Muscle Mass Gain For Skinny Guys

By Colin Johnson

Where should I start? Without a doubt this is the most common question I am asked from skinny men who are looking to gain muscle mass. They are usually very keen but unwilling to waste time on routines which aren’t specifically designed to help them bulk up. I don’t blame them one bit, and this article attempts to answer the question with simplicity. If you are a beginner body builder you will benefit from these instructions too. This is suitable for golfers and other low impact sportsmen as well as footballers and other high impact sportsmen. Everyone who carries out these manageable steps with diligence will soon see a positive difference in their physique and fitness.

Warming up is an extremely important step before you commence any concentrated body-building. Effective warm up activities such as star jumps, using the bike or treadmill and jogging on the spot really get the blood pumping and increase the rate of your heartbeat. Try to avoid days of no physical activity. Your body-building warm-ups are great stand-alone activities on your off days. A quarter of an hour before you start anything, drink water or a sports drink, and keep drinking all the time you’re active. Remember that sweating results in loss of fluid, and for each 1% of body weight you lose due to sweating, your performance will be lessened by 5%. So it’s imperative that you keep drinking if you want to maintain your stamina and enhance your performance.

Let’s face it, there are very few of us who have spare hours every single day for body-building. In reality you will probably get to go through this routine 2 to 3 times a week, and that is the minimum requirement. The weight loadings you use will be dependent on whether you are male or female, your size, strength and present level of fitness. You will certainly see a marked increase in your particular strength level after a month or even sooner. This will motivate you tremendously. But when you first start, only use light weights and concentrate on mastering correct techniques.

Apart from warm-up activities, you should start working your largest muscle groups. Try to stick to the usual order, which is firstly warm-ups, then stretches, chest exercises, shoulders, leg exercises, and finally of course biceps and triceps. Aim for ten reps of each exercise and do the cycle three times. Then, stretch the muscles you are working on and give yourself a one minute rest. Try to establish a rhythm and stick to it. Even keep the overall duration of your work-out similar during your first few months as this will help you measure your increased strength and fitness. If you can arrange a training partner to be with you, you will find yourself kept accountable and encouraged. A training partner can spot for you (stay in close proximity and help your bar back onto the supports if you find yourself suddenly unable to do it yourself). This is a wise safety measure.

Ideally you will require some warm up equipment, a weight bench, a long barbell with a variety of weight discs that can be easily changed and at least 2 small dumbells for some one handed lifting exercises and a large exercise ball for seated activities. All of this equipment can be purchased new from most large retail stores or can be found incredibly cheaply at garage sales or in the second hand for sale section of the local newspaper. Try ebay and other online auctions for bargain prices. Larger machines can be inflexible, hard to store and require lots of space. However, if you have the room or already have one they will definitely do the job.

For your chest, commence exercising with bench presses on a flat bench. Then do some flys, laying flat on the bench with comfortably weighted dumbells in both of your hands. Raise each dumbell above the level of your chest then lower them at once to your side, like a giant clap, all the while bending both elbows. Next do some seated flys. An exercise ball is ideal for this: with a straight back lean forward and lift both dumbells to the side. Again you’ll need slightly bent elbows. Always move smoothly and ensure that your grip is not too tight for comfort. Consciously tell yourself to loosen your grip as you progress in your routine.

To work your shoulders you should aim, as usual, for three sets of ten reps, lifting and lowering very slowly. Sit on the bench in a straddling position and use the longer barbell. Then lift the barbell to below your chin, extend past your face and to the point at which your arms are stretched to capacity, then lower your hands and start again. Do the same this time behind your neck. You may try one handed lifts with dumbells commencing at your shoulders, past the side of your head and to capacity point above your head. (Try lifting both together). Finally put the dumbells at your side and stand with your elbows bent a little. Lift the dumbells outwards as though flapping.

For working the legs, start with something like a stationary bike ride for one whole minute, using a steady rate of pedalling. Then sprint for 10 seconds followed by a slow pace for the next 10 and so on, for about two minutes. Then you can start three or four sets of leg raises. Those of you who have a leg raise bar on your bench can put weights on and complete three sets, one facing up and one down. This will benefit your hamstrings and quads. Squats can be your final step, first without any weights and then using a weight disc resting on your chest. Eventually you will be able to put a barbell on your shoulders and gradually increase its weight. Guard against overloading the bar (a pitfall of the overly enthusiastic!) as you do not want to put too much pressure on your knees. For those of you who already struggle with joint pain in your knees (or anywhere else), make sure you try the supplement which contains a combination of glucosamine and chondroitin: recent research is glowing in extolling its pain relief benefits. My own father is one of the ones who rave about it.

Biceps. Start with a longer barbell in a standing position and hold with palms facing forward and bar resting on thighs. Curl the bar up to the chest holding the upper arm by your side and moving the lower arm upward in an arc like shape. Lower down to thighs. Next use single hand dumbells in the same format. You may lift both together or use an alternate action. Try not to swing them down to lift, use the arms. Next set is also using dumbells. Hold them by the side with palms facing in toward the leg so the end of the dumbell is facing straight ahead. Lift together using the same action as previously.

Triceps. Commence with sitting on the floor and placing your hands to the rear of you a little wider than shoulder width and with the fingers pointing forward. Lift your bottom off the ground and bend legs with feet flat. Lower and raise your body using your arms bending and straightening. Next sit on an exercise ball with a dumbell in each hand and lean forward. Move the upper arm to the rear of you and parallel to the ground. Using the lower part of the arm lift the dumbell like a pendulum toward the rear and then lower to perpendicular position. Lift simultaneously. Can also add variety by standing and leaning over the bench and placing one knee on the bench. Work one arm at a time using the same method outlined above.

One step many body builders neglect is the step that should follow exercise. This can make a huge difference to the effectiveness of your hard work. When you exercise, your muscle cells suffer damage and tear: this is how muscle growth occurs as your muscles begin the repair process. If you take a protein supplement in the half hour after completing your workout, recovery of your muscles will be quicker and therefore growth will occur sooner. For building muscle, use a protein shake high in carbs and for extra assistance, add some creatine. An xtreme mass gainer is what you need to find. (For those looking to tone up, without mass gain, low fat and low carb protein shakes are ideal). It would be a shame to not fulfil your body building potential by neglecting this post exercise step.

href=”http://www.protein4health.com”>whey protein shakes for muscle recovery and development for the performance conscious. He suggests xtreme mass for muscle bulk.

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