Best Workout For a Skinny Guy?

Drodan

Heya, quite skinny and have a lot of time on my hands now so I'm gonna hit the gym. Was wondering what upper body workout would people recommend? Are low sets of 70% 1rm the best option?

Iron Hide

Google the Starting Strength program, its a great base to start off on. There's a wiki i think and of course you could order the book

Drodan

I do programme development and exercise progression in college but I kinda sucked at it, and well never actually went to class :rolleyes: so I'm repeating it. This is just to get me up to a decent level like. I'll google what you recommended, cheers man!

Magic Eight Ball

Add 'GOMAD' to that google search and your golden.

davyjose

Pulls, presses, Squats, Deadlifts, all important.

But most importantly... EAT!!!!!!

SpookyBastard

From one skinny guy to another... EAT EAT EAT

Lantus

dont just focus on your upper body! Theres no point on getting a good upper body and then going to the beach and having to wear jeans because your supported by matchsticks.

Your quads are one of the largest muscle groups and can help kick start your whole metabolism when you work them hard.

Then eat more. Ectomorph types find it hard to put weight on.

Drodan

Cheers for the reply guys. I have a nice 5 hour gap in college tomorrow so I'll be hitting the gym for some of it.

Reason why I wanted to focus on upper body is because my lower body is what I used to do all the time. Was always trying to increase my leg power, with plyometric exercises and others, to help with my speed. Infact my legs are the only part of my body where I can lift the desired 120% of my body weight.

I'm naturally skinny, and have a denty chest (pectus excavatum), but not a severe one. Currently about 56kg, so if I could up my weight to about 60kg by Christmas I'd be delighted.

thebouldwhacker

Strong legs and weighing in at 56kg!!!..... man you need to forget about putting on weight, get on a bike and start racing, you would wipe people out on climbs:D
Everybody shape and build has its advantages, yours sounds like its cycling:pac:

Drodan

You'd think that but I hate effort! haha. Never actually tried cycling, probably one of the few sports I havn't tried, but I'd say I'd need to get working on my aerobic system a bit first. Was incredibly fit until my repeats came along.

Best thing I find with strong legs is it's actually such a bonus when playing ultimate frisbee (yes it's a sport). I can match anyone over the first 5 yards and my jumping is helped a lot. Outjumped a dude who was 6'6" to get a d in at the last tournament I played in.

bytey

you hate effort ?

putting on muscle on a skinny / high metabolism body means HUGE effort
and loads of food .

squatting low and heavy until you are close to puking

deadlifts until your hands look like cornflakes

etc , etc ,

its way beyond effort in fact - its bordering on torture.

but it gets results.

thebouldwhacker

Trust me, I know guys who train all winter just to get to your weight, if you have it in you try cycling. Clubs are taking on new members at the moment so find out where your local one is and drop them an email to join a biginers spin, come March, you'll be eating hills for breakfast....

Drodan

Well when I mean hate effort like I'd moan bit but I'd still do it. I'm lazy but that doesn't stop me running till I can't physically move on the pitch, and then still run and do my work for the team.

Drodan

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

Trust me, I know guys who train all winter just to get to your weight, if you have it in you try cycling. Clubs are taking on new members at the moment so find out where your local one is and drop them an email to join a biginers spin, come March, you'll be eating hills for breakfast....

You by any chance just happen to be involved in cycling yourself by and chance? haha.

If I can find the time I'd give it a go sure. Currently captain and coach of my college ultimate team, setting up and coaching a team in my old school, coaching in my local school once a week, getting a part time job and have college too so kinda packed week atm. Hopefully once the clubs are up and running I'll have more time.

Mellor

Drodan wrote: »

Was always trying to increase my leg power, with plyometric exercises and others, to help with my speed. Infact my legs are the only part of my body where I can lift the desired 120% of my body weight.

... Currently about 56kg,

Not putting you down, or having a go. I'm hardly a prime example, and pretty new to lifting etc.
But i'm not sure where you got 120% from? At 56kg (lower weight generally = higher % of BW lifted), a good level would be 150-200% depending on what way you are lifting, squat, deadlift or leg press.

My point is don't give up on legs just yet.
Doing big leg lifts, like squats, surprisingly helps with upper bpdy growth due to releasing growth hormones.

Transform

Drodan wrote: »

Heya, quite skinny and have a lot of time on my hands now so I'm gonna hit the gym. Was wondering what upper body workout would people recommend? Are low sets of 70% 1rm the best option?

what height are you?

Barry.Oglesby

Magic Eight Ball wrote: »

Add 'GOMAD' to that google search and your golden.

Sooo last year. Your best bet now is to go YOCAD.

Drodan

Transform wrote: »

what height are you?

6 foot.

Remmy

Barry.Oglesby wrote: »

Sooo last year. Your best bet now is to go YOCAD.

YOCAD?

shg101

Try Stronglifts 5x5

3 x per week, 5 sets of 5 reps per exercise.

Squats every session then some combination of the following exercises: deadlift, bench press, overhead press, pull-ups, chin-ups, push-ups, inverted rows and some core exercises.

Weight increase of 2.5kg each session for each exercise.

Has an Excel spreadhseet to download which is a real motivator.

mloc

Drodan wrote: »

6 foot.

Wow, I'm six foot and 85 kg and I wouldn't consider myself that big. Do you have any idea of your body fat percentage?

That is seriously underweight. It's a BMI of about 16.7 ish, and though I hate BMI, that is crazy low.

Get yourself up above 70 kg and keep going. Eat like a pregnant horse and concentrate on big compound lifts; don't stop doing legs regardless of how they are compared to your upper body. 120% of BW isn't much at your weight.

Transform

Drodan wrote: »

6 foot.

Mother of God you need to eat bigggg and lift big

At your weight you need serious leg work!!

metamorphosis

Iv got almost a goo 10kg on top of you and im just under 5'11 and im a rake. Jesus - get loads of milk, nuts and nut butter into you and EVOO on everything!

SpookyBastard

6 ft? Wow. I'm 5'10 and i'm a slender 70kg. We need to start feeding you. Everybody, post some food to Drodan!

BobbyOLeary

Remmy wrote: »

YOCAD?

Yard of cheese a day.

SpookyBastard

Awww. Was hoping it was Yard of Chocolate And Doughnuts

Roger Marbles

I would advise starting strength in terms of gym programs.

As for diet, try and figure out your maintenance calories and eat slightly above that. Make sure your protein intake is 1 to 1.5g per lb/day and that you gets lots of healthy fats in there too.

Start slowly, plan meticulously and be consistent.

Barry.Oglesby

BobbyOLeary wrote: »

Yard of cheese a day.

Yes... there may be cheese.

Transform

Roger Marbles wrote: »

I would advise starting strength in terms of gym programs.

As for diet, try and figure out your maintenance calories and eat slightly above that. Make sure your protein intake is 1 to 1.5g per lb/day and that you gets lots of healthy fats in there too.

Start slowly, plan meticulously and be consistent.

Start quickly, eat all round you and train your butt off.

At your level right now doing anything is better than nothing so do not overthink just get more high quality food in and get stronger