How to gain weight for a skinny guy - the main aspects of training an ectomorph

If women constantly torture themselves in attempts to lose weight, then men have the opposite problem - every second person would not refuse to gain even more weight so that the figure looks more prominent, and the mountain of muscles inspires respect and fear. In theory, absolutely any guy can increase weight - to do this, you just need to know the basic things that will help you reach your goal in the shortest possible way and avoid mistakes. In this article we will look at the most basic rules, thanks to which you can build muscle mass as effectively as possible.

Why are you still skinny?

First, let's look at the main reasons why you are still thin. It seems like you’re eating like the last time at every meal, and you’re snacking on candy bars, and you’re training in the gym, but the weight is still there. Or, even worse, it grows by half a kilo, after which it rolls back even lower than it was originally. So what does muscle growth depend on?

1. From the presence of special type 2 muscle fibers. More precisely, you have them anyway, but the concentration may be different. If you are not naturally given them in sufficient quantities, it will be difficult to gain weight.
2. From testosterone-sensitive receptors. It is this hormone that is responsible for muscle growth. If there are few particles reacting to it, the result will be the same as in the previous paragraph.
3. On the rate of creation of ribosomes. These are cell organelles that are involved in the direct formation of protein from amino acids.

The good news is that even if your body is lagging behind on all three counts, you still have a chance to get a ripped and massive figure. The main thing is to learn the right technique and keep working until you see results.

Important! The mechanism of muscle growth is the same in all people. If you are naturally thinner than others, and gaining weight is difficult for you, it is still possible to create relief. It just takes a little longer than others.

Weight or muscle?

Let's take a break and understand the terminology a little. What do we mean when we ask how to gain weight for a thin man? Most likely, we are talking about gaining muscle mass, which, coupled with a low percentage of adipose tissue, provides the very “massiveness” that many teenagers and men strive for.

If you just want to gain weight and not build muscle, this can be easily achieved with high-calorie nutrition. Drink protein shakes with a lot of calories, eat the most unhealthy and fatty foods 7 times a day and you will be happy. But in reality, this will only result in you getting fatter - increased adipose tissue together with undeveloped muscles will look like jellied meat. Believe me, this is not at all what you dream about.

Therefore, for the purposes of this article, when we say “how to gain weight for a man,” we mean “how to build muscle mass.” Now let's move on to practical advice.

Contraindications and side effects

Many people looking for a way to gain weight quickly stop at medications. This method has many disadvantages and can be dangerous.

Hormonal drugs disrupt the body's natural balance. After stopping taking these medications, a person may begin to gain weight uncontrollably or, conversely, lose it. Such drugs are especially harmful to adolescents, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers.

Some people who started drinking Nutrizon experienced allergic reactions. The same effect is possible from protein shakes if a person has an individual intolerance to the ingredients.

The main rule of weight gain

So, we come to the very essence. The secret to growing muscle mass and getting a sculpted figure consists of a mixture of several components. They must be used in combination, otherwise it will not make sense:

• increased caloric intake;
• regular strength training;
• maintaining a correct lifestyle.

Below we analyze each of the points in more detail and give useful life hacks for each of them.

Menu for the week

in order to try to gain weight and start getting better, you also need to adhere to a certain diet.

An approximate menu for weight gain for a man and muscle growth is presented in the table:

It is permissible to make adjustments to the menu based on personal preferences.

Nutrition

Nutrition is a very important aspect in weight gain for a thin man. To build muscle, you don't have to count calories by writing down absolutely everything you eat. But you still have to keep your finger on the pulse and make some adjustments to your current diet. That's why…

Calculate your new daily calorie intake

They say that in order for a thin man to gain weight, he needs to eat 500 calories more than usual every day. There is some truth in this, however, the correct daily calorie intake for weight gain at home is individual for everyone.

To calculate it, you need to use one of the formulas for calculating basal metabolism. For example, using the Mifflin-Geor formula:

• For men: (5 + (10 × weight [kg]) + (6.25 × height [cm]) − (5 × age [years])) × 1.55 (if training 3 times a week).
• For women: ((10 × weight [kg]) + (6.25 × height [cm]) − (5 × age [years]) − 161) × 1.55 (if training 3 times a week).

