Gain Muscle as a Skinny Guy - Advice & Tips

[Rhine720]

Looking to gain muscle. MY parents are actually not in shape..at all. So I don't see why I don't have any weight..but I don't. I need a plan or something to go from 5'10 120 lbs to something a bit more sturdier. I don't want to hit the gym a lot, and i don't mind chemicals, if they aren't very very dangerous. Any suggestions?

 

[zoobyshoe]

Hmmm. Yes. You are very skinny.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

dang I'm 5'11" 155 and am considered very skinny too, but 120 is a bit alarming. You need to eat some pizzas everyday (joke). There is no secret to gaining weight. It takes calories. Buy food and eat it. That is your plan. Watch the saturated fats and hit the gym a couple times a week and in a few months you'll prolly gain 15-20lbs.

 

[berkeman]

Looking to gain muscle. MY parents are actually not in shape..at all. So I don't see why I don't have any weight..but I don't. I need a plan or something to go from 5'10 120 lbs to something a bit more sturdier. I don't want to hit the gym a lot, and i don't mind chemicals, if they aren't very very dangerous. Any suggestions?

Forget the chemical route, or I'll ban you.

What is your current workout schedule? Swim-bike-run? If not, why not?

What is your current diet? Low fat, good balance, good protien? If not, why not?

 

[Rhine720]

Forget the chemical route, or I'll ban you.

What is your current workout schedule? Swim-bike-run? If not, why not?

What is your current diet? Low fat, good balance, good protien? If not, why not?

I didn't mean illegal or harmful chems. I meant things like creatin or the stuff they put in other muscle or weight gain helpers. Like drinks and what not.

My current Work out is running to catch up to a bus every morning. A lot of walking around downtown. And a lot of thinking while I unforgivingly speed like a maniac to work or place of interest. Some times I'll race my friends on te beach for fun. At work I stand, and stand, and stand, and then I run, grab something, run back, and stand, stand stand.

My diet..sucks. Everynight I eat the same sandwhich on my break. Friend chicken fingers, with mayo,bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomato. Around dinner time I eat whatever gets cooked up by my madre. Recently, Alcohol has become a a favourite, but I don't plan to stick with it.

I work my self sick while going to school. 50 hours per paycheck. Fortunatly I'm finally get hour cuts so I can focus on grades and perhaps work on weight gain.

 

[gabbagabbahey]

If you want it to be functional weight (i.e. muscle rather than fat), you really have no choice but to hit the gym 4-5 days/week. No pain, no gain. Try having bacon and eggs for breakfast, a big lunch that often includes red meat and then pasta or a vegetarian meal for dinner. Do any cardio work before breakfast and any weight lifting after lunch. Following this plan I gained about 30 pounds of muscle in my senior year of high school (I too was very skinny prior to that). No chemicals needed.

As for the weight lifting itself, alternate your workouts between pyramiding (more reps at lower weight, towards 1-2 reps at max weight) and toning (3 sets of 10-15 reps at a constant weight). Pay special attention to your core muscles and keep your daily cardio at 45 min or less.

 

[JaWiB]

Looking to gain muscle. MY parents are actually not in shape..at all. So I don't see why I don't have any weight..but I don't. I need a plan or something to go from 5'10 120 lbs to something a bit more sturdier. I don't want to hit the gym a lot, and i don't mind chemicals, if they aren't very very dangerous. Any suggestions?

I was about the same a year or two ago (last time I weighed myself--maybe gained some weight since then). Can't say I know of any great way to gain weight, but eating a ton of calories without exercising always just makes me feel crappy.

If you don't lift weights at all though, starting a routine might give some good results pretty quickly, before you plateau. Protein supplements probably won't hurt, but also probably don't help as much as advertisements lead you to believe (more for muscle recovery after workouts than weight gain). The only other chemical I've ever used is creatine and I have no idea if it's actually effective but I've heard that it is associated with weight-gain.

 

[Dembadon]

Looking to gain muscle. MY parents are actually not in shape..at all. So I don't see why I don't have any weight..but I don't. I need a plan or something to go from 5'10 120 lbs to something a bit more sturdier. I don't want to hit the gym a lot, and i don't mind chemicals, if they aren't very very dangerous. Any suggestions?

Protein, carbs, and weights. Please do not take any pills!

 

[Borek]

Protein, carbs

As if these were not chemicals...

No chemicals, no gain.

 

[Jack21222]

I'm in terrible shape, so I probably shouldn't be giving advice, but that's never stopped me in the past.

Since you don't want to hit the gym, have you considered doing something slightly different, but still a workout? How about learning a martial art? Taekwondo, Brazilian Ju Jitsu, karate, et cetera. That'll allow you to get stronger without it feeling like work.

 

[MotoH]

How do you manage to stand up in a slight breeze? You are a marvel of engineering!

Work out. do push ups, lift weights, do sit ups, lift weights, do push ups with weights, do sit ups upside down.

Women like big beefy men, not men who can fit between the door and the floor!

 

[leroyjenkens]

Just eat more and work out. Once you start building muscles, you'll have the appetite to eat a lot.
I'm about 6'0" 185lb. I work out at the gym about twice a week and after building a good amount of muscle, I'm hungry a lot. I could eat almost all day, but I try not to.

The only other chemical I've ever used is creatine and I have no idea if it's actually effective but I've heard that it is associated with weight-gain.

From what I understand, creatine is stored in your muscles and allows you to work out more. Specifically, more reps. Otherwise I don't think it does much.
Protein also needs you to work out. It won't just spontaneously build muscles for you.

 

[dlgoff]

Personally, I wouldn't worry about it. I've been skinny all my life and for the most part, healthy. Now that I'm in my 60s, I'm starting to get a little more belly, but still skinny everywhere else. However my mussels are hard and strong.

