You eat and you work out constantly, but nothing seems to make a difference: it can feel like you just can’t add muscle or gain weight, no matter what you do. You start thinking that maybe it’s impossible for you to bulk up. Perhaps you are meant to be this way.
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There’s a surprising amount of men who are struggling just like you. You’ll find it comforting that these people have a chance of getting the body they have always wanted. And the best part is, you can do it, too.
There are just a few set of rules you have to follow if you’re a natural ectomorph to achieve your fitness goals.
Also Read: The Best Workouts For Your Body Type
Eat A Lot… Then Eat Some More
We know what you’re thinking: you’re already eating a lot. Your friends are jealous at the fact that you can eat anything you want without putting on much weight. They consider it your superpower, but you think it’s a curse. In fact, you tend to surprise people by how much you can eat, despite of your size.
Also Read: Top 10 Foods For Gaining Lean Muscle Mass
But the bottom line is, if you are not bulking up, you are not eating enough. You have to eat more than what you are already eating, especially after a muscle-building workout. That may mean eating more than three full meals a day plus snacks – it may mean five smaller meals, and heavy snacks added in. The tricky part, of course, is that you have to make sure that despite all this, your food choices are still healthy. Don’t load up on junk food, but eat “real” food instead.
For building muscle, protein is your friend (eggs, lean meat, protein powders, etc.), and complex carbs (potatoes, yams, quinoa, whole grains, oats, etc.) are also great for anyone wanting to bulk up. So eat a lot, eat healthy and eat lots of unprocessed, whole foods.
Treat Cardio With Care
Cardio is good for people who want to lose weight – and that’s the opposite of what you want. Many sites will tell you to avoid cardio altogether, because it is your “enemy,” but you don’t want to compromise your health just to add bulk, and cardio is an important part of anyone’s fitness regimen.
Also Read: How To Gain Muscle, Not Fat
Find a way to incorporate some cardio exercise into your routine, but don’t make it too intense. The best option is to try low-burn cardio exercises such as walking and cycling. Do avoid endurance-based cardio like long runs, which may cause you to lose muscle.
Use Every Muscle
For bulking up, compound exercises are your best bet. You want to build size and strength, so you’re gonna need moves that work every muscle of your body.
Also Read: Top 10 Muscle-Building Moves Of All Time
Incorporate training into your daily life, and concentrate on compound exercises such as dumbbell presses, squats, deadlifts, chin ups, and dips. The best way to effectively gain muscle mass and definition in an even and balanced way requires a combination of isolation and compound exercises, though the bulk of exercise should involve compound movements for more people. You may also want to incorporate supersets into your workout to make the most gains.
Get Some Rest
Muscle grows during rest, not while it’s being worked, so give your muscles time to regenerate. This means you shouldn’t exercise the same muscle for two days in a row. The good news is, skinny guys don’t really have to train more – they need to eat and sleep more!
And when we say “rest,” we also mean, “learn to relax.” Stress does a lot of things to the body, and affecting your muscle development is one of them. Make sure you get plenty of sleep, and try to relax your mind (with meditation techniques, for example), as much as possible.
Follow these four simple tips and you may find it way easier to gain some muscle. Remember, no matter what your body type is, the key to fitness is consistency. Follow these rules, and don’t expect instant results. Stick your programmed and the results will come.