How Can Skinny Guys Get Bigger Arms? (10 Tips For Skinny Guys)
These are the top 10 things that YOU, as a skinny guy, should do if you want to get bigger arms...
As someone who was skinny for a large portion of my life (Going from 145lbs at 16 years old to now above 200lbs), I know the struggles that you are probably going through right now. It took me a lot of trial and error to learn what I know now. I want to shortcut that timeframe for you right now. So keep reading and start to implement these 10 tips starting today for bigger arms.
#1-TRAIN AT THE RIGHT INTENSITY
Most guys have never trained at the right intensity to see consistent arm growth. You need to train close to failure on every set...not stopping when it burns or when you get tired. I'm talking about stopping when your arms literally don't move anymore as you are actively trying to get another rep.
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#2-TAKE SHORTER REST PERIODS
Your arm training shouldn't require the same 2-3 minutes rest that it takes for compound lifts like squats and bench presses. Keep your rest to 60 seconds, or 90 seconds if you are really strong, but if you are reading this, you probably aren't in that second category (yet!).
#3-UNDERSTANDING BICEP AND TRICEPS ANATOMY
Your biceps and triceps will be emphasized in different areas depending on hand placement and elbow placement. You need to do an exercise that targets all areas of your arms to see full development.
#4-SLOW DOWN
Most guys go WAY too fast with their reps, especially on the eccentric (lowering phase) of the exercise. Time under tension is a great way to make your arms grow, so control your movements and be intentional with every rep. Think about squeezing hard, and not allowing swinging during the eccentric.
#5-STOP TRYING TO COUNT REPS
What I mean by this is if your program calls for 3 sets of 10 reps, worrying about getting to 10 will subconsciously make you speed up reps when it starts to get tough. If you are slow and controlled on reps 1-5, but rep 6 really burns and your goal is 10, it's hard to maintain that same focus for the rest of the set, so you might rush to get 10. Instead, I suggest you maintain intensity and tempo, and if you can't get the desired reps, lower the weight.
#6-DROP YOUR EGO
Most skinny guys want to jump up in weight too soon. Just because it's possible for you to curl 30lbs dumbbells, it doesn't mean it's the optimal weight for you to grow. Think about it like this, would your confidence with your body go up if you had bigger arms and were only curling 20lbs, or if your arms were the same size as they are now and you're curling 40lbs? The goal is bigger arms, so use a weight you can actually handle for high reps with control.
#7-EAT IN A CALORIE SURPLUS
This should be obvious, but it wasn't for me when I started and it may not be for you: If you don't get bigger EVERYWHERE, your arms won't get bigger. You have to gain weight to get bigger arms, which means you need to be eating in a calorie surplus. Aim to eat an additional 500 calories/day more than what you currently consume.
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#8-GET QUALITY SLEEP
You need optimal recovery to make consistent arm growth. That means prioritizing sleep. 7-8 hours is a great goal. This is really a non-negotiable that most guys underestimate. You don't build muscle in the gym, you BREAK DOWN muscle in the gym. Muscle is built through eating enough food and getting sleep.
#9-INCREASE ARM TRAINING FREQUENCY
When I first started training arms, I would do one long workout per week, and see little to no growth. The correct way to grow your arms is through frequency. You want to train them multiple times per week. This allows you to train at challenging weight often, without messing up your recovery. Instead of doing 20 sets in one day, try doing 5 intense sets 4 days out of the week.
#10-LOG YOUR WORKOUTS
When I started training arms, I just did what felt good with whatever weight I wanted...and I quickly plateaued. Be serious with your arm training and log the workouts. Try to do more weight, more reps, less rest, or more sets than you did last week. Progressively overloading your muscles is one of the ways skinny guys see the quickest change, and tracking your workouts will make a HUGE difference for you.
These are the 10 things that I did to boost my arm growth. If you are looking for a structured arm training program, I've got you covered with my free 30 Day Arm Growth Jump Starter Program. It is perfect for skinny guys who've hit a plateau with their arm growth.
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