How to Gain Muscle for Skinny People

If your friends refer to you as "string bean" or "skinny," the idea of gaining muscle may sound appealing, but impossible. The truth is that most people can increase their muscle mass, but for those who have trouble gaining weight, it takes extra work. Rethinking your current diet and exercise routines and replacing your old habits with new ones can help you bulk up while staying healthy.

Things You'll Need

• Protein shake mix
• Water bottle
• Heavy weights

Show More

Instructions

• 1

  Eat five or six small meals each day. Eat meals with both protein and complex carbohydrates to increase your energy levels and build muscle. Eat whenever you get hungry and try to eat around 500 calories above what you're currently eating. Replace simple carbohydrates like white bread and pasta with whole grain options.

• 2

  Drink protein shakes during and after workouts. Mix a protein shake that contains two grams of carbohydrates per gram of protein and sip it during your workout. Drink a shake after your workout as well to immediately replenish calories you've burned.

• 3

  Do short sets with heavy weights when strength training. Do six to 12 repetitions per set with heavy weights to create the greatest muscle mass rather than doing more reps with lighter weights. Lift with a slow, controlled motions to fully work your muscles. Avoid doing more than 20 sets total per muscle group or lifting weights for longer than 45 minutes.

• 4

  Eat 30 to 60 minutes before you exercise. Eat a balanced meal of complex carbohydrates and proteins to help you sustain energy during your workout and decrease muscle recovery time.

• 5

  Exercise your whole body during strength training. Perform exercises that involve multiple muscles at once, such as squats, pull-ups or presses. This will increase the amount of hormones you release and encourage muscle growth throughout the day. Focus on all muscle groups in one day or work on your upper body in one session and your lower body during another session to sustain balanced muscle gain. Avoid isolating small muscle groups and working only one group each day.

• 6

  Run, swim, bike or do other cardiovascular workouts for 30 minutes two to three times each week. Avoid doing more than this if you're very thin as you'll burn more fat and further increase your metabolism. Perform sprint intervals where you run or bike at top speed for one minute, then move at a slower pace for two minutes.

• 7

  Stretch every day. This will help you remain flexible and help your muscles recover more quickly after a workout.

• 8

  Drink lots of water. Bring a bottle with you to your workout and also drink water throughout the day to increase muscle performance and tissue repair.