You need to add about 15% to the resulting number. This will be the number of calories you need for optimal muscle growth.

Add protein to your diet

Protein plays a fundamentally important role in proper weight gain. In short, all our muscles are made of protein. During training, they are damaged, which provokes their growth. Protein is a complete “building material” for muscles, due to which they can increase in size and delight you with new volumes. For a man to gain weight, he needs to consume 1.5 to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of weight per day.

But don't forget about other macronutrients

In pursuit of your dream figure, remember that protein is far from the only macronutrient that ensures muscle growth. Yes, only he directly influences her, but everything is not so simple. Both carbohydrates and fats are necessary for a skinny guy to gain weight:

• Carbohydrates help the body produce the hormone insulin and insulin-like growth factor. Without them, your muscles will not be able to grow. In addition, carbohydrates provide strength for training.
• Fats are responsible for the production of hormones. Including testosterone, which is directly involved in the process of muscle building. The correct hormonal background plays a significant role in this matter.

Advice! A balanced diet is a fundamental factor in a man’s weight gain diet. Focus on the following plate proportions: 25% protein, 20% fat and 55% carbohydrates.

Eat more often

To make muscle tissue grow, in addition to training, you need to seriously consider your weekly menu. Eating hundreds of calories more than usual every day is not the easiest task. To make it easier for you to cope with this, break down the required number of additional calories across all meals. Eating 500 calories at a time and adding 165 each to breakfast, lunch and dinner sounds like different things, but in fact they lead to the same thing.

Consume high-calorie foods

Another life hack that will help increase muscle mass is a high-calorie diet. You won’t have to “cram” food into yourself beyond measure if it is as nutritious as possible. Here is a list of foods that help you gain weight and their calorie content:

• Pasta - 371 kcal/100 g;
• Peanut butter - 588 kcal/100 g;
• Cheese - 402 kcal/100 g;
• Sauces - up to 700 kcal/100 g;
• Yeast bread - 413 kcal/100 g;
• Nuts - 607 kcal/100 g;
• Olive oil - 884 kcal/100 g;
• Lard - 720 kcal/100 g;
• Cod liver - 574 kcal/100 g;
• Bacon - 541 kcal/100 g.

In the process of rapid weight gain, men have to spend a lot of time monitoring their diet. If you want to achieve success as quickly as possible, consider starting a food diary and monitoring everything you eat.

How to gain weight quickly as a teenager

It is not recommended to take any medications before the age of 21, as they can negatively affect the metabolism of a growing body and lead to undesirable consequences in the future. These remedies will help you gain muscle size, but may cause weight problems in the future. In addition, the hormonal system may be affected.

A balanced diet is important. The norms for the ratios of proteins, fats and carbohydrates for teenagers are different. A growing body requires more fat than an adult. You also need more protein.

Balanced diet

You can quickly gain muscle volume only with the help of special drugs - steroids. This method is unsafe and is not recommended.

It will not be possible to gain weight quickly during a period of active growth, since metabolism is most active at this time. In addition, the body quickly elongates in length, changing its proportions.

Workout

Controlling your diet is good, but you won’t get far on diet alone. I propose to talk about training - the main component of weight gain for guys and girls. First, we will discuss the algorithm for muscle growth, and then we will talk about a couple of life hacks that will help you gain weight in the shortest possible time and without harm to your health.

How and from what muscles grow

The algorithm for muscle mass growth is quite simple - when experiencing mechanical stress, receptors in the body trigger a sequence of reactions, “completing” muscles damaged by micro-traumas. As muscles recover, they increase in volume, which helps them withstand future stress.

Of course, muscles tense during absolutely any activity - be it running a marathon or simply descending stairs. But it is strength exercises that affect the second type of muscle fibers (which form that very “mass”), and do it in such a way that they receive a response from the body as quickly as possible. To make your training effective, you should pay attention to a couple of key points.

Constantly increase the load

For many, this advice may seem obvious - everyone knows that you need to gradually increase working weights. The question is whether you feel sorry for yourself.

The main mistake of trainees is to take more weight when the body is almost completely adapted to the old one. In fact, you need to constantly increase weight. Almost every workout. Start with a deadlift of 50 kg, next time set it to 55 kg, after that - 60 kg. Don't think that you can't handle it. The point is not in numbers, but in doing a little more each time and pushing yourself beyond the limits of what is possible.

