer by weekly average and adjust step by step. Use rate of gain as your guardrail — not daily weight.
Do I need supplements to gain weight?
Supplements can support, but never replace the basics: sufficient calories, enough protein, solid training and recovery.
When are the Hardgainer Performance Nutrition® supplements launching?
In development. Launch only when they meet our standards. Through the Hardgainer Mission Briefing™ you will be the first to know.
Stop scrolling.
Start building.
Hardgainer Mission Briefing™ — 1 mission per week, straight to the point.
Become an insider →