How to Beef Up and Build Muscle: The Definitive Guide

For skinny guys who want to bulk up building muscle can seem like an impossible task. Despite hitting the gym regularly and shoveling down protein shakes the scale doesn’t seem to budge.

The truth is, bulking up requires more than just going through the motions at the gym. It requires a strategic approach to diet, exercise, and lifestyle.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll give you the blueprint for transforming from scrawny to brawny. Follow these proven tips and you’ll be well on your way to getting jacked.

Step 1: Calculate Your Calorie Needs

Gaining weight and muscle starts with consuming enough calories. To determine how many calories you need to bulk up, you’ll need to calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE).

Your TDEE estimates how many calories you burn through basic bodily functions, daily activities, and exercise Eat more calories than your TDEE, and you’ll gain weight It’s that simple.

To calculate your TDEE:

• Use an online TDEE calculator like this one. Input details like your age, weight, height and activity level.

• Track your calories for a few days using an app like MyFitnessPal. Take the average and add 250-500 more calories per day to bulk up.

As an example, if your TDEE is 2500 calories, aim for 2750-3000 calories daily to gain 0.5-1 pound per week. Adjust as needed based on your results.

Step 2: Eat More Protein

Protein provides the building blocks for muscle growth. When bulking up, aim for 0.8-1 gram of protein per pound of body weight daily.

Great protein sources include:

• Meat: Beef, chicken, pork, fish
• Eggs
• Dairy: Milk, cheese, yogurt
• Protein powder

Space out your protein intake over the day to maximize muscle protein synthesis. Shoot for at least 30-40 grams of protein per meal. Supplement with protein shakes as needed.

Step 3: Fill in Calories from Carbs and Fats

In addition to protein, you’ll need sufficient calories from carbs and fats to fuel muscle growth. Make sure to get enough of both.

Carb sources:

• Whole grains: Rice, oats, quinoa
• Starchy vegetables: Potatoes, sweet potatoes
• Legumes: Beans, lentils
• Fruits: Bananas, berries

Fat sources:

• Nuts and nut butters
• Avocado
• Oils: Olive oil, coconut oil
• Full-fat dairy
• Fatty fish: Salmon

When bulking, err on the side of overshooting your calorie target to force your body to adapt and build muscle.

Step 4: Follow a Strength Training Program

No bulking diet will work unless you’re strength training to actually build muscle. The key is progressively overloading your muscles by gradually increasing weight and intensity over time.

As a beginner, start with full body workouts 3 days per week. Focus on compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, presses, rows, pull-ups and dips. Add isolation exercises for smaller muscle groups after your compounds.

Here’s a sample full body workout for bulking up:

Workout A

• Squats – 3×6-8
• Bench Press – 3×8-10
• Pull Ups – 3×8-10
• Lateral Raises – 3×10-12

Workout B

• Deadlifts – 3×6-8
• Incline Bench Press – 3×8-10
• Bent Over Rows – 3×8-10
• Triceps Extensions – 3×10-12

Workout C

• Squats – 3×6-8
• Overhead Press – 3×8-10
• Chin Ups – 3×8-10
• Bicep Curls – 3×10-12

Lift challenging weights in the 6-15 rep range and take sets close to failure. Add weight each workout once you can hit the top end of the range.

Step 5: Manage Your Recovery

Muscle growth doesn’t happen in the gym. It happens when you rest and recover. Make sure you get enough sleep, take rest days, and manage stress levels.

• Sleep at least 7-9 hours per night. Sleep is crucial for muscle repair and hormone balance.

• Take 1-2 rest days between workouts. Give your muscles at least 48 hours to recover before training them again.

• Manage stress. High cortisol levels can negatively impact muscle growth and testosterone.

Proper recovery allows you to push harder in the gym and maximize gains over time. Don’t neglect rest.

Step 6: Set a Realistic Timeline

Gaining muscle requires immense dedication and consistency over months and years. However, setting realistic expectations is important.

A good goal for most beginners is to gain around 0.25-0.5% of your body weight per week, or 1-2 pounds. Much of this will be muscle. Any more than that will likely be excess fat.

That equates to around 4-8 pounds gained per month. Be patient and focus on slow, lean gains. Monitor your progress with before/after photos and body measurements.

Common Bulking Mistakes

Bulking is rife with bro science and misinformation. Here are some of the biggest mistakes to avoid:

• Under-eating: Not consuming enough calories and protein is the number one reason people struggle to gain weight. Track diligently.

• Overeating: Don’t use bulking as an excuse to eat everything in sight. Stay close to your calorie target to minimize fat gain.

• Cardio: Excessive cardio makes bulking up difficult. Keep cardio minimal, doing just 1-2 short HIIT sessions per week at most.

• Poor sleep: Skimping on sleep impairs muscle recovery and growth. Get your 7-9 hours for optimal gains.

• Overtraining: Too much training volume can lead to overuse injuries and excess fatigue. Follow a structured program with adequate rest.

Avoid these common errors, stick to the fundamentals, and you’ll be well on your way to packing on lean muscle.

Supplements That Help You Bulk Up

Supplements can provide additional support for gaining size, but they aren’t necessary. Here are the top ones to consider:

• Whey protein: An easy way to hit protein targets and enhance muscle protein synthesis.

• Creatine: Helps muscles work harder during training, leading to better gains over time.

• Weight gainer shakes: An easy way to get in more calories, carbs, and protein. Helpful for “hardgainers.”

• Caffeine: Increases strength, endurance, and focus during workouts. Especially good for early morning training sessions.

While supplements can optimize progress, don’t become reliant on them. They will never out-perform proper nutrition, training, and recovery practices.

Sample Bulking Diet Meal Plan

Here’s an example 3,000 calorie bulking diet meal plan to help you put on size:

Meal 1

• 3 whole eggs
• 3 egg whites
• 1 cup oatmeal
• 1 banana
• 1 cup milk

Meal 2

• 8 oz chicken
• 1 cup rice
• 1 cup mixed vegetables
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Meal 3

• Protein shake
• 1 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup berries
• 2 scoops protein powder
• 1 cup milk

Meal 4

• 8 oz salmon
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 cup green beans
• 1 avocado

Meal 5

• 8 oz flank steak
• 1 baked potato
• Salad with vinaigrette

Meal 6

• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1 cup blueberries
• 2 scoops protein powder
• 1 tbsp almond butter

Adjust this meal plan based on your own calorie needs, scheduling constraints, and personal preferences. The key is hitting your macros.

The Takeaway

Bulking up takes dedication, consistency, and most of all, patience. But for naturally skinny guys, building an impressive physique is absolutely achievable.

Stick with the basics: train hard, eat big, and rest up. Do that while avoiding common mistakes, and you’ll be looking jacked before you know it.