Instead of weight, you can increase the number of repetitions

This is an alternative to the previous tip. If you are afraid to dramatically increase weights, start progressing in the number of repetitions within one approach. The main rule remains the same: if you want to truly see progress, you must change something every workout. Don't let yourself get used to the stress. Remember that this significantly inhibits the growth of your muscles. Treat the gym as a lot of work, not a place to relax.

Train more often

How often do you think you need to go to the gym to build muscles? What if we are talking about a thin man who wants to gain weight at home? If you answered “2-3” then know that this is not enough. Muscles grow where they are given no chance not to grow. This means at least 4 workouts per week. Of course, you don't have to go all out on every one of them. But at least it’s worth accustoming your body to regular exercise - then it will definitely respond.

And don't forget that muscles grow while resting. Therefore, if you go to the gym or lift weights at home almost every day, alternate the load on different muscle groups. Below we give an example of a weight gain program for three workouts.

Change exercises constantly

The body can quickly adapt to any kind of stress. Therefore, exercises from which you saw a good effect a couple of months ago may not produce results today. To minimize plateaus and see consistent success in muscle growth, constantly try new types of exercises and engage a variety of muscle groups.

Why is creatine important?

A chemical compound called creatine is included in many muscle mass enhancing products. This substance accumulates in skeletal muscles and myocardium and increases the strength of their contractions. Creatine really enhances endurance and performance, is a natural energy booster and helps a man gain weight. How to get enough of it?

To do this, you can choose a gainer that already contains this compound and find out whether a sufficient amount of it will enter the body. The daily single intake of creatine should be approximately 5 grams. The missing amount of the substance can be consumed separately. But it’s better to add it to a cocktail and drink it in one go. Proteins and carbohydrates will enhance the absorption of the compound.

A weight gain diet for men should contain creatine as it gives good results in building lean muscle mass. It also strengthens the muscle frame and visually improves the contours of the male body.

Don't forget to drink enough water, it is necessary if creatine is present in your diet. It is preferable to take a cocktail with it after training - this will speed up the process of building skeletal muscles, and you will be able to progress in the gym, gradually increasing the load and introducing new types of strength exercises.

Training program for gaining muscle mass

We came across an interesting muscle building program from American trainers, we publish it below. It is designed for the gym, but if desired, some exercises can be replaced with alternatives or adapted to suit home conditions.

Workout 1

• Barbell Squats: 3 sets of 5 reps
• Pull-ups: 2 sets of pull-ups on parallel bars to failure. Do as many reps as you can.
• Rest between sets - 1 minute. Rest after completing a set - 90 seconds.
• Dumbbell bench press: 2 sets of 8-12 reps
• One arm dumbbell row: 3 sets of 10 reps on each arm. Pause for two seconds at the beginning of each repetition.
• After completing the superset, rest for 90-120 seconds. Take a break between approaches only if necessary.
• Deadlift with a barbell on straight legs: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
• Palofa press: 3 sets of 10 reps.
• After completing the superset, rest for 90-120 seconds. Take a break between approaches only if necessary.
• Walking with dumbbells on straight arms: 3 sets of 30-40 meters.
• Rest for a minute between sets.

Workout 2

• Bench press: 3 sets of 5 reps
• Pull-ups: 2 sets of pull-ups on parallel bars to failure. Do as many reps as you can.
• Rest between sets - 1 minute. Rest after completing a set - 90 seconds.
• Barbell deadlift: 3 sets of 8 reps
• Diving bomber push-ups: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• After completing the superset, rest for 90-120 seconds. Take a break between approaches only if necessary.
• Squats with dumbbells: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
• Bent-over overhead grip barbell rows: 3 sets of 5-6 reps. At the beginning of each repetition, pause for 1-2 seconds.
• After completing the superset, rest for 90-120 seconds. Take a break between approaches only if necessary.
• Reverse lunges with dumbbells: 2 sets of 8-10 reps on each leg.
• Rest between sets 60 seconds.

