How To Build Muscle/workout As A Skinny Guy?

[Lorcan]

Hello my name is Lorcan. I am 14.

I have been working out lately doing arm curls,push ups , planks, burpies etc.

I am probably one of the skinniest guys in my school. When I look in the mirror I can see my ribcage quite visibly and just about count my ribcage bones.

Dont get me wrong , I dont look anorexic, but pretty skinny and bony.

I was wondering if by doing all this working out I am getting rid of muscle instead of gaining it. Ad if my body is cannibalizing itself to make up for the energy loss of doing the exervise instead of actually building muscle.

My wrists at their narrowest points measure 5.5 cm in width.

Do I need to gain more weight if I want to be able to do normal workouts healthy?

What should I be eating?

I have a Breakfest Cereal in the Morning, I have dinner the at night I have anthoer bowl of cereal. I have a few snacks in between all of that , say a slice of bread. A biscuit etc.

I weigh 7 stone and I am about 5 foot 9 I beleive

 

 

[mikeyy]

Gwt the book called arnold education of a bodybuilder hell teel u what to eat how much to eat the best foundational excersise to get a good body shape before u put in mass its an exceptional book and it shows how much drive arnold had and it will inspire u to workout 10 times harder  @lorcan

[Lorcan]

25 minutes ago, mikeyy said:

Gwt the book called arnold education of a bodybuilder hell teel u what to eat how much to eat the best foundational excersise to get a good body shape before u put in mass its an exceptional book and it shows how much drive arnold had and it will inspire u to workout 10 times harder  @lorcan

I will get a book or two relating to health in the future, but some advice now would be helpful so I don't end up doing more harm the damage when exercising for the next couple of weeks.

[mikeyy]

Keep doing foundational excersise like pushups situps dips pullups that will get u a better body shape which is impprtant before u pit on mass and as far as diet eat protein carbs and fats eat 1 gram of protein for every 2 pounds of bodyweight everyday eat fruits and veggies for ur vitamins and minerals if ur not vegetarian arnold says to get lots of protein eat cheese fish poultry meat and eggs breads @lorcan

[Lorcan]

26 minutes ago, mikeyy said:

Keep doing foundational excersise like pushups situps dips pullups that will get u a better body shape which is impprtant before u pit on mass and as far as diet eat protein carbs and fats eat 1 gram of protein for every 2 pounds of bodyweight everyday eat fruits and veggies for ur vitamins and minerals if ur not vegetarian arnold says to get lots of protein eat cheese fish poultry meat and eggs breads @lorcan

Ok thanks.

[David1]

@Lorcan Yes, you should gain weight to build muscle. If you don't see results after working out for a while, you're probably undereating. Count calories! Calculate your BMR, and eat 20% above that. Don't exagerate though or you'll gain alot of fat instead of muscle. Leave enough time between workouts to allow for recuperation. Don't work out if you're still sore from the previous workout. And maybe get some protein shakes.

Also, avoid cardio if your goal is to build muscle. Cardio will make you skinny, light and fast. Kinda like eg. Lance Armstrong. I would ditch the burpies and do pullups, chinups, diamond pushups, dumbell squats (if you have dumbells)...things you can't do 20+ reps of. Check on youtube for some great variations on bodyweight exercises.

 

Edited October 15, 2016 by David1

[Siim Land]

There are 4 conditions that need to be met to build muscle.

1. Adequate stimulus (Train hard enough)- The key to building muscle naturally is getting ox strong. It doesn't matter whether you do barbell or bodyweight exercises. You simply have to progressively overload the muscles, which means either adding more weight or progressing towards more difficult bodyweight movements. In general, strength is built more with lower repetitions (3-8 reps x 3-6 sets)

2. Protein synthesis (Eat enough protein) - Secondly, you need the essential amino acids to build new tissue. They’re the building blocks of our body and with the essential fatty acids required for life.

3. Energy (Be in a caloric surplus) - You need to have enough calories to increase in size. If you're skinny, then train hard and eat a ton post-workout.

4. Hormones (mainly testosterone and human growth hormone) - To conduct these anabolic processes, you need to have adequate hormonal output. The two most important ones for muscle growth are T and HGH. The best tip here is to sleep more. 8-10 hours minimum for someone your age.

