If you’re a naturally skinny guy, bulking up can feel like trying to sneeze with your eyes open: impossible. But what if we tell you it doesn’t have to be that way? That you can pack on slabs of muscle, too? The 60-day plan below is designed specifically for ectomorphs, or “hard gainers.” It focuses on making you bigger and stronger. To steal a line from strength coach Greg Nuckols: “To get stronger, you need to get bigger. And to get bigger, you need to get stronger. Training for one without the other doesn’t really make sense for most people.”
So in this routine, you’ll perform only a handful of big-muscle movements: squats, bench presses, and deadlifts. You’ll do these a lot. Every. Single. Workout. That doesn’t mean you always have to “go heavy” with each exercise, every workout. But you won’t stray from them for 60 days straight because these are the movements that force your muscles to grow. They’re the exercises that will make it easier to overload your body as you grow stronger.
You might be thinking, doing the same exercises over and over again sounds boring. And, sure, it might be. But boring works. For most guys, most of the time, staying consistent with the big lifts is going to create the best path to success.
Are you ready to say bye-bye to the skinny guy? Then let’s get started. But first, some ground rules. In order to get the best results, you need to follow these in addition to the workout plan.
The Rules
1. Limit your “cardio” to 1 to 2 per week. If putting on size is your goal, expending more calories is not going to help you. Performing one or two 30-minute sessions per week is more than enough. Do cardio on non-lifting days.
2. Eat! No, you’re not eating enough. (Find out What and When You Should Eat to Build Muscle.)
3. Eat more.
4. Do the 60-Day Skinny Man's Transformation Plan down below. Don’t alter the program in any way. Don’t add anything or take anything out. Follow it to a T.
(Related: How to pack on muscle if you’re genetically skinny)
The 60-Day Skinny Man’s Transformation Plan
Perform each pair of exercises as a superset. Do one set of the first exercise, rest for the prescribed amount of time, and then do one set of the second exercise. Rest if noted, and then repeat. Continue until you’ve completed all of the sets for each exercise in the pair.
When you see a letter without a number next to it—such as “D”—do the exercise as a straight set. That is, do one set of the exercise, rest for the prescribed time, and then do another set. Rest at least one day between workouts. Schedule a maximum of three training sessions per week.
(Related: Six simple ways to speed up muscle growth)
WEEK 1
Follow set and rep prescriptions laid out below.
DAY 1
A1. Barbell Back Squat
3 sets of 5 reps
2. Hold a barbell across your upper back with an overhand grip – avoid resting it on your neck. Hug the bar into your traps to engage your upper back muscles.
3. Take the weight of the bar and slowly squat down – head up, back straight, buns out. Lower yourself until your hips are aligned with your knees, with legs at 90 degrees – a deeper squat will be more beneficial but get the strength and flexibility first. Drive your heels into the floor to push yourself explosively back up. Keep form until you’re stood up straight: that’s one.
(Related: The reason you’re probably squatting wrong – and the simple way to fix it)
A2. Chinup:
2 sets of AMRAP (as many reps as possible). If you can’t perform a chinup, do a band-assisted version. Rest 1 minute between exercises. Rest 90 seconds after the superset is complete.
2. Pull yourself up until your head is above the bar.
3. Slowly lower back to the start position.
B1. Dumbbell Bench Press
2 sets of 8 to 12 reps
1. Lie on a flat bench holding two dumbbells over your chest with an overhand grip.
2. Push up until your arms are straight, then lower under control.
3. Dropping dumbbells stresses your rotator cuff. Rest them on your thighs and kick to bring your body upright and place them down.
B2. Dumbbell Single-Arm Row
3 sets of 10 reps per arm. Hold a 2-second pause at the top of each rep. Only rest when needed. Rest 90 to 120 seconds after the superset is complete.
2. Rest your right knee on the bench and step your other leg out to the side.
3. With your free hand grab a dumbbell off the floor and row it up to your side until your upper arm is parallel with the floor.
4. Lower slowly back to the floor and repeat.
C1. Barbell Straight-Leg Deadlift
3 sets of 12 to 15 reps
2. Lower the barbell to your ankles by extending through your waist and keeping your back straight, then slowly return to the starting position.
C2. Cable Core Rotation
3 sets of 10 reps per side. Only rest when needed. Rest 90 to 120 seconds after the superset is complete.
2. Only moving your arms, pull the cable to the opposite side until your right arm is straight.
3. Return the cable back to starting position and repeat.
(Related: How to get the most out of the cable machine)
D. Dumbbell Farmer’s Walk
3 sets of 40-yard carries
2. Walk forward taking short, quick steps. Go for the given distance, as fast as possible.
DAY 2
A1. Barbell Bench Press
3 sets of 5 reps
2. Set yourself by lifting your hips to create pressure on your upper back. Lower your hips, but maintain that pressure.
3. Drive your feet into the floor to contract your quads and glutes, and clamp back your shoulder blades to shorten the weight's path of travel. This increases neural drive to your chest, delts and triceps.
4. Lift the bar off the rack and position it above your chest with arms fully extended.
5. Now grip the bar as hard as possible and try to break it in half. This creates tension that rotates your upper arm externally, which sets your shoulder in its strongest position. It also helps to focus the work on your lat and chest muscles to take the pressure of your joints.
6. From the starting position, breathe in and lower the bar slowly until it skims the middle of your chest.
7. Focus your mind on activating your chest muscles and push the bar back to the starting position explosively as you breathe out. That’s one rep.