Workout 3

• Sumo deadlift: 3 sets of 5 reps
• One-arm press: 2 sets of 8 reps per arm
• Rest between sets - 1 minute. Rest after completing a set - 90 seconds.
• Front squats: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Single Leg Hip Row with Shoulders on a Bench: 3 sets of 10 reps per leg
• After completing the superset, rest for 90-120 seconds. Take a break between approaches only if necessary.
• Close grip bench press: 2 sets of 12-15 reps
• Bent-over grip barbell rows: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• After completing the superset, rest for 90-120 seconds. Take a break between approaches only if necessary.
• Face Row: 2 sets of 20 reps
• Rest between sets 60 seconds.

How to Organize Your Post-Workout Routine

Most men who have achieved good results and maintained them after completing a weight gain program agree that the best time to take a gainer is after a workout.

If you wish, you can break the daily dose into several parts, taking them throughout the day. Carry out water treatments or visit the sauna for 15-20 minutes. Finish it off with a cold shower. Return home and make a cocktail.

Its one-time daily portion will saturate the body with all useful substances. A good evening rest and sleep will give you the opportunity to restore strength and direct the calorie compounds in the cocktail to increase muscle mass. In this way, a man will be able to gain weight quickly and beneficially for his health.

Lifestyle

Don’t think that everything ends with proper nutrition and proper training - the growth of muscle mass also depends on factors that are not obvious at first glance, ignoring which can significantly slow down progress. We'll talk about them below.

No stress

The body allows any metamorphoses with the body only in the case of a stable emotional background. In the presence of stress and anxiety, his primary task becomes to prevent changes and achieve stability at all costs. Therefore, try to maintain a positive attitude and stay in a resourceful state for the maximum amount of time.

Quality sleep

During sleep, our body recovers comprehensively, and sleep itself is of great importance not only for weight gain, but also for absolutely all physiological processes. Don't forget that quality sleep = at least 8 hours of rest in complete silence and darkness. While you sleep, growth hormone levels increase and cortisol levels decrease. Thanks to this, your muscles recover (and therefore grow) faster, and you get energy for new workouts.

Water balance

Water is responsible for all processes in our body, including vigor, tissue restoration, well-being, and so on. Together with the correct daily routine and lack of stress, adequate water balance will definitely speed up the growth of your muscles. Besides this, this habit will definitely come in handy in your life.

What, how and when to eat correctly?

In order to type better, you need to figure out whether you are eating enough at all . First you need to calculate the BZHU (proteins, fats, carbohydrates) necessary for your diet. It's not that hard to do, you just need to know your weight.

For 1 kg of your own weight you need to collect :

• 2 g protein;
• 0.7 g fat;
• 4 g carbohydrates.

This will be your starting plan.

If you still don’t gain BJU with this amount, then gradually increase them, giving priority to carbohydrates .

Based on these numbers, you will need to select products with which you will gain this amount.

It would be optimal to take 3-4 doses .

You must have breakfast

After a night's sleep, our energy reserves in the body are depleted; they definitely need to be replenished. It should be mainly carbohydrates, as well as protein, for example, some kind of porridge and eggs. Tea sandwiches won't give you the figure of your dreams.

During the day, you also need to eat mostly carbohydrates, but there should also be enough protein. This is again porridge and, for example, meat.

In the evening, you need to give the benefits to protein. Don't forget about vegetables, they are incredibly healthy. There are, of course, few calories in them, but if you cut them into a salad and season with vegetable oil, you can get a couple hundred calories without straining at all.

In the evening, protein should predominate in the diet. Meat, fish, eggs. Carbohydrates will also not be superfluous, but there is no point in focusing on them.

Have you heard about the rule “ Don't eat after six ”? He is followed by girls from the “ 40 kg ” group. A little-known fact: subscribers of this public have a phobia of the fan being turned on.

You can eat 1-2 hours before bedtime. But what can you eat? These should be protein foods that are digested fairly quickly. The same cottage cheese, for example. The protein from it will saturate our body for a long time during sleep, isn’t this a miracle?

Sports nutrition and vitamins for weight gain

Why do athletes need sports nutrition? To grow, muscles require a lot of nutritional tweaks. In particular, not only increased calorie content (which is already a problem for many), but also an increased macronutrient standard - a “protein diet”. If the thought of how much chicken breast you will need to cram into yourself every day gives you a cold sweat, the world of sports nutrition is ready to welcome you into its ranks. So, here's what kind of “chemical food” you can buy to gain weight.

