As a skinny guy, trying to pack on pounds of rock solid muscle
can be more than just an uphill struggle...it can be darned frustrating.
No matter how closely you follow the advice of many so-called "bodybuilding gurus" in the glossy magazines, you just can't seem to make any headway in your quest to get jacked.
The reason is that most of the workout routines in the magazines are not designed for skinny guys...they're aimed more at the pro bodybuilder and folks who just have the right genetics to get big quickly...you know the kind of guy I'm talking about, right? The one who seems to pack on muscle just by lifting his beer bottle...yeah, well those guys are just gifted with great muscle building genetics.
However...
Skinny guys who train properly (i.e. following routines that are designed to suit their body type) end up with a more impressive body since they are not only muscular but have a naturally low body fat percentage and can get ripped really easily.
The key to beating your skinny genetics and turning on your muscle building switch is in training differently to what they tell in the press. Follow the tips below and they'll show you how to get jacked fast.
"Compound" Your Efforts
Mistake number 1 that I see most skinny guys make when trying to get jacked is focusing too much of their workout on isolation exercises that work just one muscle group, such as bicep curls.
Now there's nothing wrong with isolation exercises per se, it's just that if your workout is based around them then you are:
Stick to a basic core of compound exercises that work multiple muscle groups at the same time such as squats, bench press, bent over rows and deadlifts.
This will help you to lift heavier loads each rep as well as stimulate more muscle tissue per exercise and thereby increase the rate at which you gain muscle mass. You'll also finish your workouts quicker and work your whole body 3 times per week...a win all round.
High Reps / Low Volume, or Low Reps / High Volume?
Another mistake skinny guys make when trying to get jacked is doing high rep numbers on less than optimal weights.
To gain muscle quickly and really get jacked you need to be applying the principle of Progressive Overload into your workout sessions. This means that you should be lifting heavy weights that permit you to only perform around 6-10 reps per set.
High rep numbers are better for muscular endurance or for folks who are in the last stages of getting their bodies ready for competition. Keep your rep numbers low if you want to get jacked fast.
Up Your Calorie Intake
For most skinny guys a big reason why they struggle to see significant muscle gains is simply because they are not consuming enough calories on a daily basis.
To get jacked and muscular fast you need to create a caloric deficit and fight back against your furnace-style metabolism.
Without sufficient calorie intake it doesn't matter how many hours you spend in the gym, you ain't going to get jacked.
Aim to increase your calorie intake based on your current bodyweight. A general rule of thumb is to take your current weight in pounds and multiply it by 24...if you weigh 150 then you need around 3,600 calories per day (150 x 24).
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No matter how closely you follow the advice of many so-called "bodybuilding gurus" in the glossy magazines, you just can't seem to make any headway in your quest to get jacked.
The reason is that most of the workout routines in the magazines are not designed for skinny guys...they're aimed more at the pro bodybuilder and folks who just have the right genetics to get big quickly...you know the kind of guy I'm talking about, right? The one who seems to pack on muscle just by lifting his beer bottle...yeah, well those guys are just gifted with great muscle building genetics.
However...
Skinny guys who train properly (i.e. following routines that are designed to suit their body type) end up with a more impressive body since they are not only muscular but have a naturally low body fat percentage and can get ripped really easily.
The key to beating your skinny genetics and turning on your muscle building switch is in training differently to what they tell in the press. Follow the tips below and they'll show you how to get jacked fast.
"Compound" Your Efforts
Mistake number 1 that I see most skinny guys make when trying to get jacked is focusing too much of their workout on isolation exercises that work just one muscle group, such as bicep curls.
Now there's nothing wrong with isolation exercises per se, it's just that if your workout is based around them then you are:
- a) wasting a lot of time in the gym exercising separate muscle groups
- b) not lifting as heavy as possible to stimulate testosterone levels
- c) often splitting your workouts into Chest day, Back day, Arms day, Legs day etc. This means you are only working out each muscle group once per week.
Stick to a basic core of compound exercises that work multiple muscle groups at the same time such as squats, bench press, bent over rows and deadlifts.
This will help you to lift heavier loads each rep as well as stimulate more muscle tissue per exercise and thereby increase the rate at which you gain muscle mass. You'll also finish your workouts quicker and work your whole body 3 times per week...a win all round.
High Reps / Low Volume, or Low Reps / High Volume?
Another mistake skinny guys make when trying to get jacked is doing high rep numbers on less than optimal weights.
To gain muscle quickly and really get jacked you need to be applying the principle of Progressive Overload into your workout sessions. This means that you should be lifting heavy weights that permit you to only perform around 6-10 reps per set.
High rep numbers are better for muscular endurance or for folks who are in the last stages of getting their bodies ready for competition. Keep your rep numbers low if you want to get jacked fast.
Up Your Calorie Intake
For most skinny guys a big reason why they struggle to see significant muscle gains is simply because they are not consuming enough calories on a daily basis.
To get jacked and muscular fast you need to create a caloric deficit and fight back against your furnace-style metabolism.
Without sufficient calorie intake it doesn't matter how many hours you spend in the gym, you ain't going to get jacked.
Aim to increase your calorie intake based on your current bodyweight. A general rule of thumb is to take your current weight in pounds and multiply it by 24...if you weigh 150 then you need around 3,600 calories per day (150 x 24).