Muscle Mass Gaining for Skinny Bastards

Ectos stand up!  We can gain mass!  Read below to find out how!  Skinny is out like skinny jeans should be.

"How do you survive, weighing 165, in the city where the skinny brothas die"-Tupac, Str8 Ballin

Everything about what Pac said is true except that my weight was about 155 and my city was the gym.  And yes, skinny brothas die in the gym world where massive men are seen as kings and skinny men are seen as jesters.  As the self-proclaimed leader of ALL the ectomorphs throughout the
world, I have the authority to speak on issues that are close to the chest.  And as a former skinny bastard who could not wear a tank top, a beater, or any article of clothing that would show off the physique, I personally know the struggles of my fellow skinny bastards.  For years I could not crack the code as far as what to do in order to gain mass.  I always had a huge heart and the will to train as hard as a Spartan, but I was lost as far as how to gain mass.  At 27 years old in May 2011, I was 152lbs!  Now granted I had come down for a bodybuilding show, but even at the max I was maybe 160-165.  Lost, confused, and unable to gain real mass...

We are on the far left fellas.

Fast forward to Election Day 2012.  I woke up a clean 182lbs at about 9-10% body fat.  In fact I had been waking up at 182lbs for the previous 4 weeks too.  I had gained 20 solid pounds since May when I competed again at 162lbs.  I had used minimal supplementation. (Whey and Creatine)  This was not a hollow, post-contest rebound weight gain.  I had never been over 170lbs in my whole life!  This is real weight that has taken months to pack on.  My Polo shirts fit great and I had to buy new jeans because my legs exploded to 24 inches around the thigh on each leg!  The question is how?  How is it possible for the extreme ectomorph (5'11, 130-135lbs in 2001) to defy his genetics and be able to gain weight at fluid and consistent pace?  But first, what is an ectomorph?

Ectomorph.  Well I will make it simple.  If you are reading this and you are skinny/gangly/airy/bird-like, find it hard to gain weight, and always feel hungry then you qualify!  I will explain the 3 keys needed for you to gain the real mass you want and be able to fill out those shirts and tank tops.  And ladies, this applies to you to, as I know a common goal among women who I train is to fill out their jeans and develop curves.  I hate to break it to you, (I actually don't) but the ads you see in your local muscle magazine are designed to get you to spend unnecessary money on an overhyped product.  "GET MASSIVE IN 4 WEEKS using TESTMASS III" has zero value.  If you do not want to work very hard and eat big, then stop reading, have a Coke and smile, and walk out the back door.

Taking Pro Hormones to gain mass will not save you as the unnatural results do not last and the effects are very detrimental to your body and your health.  Why cheat with this junk?  Build your  mass the NATURAL way and you will keep it on.

1.  YOU NEED TO EAT, BUT YOU NEED TO KNOW YOUR BMR

Most mass articles talk about the need to eat as it is of the upmost importance.  BUT, just eating is not enough.  Knowing how many calories it takes for you create a CALORIC SURPLUS is the key.  As an ecto, your metabolism is going 100mph all the time.  I do not believe that every formula is right for every person as we all have individual attributes that must be factored in.  But making adjustments to that formula can make it work.  Knowing how many calories you burn daily without exercise and knowing how many it takes to maintain your current weight is crucial also.  My initial caloric intake to gain weight was 3200 calories based on the BMR reading.  Knowing my metabolic rate and my activity level, I automatically bumped that up to 3600 calories.  By maintaining this amount for 4 months, I able to gain 1-1.5 lbs per week every week without gaining excess bodyfat.  As an ecto who needs mass you do not need to worry yourself with eating like a pre contest bodybuilder.  We do not have mass and we want it bad.  You need a high carb intake along with a high protein intake and moderate fat intake.  Typically a 40/30/30 split with your macros should suffice, and based on your individual needs you may be able to get away with a 45/30/25 split.  Now even though you are not pressed to eat clean all the time, this is not a disclaimer to eat McDonalds 3x per day.  But do not nitpick over every gram of fat or carbs.  Eat and eat plentiful.  Arm yourself with a Mass Gainer, (I recommend Super Mass Gainer by Dymatize) which is taken 2x per day (I recommend as your first meal and post workout) can give you an additional quick 1-2k calories per day.  So the take home message is find out your BMR, use the fomula to determine your weight maintenance number and then add a caloric value on top of that.  My maintenance was around 2700 calories per day so I personally added 900.

Knowing how many calories you are eating daily is the key to gaining mass.

2.  YOU NEED TO LIFT PROGRESSIVELY HEAVIER WEIGHTS EACH WEEK

In order to get muscles to grow, you must challenge them.  Light, colorful weights are about as challenging as  Madden on Pro.  The best and most predictable way to achieve this is through progressive overload.  By simply adding more weight to the bar each week your muscles will grow and become larger and harder.  You do not need the "12 week MASS GAINS" workout from Biceps Monthly Magazine, but you do need to lift heavier.  I recommended very basic programming and core movements.  5/3/1 or Starting Strength will get you started in the right direction as far getting stronger and bigger.  Full Squat, Deadlift, Hip Thrust, Bench Press, Chin Ups, Dips, Lunges, Power Cleans, and Overhead Presses will be your staples.  They will be performed consistently without question.  You will lift between 1-12 reps depending on the movement and where you are in the phase of the program.  As an ectomorph, being strong is not a natural trait, BUT, you can become ridiculously strong if you follow the program.  Leave the light weights, and circuit training to the classes.  Your sole goal is mass and strength.  Lift heavy, rest 1-3 minutes, and repeat.

Lifting heavy will build hard, dense muscle.

3.  YOU NEED TO SLEEP

You do not build muscle in the 1 hour you are in the gym.  It is being built when you go home and eat and when you SLEEP.  Sleep is overlooked and it should not be.  As ectomoprhs, we tend to do everything at faster pace.  It is in our nature.  However if you sleep fast, your mass gains will finish last.  If you are training, and sleeping 4 hours a night, your body cannot recover from the intense work.  If you cannot recover, you cannot grow or get stronger.  For the body to recover effectively, I recommend 7-9 hours of sleep per day.  If you can only get 5-6 hours at night, take a 1 hour nap during your day.  You will be able to approach your workout with renewed energy.  If you overlook recovery, you will be stuck in neutral.

Lack of sleep will derail your mass gains.  Napping during your training is telltale!

By implementing these keys into your training, you can rebel against your genetics.  As ectos, we have to use our fast metabolisms and ability to stay lean to our advantage.  This will allow you to eat more food and not gain a lot of bodyfat.  Filling out an ectomorph frame is a beautiful sight!  Ecto men, you will never be huge and massive like say an Arnold or a Sergio.  And Ecto women, you cannot develop super curves like a Serena. But you can definitely maximize your code and build a very sexy and spectacular physique!