The Red and Black

Issue date: 10/23/07 Section: Sports

DANIEL HANNA

So you're skinny. Real skinny. You could shop in the kid's section, you could fit into a girl's pair of slim-fit jeans, and your legs are the size of other people's biceps. But no matter how hard you try, you can't pack on any pounds. Maybe you tried the doughnut diet, or the eat-until-you-feel-sick diet. Or maybe you worked out for four straight months and still didn't see a pound of quality muscle. If you lost hope, get it back. Here's a rescue plan for skinny kids everywhere.

Obviously, you need to hit the weights. But before you do, forget about all of those bodybuilding exercises like concentration curls and leg extensions. You need the real deal, the compound lifts that work the most muscles at once. Think squats, bench presses and other similar lifts.

Make sure you look up the form for all of these exercises online before you perform them. The better your form, the better your results will be.

Not including warm-ups (and you have to warm up), your workouts shouldn't take more than 45 minutes. Try to rest for about two minutes between sets, and keep the pace moving.

Also, make sure you're failing at the repetitions listed in the workout. If it says five reps, then lift as much weight as you can get for five reps, and no more. The sixth rep should be impossible. Be honest with yourself, and don't try to do more (or less) than you can.

And just because abdominal training isn't included in this routine, that doesn't mean you should neglect your abs. Perform two weighted ab exercises on Day 1, and two bodyweight ab exercises on Day 3.

For your diet, try to eat six times a day, with at least three of those meals being actual food. Have some source of protein with every meal, and stick to whole grains and wheat-based products for your carbohydrates. Feel free to eat your veggies, too.

And don't forget about supplements. They'll help you pack on mass, so try investing in a good-tasting whey protein to have before and after you lift. Shoot for 25 grams before, and around 35 after. Protein bars can also come in handy for a quick meal in-between classes.

So go ahead, start this workout and start saving up some cash. You'll need a whole new wardrobe before the year's out.


- Daniel Hanna is a columnist for The Red & Black.

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