How to Build Muscle if You’re Skinny
22nd Nov 19
Building muscle is no easy feat. Ask anyone how they managed to do it, and they’ll likely tell you that it was due to a huge amount of time and effort. That’s about the only guidance you’ll get. Lift weights and get results. If you’re naturally skinny and you can’t build muscle or find it hard to put on weight in general, that can be a lot easier said than done.
In the most generic term possible, you’re probably going to fit in the class of an ectomorph. That is, your body type is made to be slim, and it’s a struggle to put on weight of any kind, including building muscle even when you’re skinny. That doesn’t mean you’re stuck, though. We’ve already written a guide on how to put on weight in general, but building muscle when you’re skinny is in a league of its own.
Want to move fast? Jump to the right section below.
Eat More
The first thing that you need to start doing is eating more calories in a day. Make them as healthy as you can to make sure you’re looking after your health as well as your weight, but to build weight at all you need to be making a calorie surplus every day. That way, your body has enough fuel to grow. That much we know.
The easiest way to do that is by increasing your fat and carb content, but that isn’t always a good way to do it. You’ll probably see a pretty quick weight increase, but chances are, you’ll be storing it as fat. That’s probably not the way you want to go about it. If you’re going to build muscle in particular, you need to watch your macronutrients especially. That’s getting enough carbs (that aren’t sugar) to fuel your training, protein to build muscle as much as possible, and healthy fats (there’s a difference) to help you recover. That goes for anyone, really.
Train More
On top of eating more calories to allow your body to build, you still need to train more too. Weight training is the best way to build muscle at the highest rate, and doing it is the best way to build muscle, skinny or not. Compound exercises are probably the best way to go about doing it, as well as training styles like push-pull legs. Find a way that works best for you and stick with it.
As you lift heavier weights and more frequently, you’ll see your body going into muscle hypertrophy. That means your muscles are building more and more and growing in size. It’s one of the fundamentals of muscle building, and that doesn’t matter if you’re skinny.
Wait More
This might well be the best advice that anyone can give you, and it makes sense. If you struggle to build muscle because you’re just naturally skinny, it’s kind of it what it is. You can help yourself make more progress by focussing on the points above, but it still might be a difficult thing to do. This is why patience is the key.
If you really try your best and train and eat in the healthiest way possible, no matter how skinny or slim you are, you’ll build muscle. The thing is, you have to stick at it. These changes don’t happen overnight, and it can take months to years to really see the benefits of what you are doing. There’s never a quick fix, and you need to look after your health above all else while you’re trying.
Building muscle is achievable no matter who you are and to what extent you want to do it. There are so many different ways to do it, and things might not be easy, but it’s true. These are the barebones essentials, and they’re even more important if you’re a skinny person naturally. Try your best and stick it at. It’ll pay off in the long run, even if you don’t see it happen.
Before beginning any exercise or nutrition program, consult your physician, doctor or other professional. This is especially important for individuals over the age of 35 or persons with pre-existing health problems. Exercise.co.uk assumes no responsibility for personal injury or property damage sustained using our advice.
If you experience dizziness, nausea, chest pain, or any other abnormal symptoms, stop the workout at once and consult a physician or doctor immediately.
5% off