 

[IMP]

First, don't think you are skinny, instead think of yourself as thin.

Second, you have to take in more calories than you consume, simple math. Just make sure they are "good calories" when possible.

Third, adding muscle creates the appearance of being less-thin.

Weight-gainer powders/drinks actually work very well but must be used in conjunction with a workout routine to be very effective.

Creatine Monohydrate is not what you need. This does "bulk up" muscles but the effect is really not very long lasting, your body learns to compensate for it.

 

[ThomasEdison]

Looking to gain muscle. MY parents are actually not in shape..at all. So I don't see why I don't have any weight..but I don't. I need a plan or something to go from 5'10 120 lbs to something a bit more sturdier. I don't want to hit the gym a lot, and i don't mind chemicals, if they aren't very very dangerous. Any suggestions?

What do you mean by "a lot" for hitting the gym?

 

[Moonbear]

Wait 10 years; you'll be on here asking us how to lose weight. I'm guessing you're no older than your early 20s? If that's true, don't worry, the weight WILL catch up with you.

 

[waht]

Go to Amarillio where they serve a 72 oz steak.

 

[turbo]

Looking to gain muscle. MY parents are actually not in shape..at all. So I don't see why I don't have any weight..but I don't. I need a plan or something to go from 5'10 120 lbs to something a bit more sturdier. I don't want to hit the gym a lot, and i don't mind chemicals, if they aren't very very dangerous. Any suggestions?

I suggest exercising with free weights (not machines) and eating high-quality protein (eggs are great, as is lean meat and poultry), and pasta. You need to eat enough calories to exceed what you'll use when working out. Don't forget to eat vegetables and fruits, too. You may have to take on some cooking/food prep chores at home too. You'll need fats and oils, so nuts and cold-pressed olive oil ought to find their way into your diet.

The reason that I favor free weights is that they require coordination and control of smaller muscles that are often under-worked with exercise machines that target major muscles. You actually get a better workout in a shorter amount of time, with lighter weights, if you'll hit the gym and stick mostly to free weights. If you buy a gym membership, you will probably get the services of a trainer to set up an initial exercise program. If you only want to get to the gym 3 times a week, that's do-able. Be up-front with the trainer about how much time and effort you can invest in the program. You can gain strength and bulk without focusing all your time on workouts - and you can keep gym-time under control as long as you get the most out of every workout.

Good luck. I was VERY lean in college, in large part because I was a distance runner. It was not easy to gain good weight (muscle mass) because I burned the calories so quickly.

 

[Leptos]

I'm 5'10" 205lb, but my problem is staying lean. There were times when I would tip the scale at 250lb. In high school I noticed most of the skinny guys were afraid of the weight room. You can try doing calisthenics for a few weeks to reach a minimal level of fitness. Sprinting is great, it helps build leg muscles. Larger leg muscles can increase testosterone levels, and thus can indirectly improve upper body muscle gains.

 

[IMP]

The reason that I favor free weights is that they require coordination and control of smaller muscles that are often under-worked with exercise machines that target major muscles. You actually get a better workout in a shorter amount of time, with lighter weights, if you'll hit the gym and stick mostly to free weights.

I agree with this. People often underestimate the value of working all of the stabilizing muscles that come into play when using free-weights. It is like a mini workout within your workout.

 

[lisab]

Wait 10 years; you'll be on here asking us how to lose weight. I'm guessing you're no older than your early 20s? If that's true, don't worry, the weight WILL catch up with you.

I, too, was wondering about age.

My brother had a tough time gaining an ounce when he was a teen, despite hours at the gym; as an adult, he can build up easily and only spend a small fraction of the time lifting.

 

[Borek]

the weight WILL catch up with you.

I know what you mean, I have just gained a pound last week.

But by your standards I am still a walking skeleton

 

[mcknia07]

If you want more weight, take in more carbs! That one will for sure do it. Be sure to work out, that will help build more muscle. I don't imagine you are much older than early 20's late teens. Time will catch up with you... so be careful!

 

[Zenparticle]

It's good to work out lifting weights with someone who knows what they are doing and to help you spot. For toning your muscles try light weights with more reps, for gaining muscle try heavier weights with less reps. I have found that vitamin B12 helps me when working out by giving a bit of a boost to my energy. Good Luck.

 

[khkwang]

Wait 10 years; you'll be on here asking us how to lose weight. I'm guessing you're no older than your early 20s? If that's true, don't worry, the weight WILL catch up with you.

Man... why did you have to say that.

I'm crazy skinny now (not that I want to be), but I'm a lazy schmuck. Once those pounds start piling up, there ain't nothing I'm going to do about it.

What a life. Going from underweight to overweight with just a short layover in Atlanta.

 

[ThomasEdison]

Man... why did you have to say that.

I'm crazy skinny now (not that I want to be), but I'm a lazy schmuck. Once those pounds start piling up, there ain't nothing I'm going to do about it.

What a life. Going from underweight to overweight with just a short layover in Atlanta.

Just hit the gym.

Exercise does a lot more than just build muscles.

 

[gravenewworld]

Lifting weights only gets you so much, you have to start packing on the weight by eating. 5'10"+ and only 120 lbs is seriously underweight. Female models would kill to be that weight. Start eating lots of protein. Cals, cals, cals. Up your intake (even after subtracting what you burn through exercise) to 2500 cals per day.

Having a muscular build has a lot to do with genetics too though. I'm only 5'6" and 158 lbs (not fat but built like a small NFL running back). I don't have to lift weights that much at all to have a muscular build. In your case, just tackle most what you can control, which is your eating habits.