You would think that for a skinny guy getting a good workout
is the solution to gaining muscle. As
reasonable as that may sound this is not the case. If you’re one of millions of guys who are
looking to put on some serious mass, then you know that no matter how many reps
you do and how many pounds you lift the muscle is hard to come by.
Gaining muscle for an ectomorph may be difficult but it is
not impossible.
I have known so many guys who have struggled and done every
workout named in books and magazines.
There’s the Arnold method.
There’s the dynamic tension method.
There’s the method that has you lifting extra slow. But rather than treating your training like
rocket science, why don’t you go back to basics.
Basic Principles
Whether you like to do the toughest workouts on the planet
or the ones that bodybuilders use, it doesn’t matter. In order to make the right gains you need to
stick to the basics.
If you want to see your body add on muscle you have to
follow these principles:
- Lift heavy
- Add weight to your lifts often
- Use compound lifts
- Focus on large muscle groups
Sounds simple?
Well it is.
Compound Movements
Rock
If I could go back in time I would focus more on “the Big
Lifts,” as some call them. You know,
bench press, military press, squats and deadlifts. Add some pull up and chin ups and the muscle
growth comes in a matter of time.
Rather than wondering how many sets and reps to do on biceps
curls and leg extensions I would have pushed those to the side and just focus
on the compound movements.
Why choose these lifts?
Simple, they provide the best bang for your buck.
Compound movements work on the most muscle fibers and muscle
groups and stimulate growth if done right.
For example if you want to make it very simple just do these
three exercises
- Squat
- Bench Press
- Deadlift
Do these 3 exercises 3 times per week and your gains will be
guaranteed. Just make sure that you
divide do 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps per exercise.
Go Heavy or Go Home
If you want to see consistent gains go heavy on your
lifts. Once you go heavy just make sure
you are lifting heavier weight as often as possible.
So if you are bench pressing 135 for 8 reps and you know
that you can go heavier, then do so.
Next time push 140 and keep increasing the weight as often as possible.
I made that mistake too many times. Rather than pushing myself I kept staying in
a comfortable range and so
I didn’t lift heavier weight when I should have.
However, I would advise that you increase the weight in
small increments but consistently. Don’t
jump the weight you are pushing by 20 or 30 pounds immediately. Add 5 pounds to your lifts when it is
possible.
Cardio Or No Cardio
That’s the tough question that posed most often.
Cardio is actually something that is recommended if you are
trying to keep your fat percentage in check.
However, if you are skinny and your struggle is to gain muscle and fat
is not an issue then skip cardio or walk.
For those who are looking into more athletic training and
wouldn’t mind gaining muscle at the same time as doing cardio then something
like sprints and intervals is a better choice.
There are various options in a cardio workout for skinny guys, it is just a matter of knowing what works best for you.
