Often times, people think they are hardgainers or ectomorphs, when in fact they are just making mistakes regarding their diet, training or simply lifestyle (excessive behaviors like smoking packs a day, eating only one gargantuan meal a day, etc.). A person with experience having been on a training regiment knows that the actual weight lifting routine is only part of the equation. Rest and nutrition are just as equally important as is the workout. How can you determine if you are making mistakes or truly are predisposed to be a skinny, lean or skinny-fat individual incapable of being able to gain muscle mass?

Recently, I saw a report that will help you determine if you are a bodybuiding hardgainer. That is, you still cannot gain muscle mass through a workout program. I find these 5 signs quite simple and to the point about identifying skinny people over those who are just making mistakes.

Determine if You are a Body Building Hardgainer

1) Think about how hard you work out and what kind of results you've seen. If you work out with weights and see improvement in muscle tone with little muscle development, you might be a hardgainer.

2)Note your eating habits. If you eat huge meals without gaining much weight, you may be a hardgainer. Even if you are thin, building muscle should show on the scales because muscle actually weighs more than fat. So if you eat a lot and work out hard with gaining weight, you probably are a hardgainer.

3)Look at your calves, ankles and wrists. People with large calves, ankles and wrists seem to build muscle more quickly and easily.

4)Notice how you feel after 3 to 4 weeks of regular weight training (3 or more times a week). If you are not gaining strength or mass, you could be hardgainer.

5)Pay attention to your general health. Hardgainers often get sick after 3 to 4 weeks of heavy weight training. Their immune systems cannot endure same amount of training as an average bodybuilder. Hardgainers need more recovery time between workouts. If a hardgainer exceeds 3 workouts per week, he often comes down with a cold or some other nagging illness.

(http://www.ehow.com/how_2100525_determine-bodybuilding-hardgainer.html)

I do believe that there is a silver lining to everything. Being a hardgainer or ectomorph is not the end of the world. In fact, there are some advantages if you think about it. It is very hard for one to gain body fat. One just needs to find the right mix of training, nutrition and rest to maximize muscle growth, and the gains will be a visible ripped look, as opposed to being covered up with body fat.