Best Skinny to Muscular Exercises for Beginners

Skinny to muscular exercises (Photo via Luis Vidal/Unsplash)
Skinny to muscular exercises (Photo via Unsplash/Luis Vidal)

Skinny to muscular exercises refers to the workouts you can include in your routine to build lean muscle mass. Of course, with time you will be able to become stronger, bigger, and more muscular, but it starts with adding lean mass before leading to a bigger physique.

If your primary goal is to build muscle mass, you have come to the right place. Here, we will discuss the various exercises you can focus on if the goal is to go from skinny to muscular. However, it's important to remember that the exercises’ intensity is different for everyone.


Skinny to muscular exercises

Skinny muscles (Photo via Unsplash/Outlook Photography and Studio)
Skinny muscles (Photo via Unsplash/Outlook Photography and Studio)

The following are some of the skinny to muscular exercises you can add to your workout routine to add lean muscle mass to your physique while cutting any excess body fat percentage:

Barbell squat

  • Set the barbell at shoulder height on a squat rack
  • Place your shoulders underneath the barbell, and hold the barbell with palms facing forward
  • Unrack the barbell and move back a step
  • Go down in a squat while keeping your hips stable and back straight
  • Your knees shouldn’t cross your toes, and you shouldn’t bend forward
  • Press with your heels to move back upwards
  • The pressure should primary be on your quads, but every part of your lower body will take on some impact

Deadlift

  • Keep the barbell on the floor and feet at shoulder-width
  • Hold the barbell with palms facing towards you
  • Put your hips down, and keep your back straight
  • Pull through with your legs and hips to bring the barbell upwards
  • Keep your lower body stable as your hold the barbell near your hips

Bench press

  • Set the bench and the barbell at proper heights
  • Add a suitable weight to the barbells
  • Hold the barbell at shoulder-width or slightly wider and unrack it
  • Steadily bring the barbell to your chest
  • Flare you chest, arch your back, and push the barbell upwards
  • Keep your pectoral muscles engaged at all times

Barbell row

  • Set the barbell on the floor or at a height lower than your hips
  • Add suitable weights to it and hold the barbell
  • Keeping the palms facing you, unrack the barbell
  • Bend forward from your hips; keep your knees slightly bent and back straight
  • Engage your lats, and pull the barbell towards yourself
  • Squeeze the shoulder blades together at the top of the motion
  • Lower the barbell steadily to maximize impact

Bicep curl

  • Hold a dumbbell in each hand
  • Keep the dumbbells facing outwards
  • Keep your elbows stable, and pull the dumbbell towards your shoulders
  • Squeeze your biceps at the top of the motion
  • Lower the dumbbell slowly to control the negative

Tricep extension

  • Hold a dumbbell from its neck, and lift it overhead
  • Keep your elbows stable, and lower the dumbbell behind your head
  • Keep lowering the dumbbell till you feel a stretch on your triceps
  • Use the triceps to push the dumbbell back up

Barbell press

  • Keep the barbell adjusted at shoulder height
  • Add suitable weights to either end
  • Hold the barbell with your palms facing outwards
  • Unrack the barbell, and place it gently on your shoulders
  • Using your delts, push the barbell overhead
  • Hold the barbell overhead for a second or two before lowering it steadily

Often skinny to muscular exercises are also referred to as skinny guy workout. One of the most popular routines is doing push movements on day 1, doing pull movements on day 2, and doing legs on day 3.

You can split your workouts between push, pull, and leg days or you can use any other split that works for your muscles. As mentioned, everyone has a different preference since everyone’s body reacts differently to workout routines.


What are skinny muscles?

Skinny muscles (Photo via Unsplash/Annie Spratt)
Skinny muscles (Photo via Unsplash/Annie Spratt)

Now that you understand skinny to muscular exercises, it’s important to understand what skinny muscles mean.

Skinny muscles refer to a person who has a high body fat percentage compared to their muscle mass. The person may appear to have a lean physique. However, they lack the required amount of mass and definition in their muscles.


How to gain weight and muscles for skinny to muscular

Muscles (Photo via Unsplash/Annie Spratt)
Muscles (Photo via Unsplash/Annie Spratt)

The best way to get rid of a skinny fat appearance and move from skinny to muscular is to focus on a proper strength training routine along with following a well-balanced diet consisting of three macronutrients.

Finally, a calorie surplus diet is a must if you wish to put on weight and add muscle mass to your physique.

Edited by Bhargav