Protein powder

Protein is protein obtained from animal or plant foods, compressed into a convenient powder format. There are several types of protein:

• whey - well studied and found effective for building muscles;
• isolate or hydrolyzate are more expensive options that are suitable for people with lactose intolerance and increase insulin levels (an additional factor for muscle growth);
• Casein is a slow-digesting protein that is usually taken before bed to stimulate muscle growth at night.

Protein should be diluted in water or milk and taken according to the instructions. By the way, if you are a vegetarian, there are many alternatives to classic protein without animal products.

Gainer

Unlike the previous supplement, this one contains not only protein, but also carbohydrates. In fact, the gainer is not particularly effective - according to research results, protein in combination with carbohydrates affects muscles in the same way as without them. The advantages of the gainer are that it is suitable for guys and girls with particularly thin physiques, because they burn more carbohydrates during training, and this supplement replenishes them. Therefore, if there is a need to increase not only proteins, but also carbohydrates, a gainer will help.

Creatine monohydrate

Creatine is an additional sports nutrition that can be used in parallel with protein or gainer. This substance itself takes part in energy metabolism in muscles. More creatine = more energy = heavier weights = better muscle growth. By the way, research (International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: creatine supplementation and exercise) suggests that this supplement has been fully studied and does not pose harm to the liver and kidneys if taken according to instructions.

Important! With the wrong dosage and inappropriate selection, any supplements, tablets and other drugs can affect existing health issues, be it prolapse of the stomach, problems with the intestines, gall bladder, diabetes, pancreatitis and anything else. If you are wondering what to take for muscle growth, consult with your doctor about choosing the right products for you - it won’t hurt.

Common mistakes when gaining weight

And even if you know the basics that make muscles grow well, you can still fall for the mistakes that many male athletes make. Below we present the most common things that slow you down on the way to your dream relief.

Cardio training

If you alternate between strength training and cardio, then know that by doing this you are preventing muscle growth. During cardio training, the maximum number of calories is burned. Yes, the same ones that you diligently gain with high-calorie foods and frequent meals. Therefore, it is better not to waste your energy in vain and limit yourself to strength training. Everyday activity or physical work is a great way to replace cardio, so consider walking or long bike rides.

Independence

Gaining muscle mass is too serious a thing to control all the processes alone. If possible, we recommend working towards your goal together with a trainer and a doctor - the first will set the exercise technique, the second will give recommendations on nutrition and supplements based on the individual characteristics of your body. By building a training and nutrition program on your own, at best you will slow down your progress, and at worst you can cause serious harm to your health.

Blind choice of idol

Another cornerstone of independence in gaining weight is choosing an ideal and blindly following its recommendations. Bodybuilders, masters of sports, fitness bloggers and any other standards of a massive figure are, first of all, people with their own characteristics. If you repeat their nutrition and workouts one by one (even those that they recommend for beginners), this can be fraught. Remember that when drawing up any programs, you need to take into account your initial data.

Finally, it is worth saying that building a figure is a long and painstaking process. Not a single person in the world, even the only one with a super-fast metabolism, will gain impressive weight in a week or month. If you are ready for this journey, know that it will be difficult at times. But let the thought warm you that with the right level of perseverance and desire, you can create relief at 40, 50, and 60 years old. Good luck!

Ways to increase body mass

The body grows through the process of absorbing nutrients. Therefore, in order to gain muscle mass, you need to eat more, thereby providing:

• a constant supply of calories to the body from high-quality and healthy food;
• a large number of calories, which should exceed daily energy expenditure;
• if possible, 100% digestibility of the foods eaten.

The body mass index helps determine how far your weight is below normal.

BMI table for different ages

Naturally, a man dreams of gaining weight not in order to gain weight and get an authoritative belly or a double chin. The masculinity of his figure is given by sculpted muscles, not fatty tissue. And in order for them to become visible, diet alone is not enough - you need strength training. So, a thin man can gain weight quickly and effectively only through proper nutrition and increased physical activity.

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