DEAR SKINNY GUYS (Stop Doing This)
3 critical failures that keep guys skinny
I started working out nearly 10 years ago.
When I first started, I worked out 5 days a week and tried to hit every muscle group in existence.
Why?
I was a skinny guy.
My plan was to work out hard for 12 months and then ask out the hottest girl in my class.
At the end of 12 months…
I had put on a pathetic amount of weight.
I looked exactly the same.
What happened?
I blamed my failures on my ectomorphic metabolism.
It was a cope.
Eventually…
I figured it out.
I wasn’t using the science of bodybuilding.
Don’t use your metabolism to make excuses for your defeats.
You can reach your goals regardless of your body type.
Here’s what I did to transform my physique from skinny to buff:
#1: Lifting Strategy
For beginners, it’s a mistake to focus on every muscle group.
You won’t maximize your gains this way.
Instead, work out major muscle groups to build an aesthetic body.
This is my personal routine:
Day 1: Biceps/Back
Day 2: Abs
Day 3: Chest/Triceps
Day 4: Abs
Day 5: Shoulder/Legs
Day 6: Abs
Repeat Day 1
I lift hard every other day.
On these days, I do —
- Multiple compound exercises
- 8–12 reps
- Heavier weights
Compound exercises use a variety of muscle groups and support hypertrophy compared to isolation exercises.
I do a range of ab workouts on the other days.
Why?
Its maximizes active recovery.
Your muscles need rest to grow.
So on the “recovery days” I keep my workout to abs only.
Plus, who doesn’t want a six pack of abs.
#2: Progressive Overload
If you want to build muscle and get buff…
Don’t keep lifting the same weights for months straight.
That would be the definition of insanity (according to Einstein).
Once you get into the habit of working out, start progressive overload.
This creates resistance for your muscles so they are signaled to grow over time.
About every month or so, you’ll want to increase the weight, repetitions, or intensity of a certain lift.
You can also improve the form, and that counts towards progressive overload.
This is what I might do:
Bicep Curls — 35.0lbs on 2/1/24
Bicep Curls — 37.5lbs on 3/1/24
Bicep Curls — 40.0lbs on 4/1/24
There’s no hard rule for this.
Listen to your body and make progress over time.
#3: Nutrition
This is everything for skinny guys.
You won’t grow without eating right.
Just like a tree won’t grow without soil.
You need to be aware of two concepts used for bodybuilding:
- Bulking
In order to bulk, you need to know:
- Your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE)
- Your caloric intake
- Your protein intake
Your TDEE is the amount of calories you burn every day including activity.
Here is a calculator to give you an idea: https://www.calculator.net/tdee-calculator.html
You need to be in a caloric surplus to gain weight. A surplus of 3500 calories will produce about 1lb of weight.
So…
Let’s say my TDEE is 2300 calories and I want to gain 5lbs—
TDEE: 2300 calories
Eat: 2650 calories per day
Surplus: 350 calories per day
3500 calories / 350 calories per day = 10 days
Therefore, I’ll gain 1lb every 10 days.
You also want to target 0.8–1g of protein per pound of body weight.
For example, I would eat 120–150g of protein per day at 150lbs.
You’ll naturally gain both fat and muscle on a bulk.
So…
You’ll probably want to cut after you reach your size goals.
2. Cutting
The goal of cutting is to shed fat and keep as much muscle as possible.
You need to be in a caloric deficit to lose weight.
Let’s say my TDEE is 2300 calories and I want to lose 5lbs —
TDEE: 2300 calories
Eat: 1950 calories per day
Deficit: 350 calories per day
3500 calories / 350 calories per day = 10 days
Therefore, I’ll lose 1lb every 10 days.
You can also do cardio to increase your TDEE instead of eating less.
As long as you’re lifting, you’ll retain most of the muscle you put on during the bulk.
This is from my personal experience as a once skinny kid.
Turn the knowledge into discipline and you’ll be unstoppable.
Keep pushing.
Disclaimer: This is not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Check with your doctor before starting a new regimen.
