Big Arms for Skinny Guys – How to Increase Arm Size

Want to learn how to get big arms fast, even if you’re a skinny guy?

Building big arms can be challenging, especially for skinny guys who have trouble gaining muscle mass.

If you’re naturally skinny and haven’t been able to increase your arm size yet, you might believe that genetics is holding you back, and you can’t get bigger arms.

Although your genetic makeup will influence your potential to get bigger arms, you can always get bigger ones!

With the right approach, you can develop strong, well-defined arms that you can be proud of.

This article will discuss the scientific principles behind building muscle and provide a detailed guide on how to get big arms fast for skinny guys

The Basics of Arm Muscle Growth

Before we dive into the specifics of how to get bigger arms for skinny guys, it’s important to understand the basic principles of muscle growth.

Muscles grow in response to mechanical stress, or tension, placed on them during exercise.

This stress causes tiny tears in the muscle fibers, which then repair and grow stronger.

This process is known as hypertrophy, and it is the foundation of muscle growth.

Multiple factors play a role in muscle hypertrophy, but one key factor is progressive overload or the gradual increase in the amount of tension placed on the muscle fibers over time.

Progressive overload can be achieved by increasing your workout’s weight, volume, or intensity.

For example, you might increase the weight you lift by 5 pounds each week or add an extra set to your workout to increase the volume.

Another important factor in muscle growth is nutrition, which I will explain in depth below.

Now, let’s look at the best ways to increase arm size for skinny guys!

How to Get Big Arms Fast for Skinny Guys

Even if you are naturally skinny, it is possible to get big arms.

However, there certainly are more aspects of your workout program and diet that you need to manage properly than those who genetically build muscle easier.

Here are a few tips that will help skinny guys increase their arm size:

Do Heavy Compound Exercises Before Isolation Exercises

If you want to get bigger arms as a skinny guy, you will need to increase muscle mass throughout your body.

Although doing isolation exercises like dumbbell curls and tricep extensions might feel like they are targeting your arm muscles, they won’t help you build as much muscle mass as you would by doing heavy compound exercises because heavy compound exercises stimulate growth hormone and testosterone production that will allow your arm muscles to grow quicker.

If you’re trying to get bigger arms as a skinny guy, some good heavy compound exercises to get bigger arms are:

• Pullups, Chinups, and Inverted Rows
• Bench Press
• Overhead Press
• Bent-Over Row
• Single Arm Row
• Pushups
• Dips

Another way to achieve this is by doing leg workouts at the beginning of your sessions before you move to your arm exercises.

Doing heavy compound leg exercises also help release more growth hormone and testosterone.

In fact, one study found that people who did lower body exercises before doing arm workouts received much better results than those who only worked on their arms.

According to the study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology, doing leg exercises before arm exercises can result in better strength training results compared to just doing arm exercises because leg exercises can increase the levels of hormones such as testosterone and growth hormone in the body, which can help with muscle growth and strength.

The best exercises for increasing growth hormone and testosterone levels are the deadlift and back squat, but other heavy compound leg exercises are also effective.

Best Arm Exercises for Skinny Guys

Although doing specific arm exercises is not the most important aspect of getting bigger arms for skinny guys, doing some of the best arm exercises for skinny guys will still help!

These exercises target the biceps and triceps, the main muscle groups in the arms.

Barbell Curls

Barbell curls are one of the most effective exercises for building biceps.

To perform a barbell curl, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell with an underhand grip.

Lift the barbell towards your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.

Lower the barbell back down to the starting position, and repeat for several sets.

Dumbbell Hammer Curls

Hammer curls are similar to barbell curls but target a slightly different area of the biceps.

To perform a hammer curl, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold dumbbells with your palms facing inwards.

Lift the dumbbells towards your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.

Lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position and repeat for several sets.

Tricep Dips

Tricep dips are a great exercise for building the triceps, which are located on the back of the upper arm.

To perform tricep dips, find a sturdy bench or chair and place your hands on the edge, with your fingers facing forward. Lower your body down towards the floor, keeping your elbows close to your body.

Push your body back up to the starting position, and repeat for several sets.

Skull Crushers

Skull crushers are another effective exercise for building the triceps.

