How do I bulk up as a skinny guy?
People have told me I'm built like a twig! I wanna gain muscle and get big. I know diet and excercise are important but I don't know what I should be eating or what exercises I should be doing. Where do I even start?
Number one, you need to lift heavy. And it should be heavy with good form, between 8 and 12 reps. That's where you're going to get the most hypertrophy, which is just a fancy word for muscle building. If it's getting too heavy where you can't get 8, lighten it up a little bit. And if it's getting too easy where you can do more than 12, increase the weight.
Number two is going to be the tools or equipment that you use. You want to buy yourself some bigger kettlebells, some bigger dumbbells, and a barbell. Barbells and dumbbells are going to be the two main things that are going to build muscle the fastest. Utilize the barbells and then utilize a couple of heavy kettlebells or dumbbells.
Number three is compound movements. Aim for bigger movements. That means your squats, your deadlifts, your push-ups, and I would not waste time doing isolation exercises because that's not going to put on mass. You want full-body exercises that increase hormone response. They increase the utilization of all of your muscles at one time, so you'll get your most bang for your buck by doing the compound movements which are squat, bench deadlift, push-up, single leg squat, single leg deadlifts, wheel rollouts, front plank, etc. So, stick to those. I call those our "big rocks," the meat and potatoes of your programming.
Number two is going to be the tools or equipment that you use. You want to buy yourself some bigger kettlebells, some bigger dumbbells, and a barbell. Barbells and dumbbells are going to be the two main things that are going to build muscle the fastest. Utilize the barbells and then utilize a couple of heavy kettlebells or dumbbells.
Number three is compound movements. Aim for bigger movements. That means your squats, your deadlifts, your push-ups, and I would not waste time doing isolation exercises because that's not going to put on mass. You want full-body exercises that increase hormone response. They increase the utilization of all of your muscles at one time, so you'll get your most bang for your buck by doing the compound movements which are squat, bench deadlift, push-up, single leg squat, single leg deadlifts, wheel rollouts, front plank, etc. So, stick to those. I call those our "big rocks," the meat and potatoes of your programming.
Thanks for all the tips, everyone! im definitely planning on trying some of these new workouts, but i was wonderig if anyone has any nutrition tips? I find all that stuff really confusing, so what has worked for you guys to eat while building muscle?
Foods that will help build muscle overall are lean proteins like chicken, turkey, eggs, lean beef, fish, whey protein powder, Greek yogurt, etc. Complex carbs like sweet potato, brown rice, vegetables and fruits are good, and you should also eat healthy fats like avocados, nuts, olive oil etc.
To build muscle, aim for lower reps at a higher weight. You should consider something called microloading. So if you use barbells, you have the option of loading any weight you want on the side, so you can move your weight up by a pound, or half a pound, or two pounds. So if you're able to bench press four sets of six at 50 pounds and it feels kind of heavy, next week move up just a little bit to 51 or 52 pounds. And you'll see progress really quickly if you keep microloading like this. Unfortunately, that's not an easy option with dumbbells because they usually only use five-pound increments or two-pound increments. And that may be too big of a jump to make for certain individuals.
You could definitely also try pull-ups, push-ups, lunges and squats. Use either weights that are around you or just your own body weight to help yourself get stronger. If you don't have access to weights, get creative!
You could definitely also try pull-ups, push-ups, lunges and squats. Use either weights that are around you or just your own body weight to help yourself get stronger. If you don't have access to weights, get creative!
I also used to be a skinny guy and I think it took me a while to really internalize that I couldn't just keep eating the way I had been eating if I wanted to gain muscle. Even if you work out a bunch, you're not going to bulk up if you don't give your body enough calories and protein to build with. You're going to need to eat more protein and eat consistently, which you may not be doing right now if you're a skinny guy.
Another thing I found helpful was keeping track of my weight and reps for different exercises so I could really measure my progress and make sure I was pushing myself to steadily achieve more and improve over time. I used to do reps until "failure" but I realized that the point of failure would change depending on the day (maybe I didn't get enough sleep so I was tired or I had something on my mind that would distract me). Actually measuring my progress helped me stay consistent.
Another thing I found helpful was keeping track of my weight and reps for different exercises so I could really measure my progress and make sure I was pushing myself to steadily achieve more and improve over time. I used to do reps until "failure" but I realized that the point of failure would change depending on the day (maybe I didn't get enough sleep so I was tired or I had something on my mind that would distract me). Actually measuring my progress helped me stay consistent.
What do other wikiHow readers have to say?
Other wikiHow readers have submitted their own tips on topics similar to this one.
Reader Tips from How to Gain More Muscle Mass and Strength
To gain muscle mass quickly, eat a small amount of protein (less than 6g) before you work out, this will prep your muscles. Within half hour of working out, eat a large amount of protein (varies depending on your weight but a minimum of ~10g).
Always warm up with some cardio before lifting weights to prevent injuries.
Never skip meals or workouts unless you are ill or injured. In these cases you must give your body time to heal.
Reader Tips from How to Eat to Gain Muscle
Balance your workouts. If you are doing a highly aerobic activity of any kind and don't eat a high protein diet you will consistently lose strength and muscle mass. Many high school and college athletes, such as wrestlers, are faced with declining strength throughout the season because they are unaware of this fact.
Rather than eating all of your protein or carbohydrates in one meal, it is ideal to try to spread it out over the course of the day. Five or more small meals is best. This is because if you eat all your protein at one time, your body won't be able to use all of it. It's about maintaining a high blood protein level so that your muscles can slowly regenerate throughout the day and while you are sleeping.
Keep a food journal to track what you're eating each day. This shows you how many nutrients you're consuming and where you can improve.
Reader Tips from How to Get Buff
Be sure to get an average of 7-8 hours of sleep per night, as muscle growth occurs during sleep/recovery.
Always drink plenty of water before, during and after a workout. Dehydrating muscles can damage them and prevent you from reaching your goals.
Trending Discussions
What do I wear on a first date?
Going on my first date in a long time and want to look good. What do guys like women ...
Read More
How do you become a private chef?
I've always dreamed of pursuing a career as a private chef and have decided to give i...
Read More
Is there a way to get deleted messages back on iPhone?
I accidentally deleted some messages on my iPhone and would really like to have them ...
Read More