In general, train hard and don't joke around with doing bodybuilding type of "pumping" workouts but don't push yourself to failure because it will wreck your hormones. Eat enough protein and more calories. Sleep. Repeat. Patience is key and you need to autoregulate your routines as you go. If you're not seeing results in weight gain, then you have to either do less cardio or eat more. 

[pluto]

Calculate your daily calorie intake and consume 250 - 500+ more calories than you usually would consume in a day. (This is key)

For example your BMR if i am correct is around 1450, now to gain weight you will need to consume at least 1700 calories a day.

Do your resistance exercises nice and slow, the squeeze technique is good. Focus more on getting your Amino Acids and less on getting enough Protein. This can help https://cronometer.com/

Workout about 5x a week, the more your body is pumped(if you will) the more what you consume goes to the muscles. Leave some days for rest.

Positive Mindset

 

[philosogi]

@Lorcan I think it's important to keep in mind that at 14 the body is still developing, and everyone develops at a different pace. I think it's equally important to overcome any limiting beliefs about bodies. And also not to over-train, or train with bad form, because that can cause long-term injury. 

All of that being said, a good workout to start with is P90x. It's a 90 day program. It slayed me when I first started it at about age 20, but by the end of two rounds, I was strong as (#*$%. I used it a few years later to train for Tough Mudder. While I was doing P90x, my body has felt the most mobile and strong. Don't skip the yoga. If you do it right, it's a really good overall body workout with a greater emphasis on statics than reps. The key is to push yourself to "failure" (with good form of course). 

[Schulzy]

I suggest you check out the channel ATHLEAN X on youtube, it has helped me ALOT.

[Anlib]

The most important thing is time under tension. Focusing on your muscels while lifting is very important, but right now your muscels proably are so small that it can be hard focusing on them. 

The best rep range is 8 reps. Every rep should take you 5 seconds, 1sec contract, 4 sec extract. 

Always end with a dropset, meaning, lower the weight about 25%, till you cant lift it anymore. 

Do the compound exersises meaning, benchpress, deadlift and squats. 

Don't always do that reprange, but like 70% of the time.  Fininsh your workout with a 3x20 set 1 sec contract 3 seconds extract. 

 

If you wan't to learn more check this out: http://www.benpakulski.com/

or his youtube channel  good luck

[Guest SC GM]

You will notice that many people will give you many different opinions about how to gain mass, but you are only 14 and still growing.  So I'd not focus too much on lifting, but chose a sport you enjoy, basically what you are doing right now.  But change your eating: Eat clean and add proteins, especially post workout and when you wake up. Add carbs like sweet potato, oats or brown rice. And ditch the cereal! 

[jamal-freeman]

Basics Of Bodybuilding

Bodybuilding is a sport of building muscle. Bigger and stronger is the name of the game. One of the great things about bodybuilding is that you can achieve great results with only very basic equipment and a few hours of training three to four times per week.

The key to building bigger and stronger muscles is to keep progressively adding more and more weight over time. Building bigger muscles is about consistent regular training, eating properly, getting plenty of rest, and lots of weight at low repetitions.

As a starting, any new exercise program is important a first check with your physician before starting a bodybuilding program. In the beginning is important that you start slow and learn proper technique. Time and time again professional body builders have said that technique is one of the most important aspects of getting a good workout. It might be helpful to schedule a session with a professional trainer in the beginning so you start on the right track. If this is not an option for you there are various instructional books on the subject of bodybuilding. Above all take the time to learn proper technique.

https://goo.gl/tAwjjt

[Lorcan]

Update:  I applied most of the advice here and It did me well. At least for 2.5 weeks

My muscles started weakening and I began to get wrist pain.

So I waited I couple of days and my muscles still felt week, so I stopped for a week and my muscles were still not as strong and my wrists were bothering me.

So I stopped.

Its been a good 3 week now and about 50% of my results are down the drain. I still retain some strength from having done the exercise, I can still bicep curl 5kg weights , where as I was not able to do at all before I even began exercising.

