6 Skinny Guy Tips for Building Muscle

If you're tall and thin, then you're an ectomorph which means that your body is not built to gain big muscles. However, that certainly does not mean you cannot grow huge muscles, it simply means that you have to train slightly differently than a mesomorph or an endomorph.

The following 6 tips have been identified as the most practical way to increase lean body mass for those of us who are genetically skinny, no matter what we eat.

1. Maximize your muscle building

Your body is only able to store protein when it does not need it, your protein that your body can use is manufactured during a process called protein synthesis. The problem is that this protein is constantly been drained for the normal function of just staying alive and making hormones, replacing skin, hair etc.

The end result is that there is less protein around to build muscle. Professor in nutrition Michael Houston at Virginia Tech University says that in order for your body to build and store any new proteins, the body has to first break down the old proteins.

2. Eat meat

The Journal of Applied Physiology states that around 1 gram of protein for each pound of body-weight is the maximum amount of protein that your body is able to absorb in one day. To work out exactly how many more calories, you are going to need to sustain the workouts required to enable this extra 1 gram of protein to work, you should use the following formula:

A. Your weight measured in pounds: _____

B. Multiply your bodyweight by 12 = basic calorie needs: _____

C. Multiply your basic calorie needs by 1.6 = resting metabolic rate RMR (calories burnt with no exercise): _____

D. Strength training: To calculate the extra calories needed to train with weights, simply multiply how many minutes you train with weights each week by 5: _____

E. Aerobic training: To calculate the extra calories needed to do aerobic/cardiovascular training you then multiply how many minutes you do cardio every week by 8: _____

F. Add D and E, and then divide by 7: _____

G. To get your daily calorie requirements you then add C and F: _____

H. In order to gain one pound of muscle a week you then need to add 500 calories to G: _____.

3. Pre-workout shake

A study was done at the University of Texas in 2001 that found lifters that drank a protein shake with carbs and amino-acids before working out were able to increase their protein synthesis a LOT more than those lifters who only drank the same protein shake after exercising.

4. Train every 48 hours

Studies done on recuperation conclusively show that training with high intensity increases protein synthesis for 48 hours.

5. Drink/eat carbs after training

Research has now clearly shown that muscle will build faster on your resting days if you're able to feed your body with extra carbohydrates. Any post-workout carbs you take will increase your insulin levels which slows down protein breakdown.

6. Eat every 3 hours

If you take the calories you need to consume every day from the calculation listed above and then divide those calories by 6 you'll get the amount of calories you will need to eat every 3 hours. Always insure that you take in at least 20 grams of protein every 3 hours.

For more information checkout Natural Size Muscle Building.

Click Here to Sign Up for Your Free Muscle and Fitness Magazine