This blog post is for skinny guys (or hard-gainers) who want to pack on muscle for the first time. There are lots of skinny guys who were just like you at one stage, who managed to build muscle by following a proper diet and training routine.
If you’re like a lot of skinny guys or hard gainers, then you need to bulk up and add some quality muscle to that skinny frame so that you can command respect from the people around you.
If you have been to the gym before, then it might all seem a bit too overwhelming but that’s okay, you have to start somewhere in order to reach your goal.
In order for you to gain muscle, you need to gain weight first. And if you have already been trying to gain weight then you know that it’ not something you want to do through trial and error.
I know exactly what It’s like to be skinny so let me skip the learning curve for you so you don’t make the same frustrating mistakes that myself and most skinny guys make when they try to build muscle.
In this post, I’ll be sharing 4 tips workout tips for skinny guys who want to build muscle. I’ll keep this simple and to the point.
If you need help with nutrition then check out “how can a skinny guy build muscle and get big“.
1. Get a Gym Membership
The first thing you need to do is get a gym membership. Becoming a gym member will be the best investment you can make for yourself because for obvious reasons lifting weights is the best way to build muscle.
Also if you get a gym membership it will be easier to stick to your workout routine.
Also, you will meet a lot of guys who are probably just starting out like you. You can also talk to a personal trainer and ask him to help you with nutrition, etc.
What to expect In the weights room
After you join the gym you will likely be surrounded by muscular men, but you got absolutely nothing to worry about.
When I joined the gym for the first time back in 2004 I was terrified, but after about 2-3 weeks of going there, but as time went on I started to feel just as comfortable as the other trainers.
The big dudes that you see lifting in the weights, most likely have spent years working out to reach their current shape. So chill-out, we all had to start somewhere…
Don’t worry, you’re not gonna have guys like Arnold stop and stare at every move you make.
Besides they will probably respect you for wanting to do something about your skinny genes.
So when they see you there, they won’t think too much about it. Most of them are more focused on their workout for you to even care what they think of you.
Let’s get started on what you should be doing in order to add muscle.
2. Do Compound Lifts To Get Big
If you want to get the most out of a single exercise then your best bet is to do compound lifts.
In no particular order here’s a list of the best compound exercises for building size and strength.
- Bench Press. All variations of the bench press–barbell and dumbbell and flat, incline, and decline
- Overhead Press
- Squat
- Deadlift
- Dip
- Pull-Up
- Cable Pulldown
- Bent-Over Barbell Row
The first thing you want to do is choose one exercise per muscle group (legs, chest, shoulders, back, abs, biceps and triceps.
What’s a Good Workout Program For Skinny Guys Wanting To Build Muscle Mass?
There many beginner workout programs that you can follow. A 3-day workout split is a popular routine for beginners as well as the 5X5 stronglifts routine.
Here’s 5X5 example workout that is a good start for skinny guys looking to gain muscle
Monday – workout A
- Squat 5×5
- Bench Press 5×5
- Barbell Row 5×5
Wednesday – workout B
- Squat 5×5
- Overhead Press 5×5
- Deadlift 1×5
Friday – workout C
- Squat 5×5
- Bench Press 5×5
- Barbell Row 5×5
3. Becoming Familiar with Proper Form
The best thing you can do is start with a light weight and become familiar with performing the exercise with perfect form. To make sure you are hitting all the right muscles, then you need to learn how to execute the exercises with good technique.
You want to become accustomed to the movement patterns so that eventually you can increase the weight.
It’s much easier to perform an exercise with crappy form than it is to work hard and maintain perfect form at the same time. So remember, it’s best to build a good habit in the beginning.
When you lift with bad form, it can lead to training the wrong muscles groups.
I’ve seen guys bench-pressing heavy weight, thinking they’re working their chest when really they were working their arms and shoulders instead.
Don’t make this mistake.
4. Avoid Lifting Too Heavy
Avoid heavy weight to prevent yourself from getting injured. A lot of skinny guys think that by lifting more weight means faster progress.
Not necessarily…
As a beginner lifter, lifting more weight can cause an injury and may even prevent you from making any kind of progress.
As a beginner, before you ever think of adding weight, make sure to avoid doing any bad patterns, because if you don’t it may carry-over to your next workout which will hinder your progress.
When you do start adding weight make sure you’re able to perform the exercise in the same manner you did with the previous weight.
If you find it difficult to lift or pull more weight with good form, it just means your body hasn’t fully adapted to that weight. You just need to give it a bit more time before you increase the weight.
It may take a while for your body to adapt to the current weight you’re able to lift. The main thing is to try doing 8-10 reps with good technique with a weight that you’re able to handle.
And before you know it, your muscles will start growing and taking shape. Then you will know you are on the right track so you can begin adding weight to all of your lifts.
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