To perform a skull crusher, lie down on a bench and hold a barbell with an overhand grip.

Lower the barbell towards your forehead, keeping your elbows stationary. Lift the barbell back up to the starting position, and repeat for several sets.

How to Eat to Get Bigger Arms

If you’re trying to get bigger arms, working out frequently, and not getting results, it could be because you’re committing the most basic mistake that can be easily corrected: not eating enough.

Not eating enough is the biggest mistake people make when trying to get bigger arms because unless you have a positive energy balance (intaking more calories than burning each day), you’ll never be able to get bigger arms.

Eating a diet rich in protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates is essential to building muscle mass and increasing your arm size.

Protein is the building block of muscle, so you must consume enough to support muscle growth.

Foods such as chicken, turkey, beef, fish, eggs, and dairy are excellent protein sources. There are many amazing vegan protein sources as well, such as nuts, beans, and seeds.

Healthy fats are also important for muscle growth as they help to increase testosterone levels in the body.

Testosterone is a hormone that plays a key role in muscle development, so you must consume enough healthy fats to support its production.

Foods such as avocados, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish are all great sources of healthy fats.

Complex carbohydrates are important for providing the energy that your body needs to lift weights and build muscle.

These carbs are broken down slowly by the body, providing a steady stream of energy throughout the day.

Foods such as brown rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes, and whole-grain bread are excellent complex carbs for building muscle.

In addition to consuming the right foods, it is also essential that you eat enough calories to support muscle growth. This means you need to be in a calorie surplus, which means consuming more calories than you are burning.

You can calculate your daily caloric needs using an online calculator and then add 300-500 calories to that number to create a calorie surplus.

When it comes to the timing of your meals, it is also essential that you consume protein and carbs immediately after your workout.

This will help kickstart the muscle recovery process and provide your body with the nutrients it needs to repair and grow.

Use Hany Rambod’s FST-7 Program

If you want an affordable and effective workout program for big arms to follow step by step, I suggest you sign up for BodyFit by Bodybuilding.com and do Hany Rambod’s FST-7 program.

BodyFit by Bodybuilding.com contains tons of workout programs from some of the most famous bodybuilders and fitness coaches, and it costs only $3.99 or $12.99 per month, depending on which level you sign up for.

The FST-7 program, also known as fascia stretch training, is an awesome workout program for skinny guys to increase their arm size because it produces a maximal hormonal release and stretches the fascia surrounding your muscles, providing them more space to grow larger.

Use Fat Gripz

If you want to get bigger arms, a simple and effective trick is to do some of your workouts with Fat Gripz!

I love my Fat Gripz, and I don’t only use them for arm workouts.

Fat Gripz (or thick bar training) helps you get bigger arms by recruiting more muscle fibers for each exercise.

Fat Gripz make the dumbbell or barbell have a thicker grip, forcing you to use more forearm muscle, increasing your grip strength, and improving your overall arm development.

Over time, your forearms will become stronger, you will lift more weight, and your arm size will grow!

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Take the Right Supplements to Get Big Arms Fast

If you want to increase your arm size quickly, a few dietary supplements can make a huge difference.

Although you don’t need to fill your cabinet with supplements, taking a few particular supplements can help you get bigger arms.

Creatine Monohydrate

Creatine monohydrate is a well-researched supplement proven to help people lift more weight and increase muscle size.

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found in muscle tissue, which plays a key role in energy production during high-intensity exercise.

When taken before or after workouts, creatine monohydrate can help to enhance muscle recovery and increase protein synthesis.

By promoting protein synthesis, creatine can help to facilitate muscle repair and growth, leading to bigger and stronger arm muscles.

In addition, creatine supplementation may help improve exercise performance, allowing individuals to train harder and longer.

This can be particularly beneficial for individuals who struggle to push themselves to the limit during workouts, as increased exercise intensity is essential for triggering muscle growth.

In terms of dosage, most studies have shown that taking 3-5 grams of creatine monohydrate daily can improve muscle size and strength.

I also recommend taking creatine with a carbohydrate source, such as a sports drink or juice, to help facilitate its uptake into the muscles.