Whenever I did pushups, my wrists would bother me. . My wrists are only 5.5 cm across, maybe 6cm. It got to a point where I would feel some sort of nerve ,artery of maybe it was a tendon pop to one side of my wrist to the other when ever I did a circular motion with my wrist

I have tried Knuckle push ups and they are not much better. Is there any other exercises I can do to subsitute the pushup? Is there anyway to strength the wrist muscle without putting much pressure on the wrists? Knuckle push ups do not feel like they are working. Just making my knuckles sore. 

 

 

[Anlib]

Write down your workout week if you want more help.

your muscles will not get weaker as long as you eat well. 

Sound like the issue is more on the wrists.

 

What of the following things above have you REALLY followed up with?

[avk123]

13 hours ago, Lorcan said:

Update:  I applied most of the advice here and It did me well. At least for 2.5 weeks

My muscles started weakening and I began to get wrist pain.

So I waited I couple of days and my muscles still felt week, so I stopped for a week and my muscles were still not as strong and my wrists were bothering me.

So I stopped.

Its been a good 3 week now and about 50% of my results are down the drain. I still retain some strength from having done the exercise, I can still bicep curl 5kg weights , where as I was not able to do at all before I even began exercising.

Whenever I did pushups, my wrists would bother me. . My wrists are only 5.5 cm across, maybe 6cm. It got to a point where I would feel some sort of nerve ,artery of maybe it was a tendon pop to one side of my wrist to the other when ever I did a circular motion with my wrist

I have tried Knuckle push ups and they are not much better. Is there any other exercises I can do to subsitute the pushup? Is there anyway to strength the wrist muscle without putting much pressure on the wrists? Knuckle push ups do not feel like they are working. Just making my knuckles sore. 

 

 

Three advices:

 

1- Visit a doctor and ask them regarding your wrist pain.

 

2- Pay a professional insturctor for a professional workout that fits your goals

 

3- Pay a nutritionist for a professional eating program.

 

Hope this helps your case. 

[ChimpBrain]

Every food item you listed is a carb source. If you want to build muscle you're going to need protein. Find a way to join a gym, bodyweight exercises aren't going to cut it. It's good that you're starting this process early in life, but don't sweat your appearance too much, you're only 14 after all and at your age 5yrs of serious weight training and proper nutrition can transform your body. 

 

Lastly join some forums that actually specialize in gaining muscle and strength. Bodybuilding.com and Tnation forums are a great source of information. 

[SFRL]

Blue Emu is good for your wrist pain. You can buy it at CVS, Walgreens, etc.

[Trond]

On 10/14/2016 at 8:44 AM, Lorcan said:

Hello my name is Lorcan. I am 14.

I have been working out lately doing arm curls,push ups , planks, burpies etc.

I am probably one of the skinniest guys in my school. When I look in the mirror I can see my ribcage quite visibly and just about count my ribcage bones.

Dont get me wrong , I dont look anorexic, but pretty skinny and bony.

I was wondering if by doing all this working out I am getting rid of muscle instead of gaining it. Ad if my body is cannibalizing itself to make up for the energy loss of doing the exervise instead of actually building muscle.

My wrists at their narrowest points measure 5.5 cm in width.

Do I need to gain more weight if I want to be able to do normal workouts healthy?

What should I be eating?

I have a Breakfest Cereal in the Morning, I have dinner the at night I have anthoer bowl of cereal. I have a few snacks in between all of that , say a slice of bread. A biscuit etc.

I weigh 7 stone and I am about 5 foot 9 I beleive

 

 

Hi! I make videos related to fitness and working out. Check it out if you're interested

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ToatvhalHjKlLm0tqhhjQ 

I also do PT/Online Coaching

[heather21]

I think that you should eat edamame. It is very well-known for building muscle as well as maintaining weight. Protein-rich foods like edamamde are often considered as valuable addition to those who want to build more lean muscle. In addition, amino acids in edamame can help you overcome muscle pain caused by exercise quickly. The poor fat content of edamame also make them very beneficial for weight loss while Its high content of fiber often make you feel full for longer than others. So let's try it! You can see more about edamame nutrition facts at https://wikihomenutrition.com/edamame-health-benefits