How Fast Can Skinny Guys Build Bigger Arms?

Building muscle can seem like a difficult challenge for men that have been skinny their whole lives or who have recently lost weight and muscle mass at the same time. However, there are exercises and food that will help guys with skinny arms build their arm muscles quickly and efficiently.

High-intensity arm exercises include barbell curls, alternate dumbbell curls, concentration curls, preacher curls, triceps extensions, cable pull downs, weighted dips and many more. Pick up a medicine ball or sandbag for some variations of presses. The key to doing high-intensity arm exercises, along with proper technique, is to lift more weight each repetition for fewer repetitions.

For example, many standard arm exercises call for 10 to 15 repetitions of a movement. However, high-intensity training would only require six to 10 repetitions because of the added weight according to the American Council on Exercise. As an added benefit, high-intensity arm exercises can be done at home or can reduce the time you spend in the gym, making your workout time more productive.

Read more: 10-Minute Arm-Sculpting Workout

Eat high-protein foods with every meal, taking in about 0.37 grams of protein for every pound of body weight each day according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. High-protein foods you choose should be relatively lean and rich in amino acids, which help to rebuild damaged muscle tissue and aid in growth.

Examples of proper protein sources include skinless chicken breast, turkey breast, lean red meat, white fish, salmon, tuna, egg whites and red lentils. People that exercise heavily need more protein, but over-consumption should be avoided.

Read more: A Bodybuilder's Back and Arms Workout

Consume complex carbohydrates with each meal. Examples of high-quality complex carbohydrates include brown rice, potatoes, whole grain bread, quinoa and oatmeal. Complex carbohydrates should make up the bulk of your daily caloric intake because they are responsible for forming muscle glycogen.

Glycogen provides long-lasting fuel for your body during your workout. Consuming carbohydrates after a workout also provides your body with an insulin spike, which puts your body into an anabolic or muscle-building state.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics advises to eat your carbs one to four hours before a workout so as not to upset your digestive process and cause you discomfort. Within an hour after working out, eat a combination of carbs and protein to help rebuild muscle.

Read more: A Complete Guide to Complex Carbohydrates

Avoid eating excess amounts of fruit and simple sugars. While fresh fruit is high in vitamins and fiber and low in calories, it also contains high amounts of fructose, which is a simple sugar that can be used as a building block for fat tissue. If you do eat fruit, choose fruits that are low in simple sugars, such as raspberries, blackberries, cranberries and rhubarb.