(Related: How to master the bench press)
A2. Chinup
2 sets of AMRAP (as many reps as possible). If you can’t perform a chinup, do a band-assisted version. Rest 1 minute between exercises. Rest 90 seconds after the superset is complete.
1. Lie back on a flat bench holding a barbell in the rack above you with a shoulder-width, overhand grip.
2. Lift the bar off the rack and position it above your chest with arms fully extended.
3. From the starting position, breathe in and lower the bar slowly until it skims the middle of your chest.
4. Push the bar back to the starting position explosively as you breathe out.
B1. Deadlift
3 sets of 8 reps
1. Stand with feet slightly wider that shoulder-width apart, with the barbell on the floor in front of you. Bend at the knees and the hips to take hold of the bar with an overhand grip; your hands should be shoulder-width apart.
2. Straighten your legs slightly to load the tension on the bar. Head up, back straight: squeeze your glutes, tighten your shoulder blades and pull in your lower abs. After that, it’s simple. Stand up.
3. The bar should remain close to your body the whole time, in contact with your thighs when you’re fully standing. Keep tension in your core as you lower the bar to the ground – this doesn’t have to follow the same pattern of movement, just get it down safely.
B2. Sniff the floor press-up
3 sets of 8 to 10 reps. Only rest when needed. Rest 90 to 120 seconds after the superset is complete.
2. Move your head down towards the floor, shifting your weight forward.
3. Continue moving your bodyweight forward until your chest is over your hands.
4. Push up and back into the V-shape starting position.
C1. Dumbbell Goblet Squat
3 sets of 12 to 15 reps
1. Stand with your legs wider than your shoulders and hold a dumbbell with both hands in line with your thighs.
2. Stick your backside out, bend your knees and lower yourself into a squat until the dumbbell touches the floor.
3. Drive back up and repeat.
C2. Barbell Bent-Over Row
3 sets of 5 to 6 reps. Hold a 1 to 2 second pause at the top of each rep. Only rest when needed. Rest 90 to 120 seconds after the superset is complete.
2. With your legs slightly bent, keep your back perfectly straight and bend your upper body forward until it’s almost perpendicular to the floor.
3. From here row the weight upwards into the lower part of your chest. Pause. And return under control to the start position.
D. Dumbbell Lunge
2 sets of 8 to 10 reps per leg. Rest 1 minute between each set.
2. Lunge forward as far as you can with your right leg, bending your trailing knee so it almost brushes the floor.
3. Use the heel of your right foot to push your upper body back to the starting position.
4. Repeat with the opposite leg.
DAY 3
A1. Sumo Deadlift
3 sets of 5 reps
1. With your feet wider than shoulder width apart, squat down and grasp a barbell with your hands almost touching.
2. Keep your chest up, pull your shoulders back and look straight ahead as you lift the bar.
3. Focus on taking the weight back onto your heels and keep the bar as close as possible to your body at all times.
4. Lift to thigh level, pause, then return under control to the start position.
A2. One-arm T-bar row
2 sets of 8 reps per arm. Rest 1 minute between exercises. Rest 90 seconds after the superset is complete.
2. Grab the bar with one arm just behind the plates. Pull the bar straight up with your elbow in until the plates touch your chest and squeeze your back muscles at the top of the move.
3. Slowly lower to the starting position and repeat without letting the plates touch the floor.
B1. Barbell Front Squat
3 sets of 8 to 10 reps
1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart holding a barbell across your upper chest. You can either support the weight on your fingers, with wrists extended, or cross your arms to support the weight.
2. Taking care to keep to not arch your back, push your hips back and bend your knees to lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
3. Drive your heels into the floor to push yourself explosively back up to the start position.
(Related: How to master the squat)
B2. Single-Leg Hip Thrust with Shoulders on Bench
3 sets of 10 reps per leg. Only rest when needed. Rest 90 to 120 seconds after the superset is complete.
2. Hold a barbell just above your hips and keep your body straight.
3. Bend your knees and lower your hips towards the floor, then return to starting position and repeat.
C1. Close-Grip Bench Press
2 sets of 12 to 15 reps
2. From the starting position, breathe in and lower the bar slowly until it skims the middle of your chest.
3. Push the bar back to the starting position explosively as you breathe out.
4. Focus on pushing the bar using your chest muscles.
(Related: 10 easy ways to get bigger pecs - fast)
C2. Barbell Bent-Over Row
3 sets of 10 to 12 reps. Only rest when needed. Rest 90 to 120 seconds after the superset is complete.
1. Grab a barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
2. With your legs slightly bent, keep your back perfectly straight and bend your upper body forward until it’s almost perpendicular to the floor.
3. From here row the weight upwards into the lower part of your chest. Pause. And return under control to the start position.
D. Face Pull
2 sets of 20 reps. Rest 1 minute between each set.
Weeks 2-8 plan
Week 2: Add one set to both exercises in superset A1-A2 for days 1 to 3.
Week 3: Add one set to both exercises in superset A1-A2 for days 1 to 3.
Week 4: Add one set to both exercises in superset A1-A2 for days 1 to 3.
Week 5: Follow week 1's rep/set protocol for superset A1-A2 for days 1 to 3, but use a heavier load. Strive to use more weight every week from here on out.
Week 6: Same as week 2.
Week 7: Same as week 3.
Week 8: Same as week 4.
A version of this article originally appeared on MensHealth.com
Original article and pictures take www.menshealth.co.uk site
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