body building tips and food

Every gym in the world has one of them: that guy. You know...the big dude? Everyone knows when he comes in. Heads turn. He is the most popular guy in the room when he arrives. He is known as simply THE MAN! He is the biggest dude in the gym.

Every gym on Earth also has one of those guys who always seems to be nervous. When he comes in, he just looks down. Always self-conscious for some reason. He may not be too sure what he is doing, but he really wants to succeed. He is known in bodybuilding and fitness circles as the little dude. He is the skinniest guy in the gym.

Take it from someone who knows. I can tell you that there is one thing that every skinny guy has in common, and whether they admit it or not, they see that big guy every time he shows up, they watch him and think to themselves "Someday I want that to be me."

SKINNY GUYS FEAR NOT!

Believe it or not, if you are one of those skinny guys, you aren't alone. A lot of people want to be the celebrity of the gym. They all want to be the local legend that is talked about after every workout and mentioned while friends talk on the elliptical. I was that skinny guy. I know as well as anybody. I saw the guy that was perceived as the big dude and as soon as I knew who he was I decided that would be me in a matter of time.

Although I don't think of myself as the big man, I definitely overcame the skinny man complex and I want to help you do the same. After reading this article, you should be ready to take the first steps in the journey from the skinniest dude in your gym to the biggest!

THE STEPS TO HUGENESS

1 OVERCOME THE ANXIETY OF BEING SKINNY

You are afraid to challenge yourself because what is challenging to you may be most guys' starting weight. The old adage is true and applies here. We all have to start somewhere. You need to get over this fear and just go for it. It can be tough, but the sooner you get over that nervousness, the sooner you will start succeeding.

2 CHALLENGE YOURSELF EACH TIME YOU WORK OUT

Although the weights that challenge you may be warming up to others, you have to just go for it each time you train. I know how you feel. When I started, my max on the bench press was 95 pounds. Mr. Big was warming up with 135. That was my first motivation.

My first major goal was to get to where I used 135 on the bench. Once I reached that goal, my motivation increased tenfold. Find something like this or anything that motivates you and tell yourself it WILL happen. You will be amazed how you feel and how much progress you make once you hit your first target.

CLOSE-GRIP BARBELL BENCH PRESS

3 EAT BIG, BUT CLEAN

This is a must, plain and simple. You have to take in lots of food, but that doesn't mean you can eat whatever you want. You don't want to be the biggest and fattest guy.

Egg whites, whey protein, chicken, tuna, veggies, turkey. I could go on and on, but I think you get the idea. I recommend 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight, 2.5 grams of crabs per pound of body weight, and healthy fats (fish oil, flax seeds).

4 WATER, WATER, WATER

Learn to love it and drink a lot of it. It makes up as much as 70% of your muscle. Doesn't it make sense that if you want bigger and stronger muscles, you need more water? Drink about a gallon of water a day.

5 STAY FOCUSED ON THE TASK AT HAND

Don't mistake this for being a jerk and ignoring everyone. If someone says hi, nod or say hi back and get back to work. The big man may look intimidating, but the fact of the matter is he is doing the same thing. That is how he got where he is now and that is how you will get to where he is.

6 FOCUS ON COMPOUND LIFTS

They are the most basic lifts, but they are also the most important to the nation of the thin. Do not try to reinvent the wheel. Bench presses, squats, dead lifts, rows, pull ups, and dips all better be staples in your routine if you want bigness.

BARBELL DEAD LIFT

7 GET A BODY SPACE ACCOUNT

It is free, there are plenty of ways to keep track of your workouts and your diet, there are other skinny guys, and there are plenty of the big dudes that are more than willing to help you join the club of the monstrous. Body Space users will keep you motivated every day to reach your goals and will be the first to congratulate you on your accomplishments.

Along with the things that must be done to get to huge status, there are also those things you have to avoid. Doing the wrong thing not only prevents you from attaining hugeness, it can actually be a detriment and cause you to lose size and strength. Whatever you do, stay away from these pitfalls.

1 DON'T FOLLOW A PRO'S ROUTINE

You are not a professional bodybuilder. Training for a bodybuilding competition is very taxing on them. It will definitely be overkill for you and you will not benefit from it at all.

Also, common sense should tell you that a bodybuilder doesn't do the same thing every single day. They change up their routines often. There are plenty of training options here on Bodybuilding.com. Programs specific for beginners, intermediate, or advanced lifters are all over the site. Find a few that you can do and switch between them every six to eight weeks.

2 DON'T RELY ON SUPPLEMENTS

They are great, don't get me wrong, but they are known as supplements for a reason. If you don't train and eat properly, you are wasting your time and money. Get your training and diet right first, and then choose your supplements wisely. Take a multivitamin, whey protein, creatine, and glutamine. These are staples in a hard gainer's supplement plan.

3 DON'T BE RUDE IN THE GYM

You don't want to be known in the gym for the wrong reasons. Always be respectful when you are working out. Ask if you think someone else is using something you want, wipe the equipment after you are finished and don't yell with every single rep and bring attention to yourself.

4 DON'T GET FRUSTRATED OVER FAILURE

As a matter of fact, embrace it. Training to failure is beneficial to gaining size and strength. If you don't get your target reps, it is OK. You taxed your muscles and that is the goal. Go for the target again next time. Once you hit it, you will know you are making progress.

If You Don't Get Your Target Reps, It Is OK.
"IF YOU DON'T GET YOUR TARGET REPS, IT IS OK."

5 DON'T QUIT!

I can't emphasize this one enough. Quitting and starting again later wastes time, energy, and prevents long term progress. It will be a long road, it will be stressful, and there may be times you just feel like giving up. DON'T DO IT! The biggest guys in gyms all over the world have one thing in common: they wanted it and were willing to do whatever it took to succeed. They never quit. You can't either.

CONCLUSION

I know that my journey from being the skinny dude to someone that people look up to was worth every single step. As you work on improving your physique and you go for your dream of being the biggest in your gym, I hope you take the time to enjoy your journey. It will make it that much more worth it once you finally get there. Following these steps will help ensure that it happens for you like it has for me.