As with any supplement, it is important to consult a healthcare professional before starting creatine supplementation, especially if you have any pre-existing medical conditions or are taking other medications.

For skinny guys looking to get bigger arms, creatine supplementation can be a useful addition to their diet and training regimen.

Personally, I use Optimum Nutrition Creatine Monohydrate:

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EAAs

Drinking an Essential Amino Acid (EAA) supplement before and during workouts can benefit skinny guys looking to build bigger arms for multiple reasons.

Essential amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and protein is essential for muscle growth and repair.

By consuming an EAA supplement before and during a workout, you can provide your body with the necessary amino acids to support muscle protein synthesis, which can help to reduce muscle breakdown and promote muscle growth.

In addition, EAAs can improve muscle endurance and reduce muscle fatigue, allowing you to perform more repetitions and lift heavier weights, ultimately leading to more muscle growth.

When selecting an EAA supplement, it’s important to choose a product that contains a balanced ratio of all nine essential amino acids. Leucine, one of the essential amino acids, is particularly important for muscle protein synthesis and should be present in higher amounts than the other EAAs.

It’s also important to time your EAA supplement intake appropriately.

Consuming EAAs before and during a workout can be effective because it allows for a steady supply of amino acids to be available during the workout when muscle breakdown is at its highest.

There are a lot of good EAA supplements, but if you are a skinny guy trying to get bigger arms, I think the best EAA supplement for you is Purple Wraath:

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Protein Powder

If you want to build bigger arms fast, you will want to drink a protein powder that contains a high amount of protein after your workouts. 

Although whey protein is the most common option, I prefer vegan protein powder instead of whey protein because I have trouble digesting whey protein powder.

Vegan protein sources are often easier to digest than animal-based proteins and can be an excellent choice for individuals with dietary restrictions or who prefer a plant-based diet.

Additionally, research indicates that there is little difference in muscle protein synthesis from plant protein supplements compared with whey protein supplements.

My favorite vegan protein powder is Garden of Life Raw Organic Protein & Greens:

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Caffeine

Caffeine is a popular stimulant commonly found in coffee and pre-workout supplements, and drinking caffeine can provide several benefits for those looking to build bigger arms.

Caffeine can increase energy levels, improve focus, and reduce fatigue, which can help skinny guys push through intense workouts and perform more reps or sets than they would otherwise.

In addition, caffeine has been shown to increase strength and power output during exercise, which can help skinny guys lift heavier weights and stimulate more muscle growth in the arms.

Caffeine achieves these results by increasing the release of adrenaline and other stimulating hormones, which activate the nervous system and promote the recruitment of more muscle fibers.

Moreover, caffeine can also help improve endurance by delaying fatigue and improving oxygen utilization, leading to longer and more intense workouts.

It is worth noting that caffeine should be used in moderation and can have side effects if consumed excessively.

It is generally recommended to consume no more than 400mg of caffeine per day, which is equivalent to 4 cups of coffee or two servings of most pre-workout supplements.

The two most common forms of caffeine intake for weightlifters are coffee and pre workout supplements.

When comparing coffee vs. pre-workout supplements, each has a few main advantages.

If you are a skinny guy trying to get bigger arms, a good pre workout supplement like Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre Workout provides caffeine and other beneficial ingredients that support the muscle-building process.

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Avoid Overtraining

One of the most common things skinny guys ask when trying to build muscle is, should you work out your arms every day? Although you technically can work out your arms every day, that doesn’t necessarily mean you should.

Unlike your shoulders, the biceps and triceps are low-frequency and low-rep muscle groups.

If biceps were a high-frequency muscle group, you would see rowers with enormous biceps, as you see boxers with perfectly sculpted shoulders.

If you want to get big arms as a skinny guy, I suggest only training arms twice per week, but with intense workout sessions.

Concluding Thoughts – Big Arms for Skinny Guys

Getting bigger arms as a skinny guy is always possible, provided you put the work in and avoid the mistakes that could ruin your gains.

For precise workout routines for bigger arms, I suggest you sign up for BodyFit by Bodybuilding.com and follow the workout programs for big arms from the fitness experts there. They are proven programs for building big arms and are easy to follow!

If you follow the simple tips in this article, you should slowly but surely start getting results!

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