Skinny guys have been lead to believe they need to spend more and more time in the gym to build big muscles. The reality is that skinny guys should train less and eat more. You can spend the entire day in the gym working out and if the stimulus is not sufficient you will not see much if anything in terms of improvements. However, if the exercise stress is sufficient, very little is required to see new gains.
Skinny guys have been lead to believe they need to spend more and more time in the gym to build big muscles. The reality is that skinny guys should train less and eat more. You can spend the entire day in the gym working out and if the stimulus is not sufficient you will not see much if anything in terms of improvements. However, if the exercise stress is sufficient, very little is required to see new gains.
The Minimum Effective Dose
Our bodies have a limit to how much stress we can handle within a period of time. Up to a certain point in a workout, intense exercise stress will create the potential for new size, strength and stamina but beyond a certain point will lead to exhaustion that can result in overtraining or injury.
The training effect is the desired goal of the training. The training effect could be anything from increased relative strength to muscle endurance. The training effect is not experienced until you recover from the training. Failure to respect these recovery needs can lead to overtraining, plateau or becoming weaker.
The Skinny Guy Is Unique
Determining the optimal training volume, intensity and frequency is a huge topic. There are many training theories to consider in finding what’s optimal for you. Ultimately, experimentation and accurate record keeping are the only way to will determine how to individualize the different training variables for success.
The Skinny Guy Workout
Monday
A. Deadlifts 1 x 12, 1 x 10, 1 x 8, 1 x 6, 1 x 20 – 90 seconds rest between sets
B. Chin Ups 1 x 30 sec negative, 1 x 20 second negative, 1 x 10 second negative, 1 x bodyweight, 1 x bodyweight
C. Military Press 1 x 12, 1 x 10, 1 x 8, 1 x 6, 1 x 20 – 90 seconds rest between sets
Wednesday
A1. Incline Biceps Curls 1 x 10, 1 x 8, 1 x 6, 1 x 6, 1 x 12 – 90 seconds rest between sets
A2. Lying Triceps Extension 1 x 10, 1 x 8, 1 x 6, 1 x 6, 1 x 12 – 90 seconds rest between sets
B1. Barbell Shrug 1 x 15, 1 x 12, 1 x 1o, 1 x 8, 1 x 15 – 60 seconds rest between sets
B2. Standing Calve Raise 1 x 10, 1 x 8, 1 x 6, 1 x 6, 1 x 12 – 60 seconds rest between sets
C. Stability Ball Crunch 5 x 5 – 15 seconds rest between sets
Friday
A. Squats 1 x 12, 1 x 10, 1 x 8, 1 x 6, 1 x 20 – 90 seconds rest between sets
B. Bench Press 1 x 12, 1 x 10, 1 x 8, 1 x 6, 1 x 20 – 90 seconds rest between sets
C. Seated Row 1 x 12, 1 x 10, 1 x 8, 1 x 6, 1 x 20 – 90 seconds rest between sets
Why Is This Workout Effective?
1. Lower volume. Each body part gets approximately five sets a week. Classic hypertrophy programs rely on closer to 10-25 sets a body part so this allows opportunity to increase the intensity.
2. Broad-spectrum of rep ranges. 6-12 reps creates the desire training effect of hypertrophy and by having one back off set in each exercise we ensure we don’t de train the quality, muscular endurance.
3. Longer rest ranges err on the higher side for hypertrophy to ensure you can stimulate the high threshold motor units each set.
4. Balance between all the primary movements of the body. Their is equal volume between horizontal pulling and horizontal pushing moves, vertical pulling and vertical pushing, quad and hip and upper arm.
5. The Principle of Kaizen, constant and never ending improvement, can be applied each workout. Small changes gradually lead to bigger changes long term.
Even if you’re not a skinny guy, this workout can act as an excellent way to stimulate new gains by dropping the volume and increasing the intensity. Give it an honest shot and see if it works for you.
Resources:
Vince DelMonte is the skinny guy savior. A former skinny guy himself, Vince developed the techniques that turned him from a skinny guy to a national champion fitness model. He shares his training techniques, diets and inspirations on his blog, Vince DelMonte Fitness, and on sites such as AskMen.com and Ironman Magazine.
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Author: skinnyvince
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