Ah, the 80s and 90s—a time of neon windbreakers, rollerblades, and the infamous "lanky" nickname that followed me around like a bad mullet. Standing tall at 6'6" and weighing in at a mere 185 lbs, I was the epitome of the "lanky" stereotype.
Fast forward to today, and I've packed on some serious muscle. Now in my mid-40s, I'm tipping the scales at 215-220 lbs with a lean physique. I previously owned a private coaching practice helping men reach their body composition goals. However, teaching my fellow 'lanky' clients how to build muscle mass will forever hold a special place in my heart.
I decided to write and share this article because it would have meant the world to me to have read this back when I was being called 'lanky'. My favorite compliment now that I fill out my clothing is, "You carry your height well." Say that again, that feels nice.
Here's my street cred picture:
This article will answer the following 10 questions:
- How much should I eat?
- How much protein should I eat? Carbs? Fats?
- What does a day of eating look like?
- What supplements should I take?
- What does a week of training look like?
- How often should I train?
- When is the best time to train?
- Where can I find training gear that actually fits me?
- How much muscle can I expect to gain?
- Any final tips?
Alright, let's dive in.
LEAN BULKING
It's important to note that when you are bulking, some fat gain will come along for the ride regardless of what that celebrity trainer tells you.
When following a lean bulk, the trick is to minimize the fat and maximize the muscle. Follow my plan for at least 12 weeks, and you can expect about 60-70% of your gains to be muscle. "That's quacktastic!" And there's a reference for proof that I'm over 40.
How much should I eat?
You cannot maximize muscle gain without an energy surplus. And that energy surplus will come from the food you eat.
Let's start with a simple calculation to determine your daily calories. Did I mention that you have to eat? A lot. Every. Single. Day.
Daily Calories = Body Weight (lbs) x 19
Using this calculation should put you at approximately 10% above your calorie maintenance and will make sure muscle is the priority weight gain.
I'll use the body weight of my 25-year-old self as an example throughout.
Example: 185 x 19 = 3500 daily calories (rounded)
- If you are a serious athlete lifting weights 4-5 days per week in combination with sports cardio sessions, multiply your body weight by 20 instead.
How much protein should I eat? Carbs? Fats?
Macronutrients (macros) are energy nutrients that provide fuel for a wide array of bodily processes. The three macros are Protein, Fats, and Carbohydrates.
When lean bulking, most of your calories will come from carbs. This is because carbs serve as excellent fuel for high-intensity muscle contraction (weight training) and have a lesser tendency to be stored as body fat.
I recommend the following macro distribution:
45% Carbs, 30% Fat, 25% Protein
Example:
-
Carbs: 3500 (calories) x 0.45 = 1575 calories
-
1575 / 4 (calories per gram) = 394g daily Carbs
-
Fat: 3500 x 0.30 = 1050 calories
-
1050 / 9 (calories per gram) = 116g Fat
-
Protein: 3500 x 0.25 = 875 calories
-
875 / 4 (calories per gram) = 219g Protein
Final Daily Total: 3500 Calories 494g Carbs / 116g Fat / 219g Protein
Or you can take a trip down my OCD path and calculate each macro down to the gram based on evidence-based clinical research. Either way, the macros will be quite close.
Example:
-
Protein: Body Weight (lbs) x 1.2
-
185 x 1.2 = 222g Protein
-
222 x 4 (calories per gram) = 888 daily calories from Protein
-
Fat: Body Weight (lbs) x 0.6
-
185 x 0.6 = 111g Fat
-
111 x 9 (calories per gram) = 999 daily calories from Fat
-
Carbs: Remaining Calories
-
888 (protein calories) + 999 (fat calories) = 1887 calories
-
3500 (daily calories) - 1887 (protein + fat calories) = 1613 remaining calories
-
1613 / 4 (calories per gram) = 403g Carbohydrates
Final Daily Total: 3500 Calories 403g Carbs / 111g Fat / 222g Protein
I told you they would be quite close either way.
What does a day of eating look like?
Eat REAL FOOD. Real food doesn't contain ingredients. Real food is the ingredient. Wild-caught salmon ingredients: Wild-caught salmon.
When I am lean bulking, I stick to the 90/10 rule. 90% of my diet is nutrient-dense real food, and I leave the other 10% to "treat meals."
Order of importance:
- CALORIES
- REAL FOOD
- PROTEIN
- CARBS
- FATS
Example: 3500 calories 45% Carbs, 30% Fat, 25% Protein
- Macros don't have to be perfect, but make sure calories and protein are prioritized.
Breakfast: 4 eggs, 1 avocado, 2 slices of toast
Lunch: Tortilla, Chicken, Rice, Beans, Salsa, Veggies - Chipotle burrito ;)
Dinner: 10oz Salmon (wild-caught), Olive oil, 1 cup quinoa w/ Feta, Veggies
Snack: 1 cup Oatmeal w/ Protein Powder & Berries
What supplements should I take?
Aside from sticking a needle in your behind, there are very few supplements that have consistently shown muscle-building benefits. So, I will keep this short and sweet.
Creatine Monohydrate: The most hyped supplement on the market and for good reason. Countless clinical studies support its role in building muscle and enhancing training performance in resistance-trained men.
Monohydrate, as opposed to Ethyl Ester, Hydrochloride, or liquid forms of Creatine, has shown to be the most effective, and it's also the cheapest. How often does that happen?!
And NO, creatine does not cause male baldness. This is a rumor that spread from a poorly designed study on rugby athletes from the 90s. No actual baldness was even reported, and it's been debunked by several high-quality studies since.
Dosing: Loading phase - 20g/day for 7 days, 5g/day thereafter. 2-4 lbs of lean body mass gains can occur within 4-28 days. Two studies have shown taking it immediately POST-training was superior to PRE-training. Not enough to write home about, but worth pointing out.
High-Quality Protein Powder:
It's not easy to hit your daily protein goals without some help from a source you don't have to chew. A high-quality protein powder is perfect for these times. When I say 'high-quality,' this is what I'm referring to:
Optimal Protein Source: Whey and Pea & Rice combo shown to be the most bioavailable
Adequate Protein Amount: 20g+ per serving
Strong Amino Acid Profile: Adequate amount of Leucine, Isoleucine, & Valine, which are the most important BCAAs for muscle building
Low Added Sugars: Under 5g
The Protein Powder and Creatine Monohydrate I recommend:
- Metagenics Perfect Protein (Whey and Pea/Rice options)
- Thorne Creatine Monohydrate
Both available here at my Lean By Design supplement store with a 10% discount and FREE shipping for all customers.
What does a week of training look like? How often should I train?
I weight train 5 days per week for 45-60 minutes per session. The only cardio I do is walking a minimum of 10,000 steps every day. 10k per day! Cardio isn't necesario. In fact, too much cardio will impede your muscle gains.
A common mistake that skinny men make is running far too much. Please stop.
8 Day Routine:
Day 1: Push
Day 2: Pull
Day 3: Lower + Shoulders
Day 4: Rest Day
Day 5: Push
Day 6: Pull
Day 7: Rest Day
Day 8: Lower + Shoulders
REPEAT.
Here is the weight training plan I follow:
3 sets of each exercise. Intra-set Progressive Overload.
Set 1: 10-12 reps
Set 2: 8-10 reps (increase weight volume)
Set 3: 6-8 reps (increase weight volume)
Push Day:
Chest: Bench Press, Dumbbell Incline, Fly Machine, Decline Fly
Triceps: Skull Crushers, Overhead Barbell Press, Rope Pull Down
Pull Day:
Back: Wide Grip Pulldown, Close Grip Pulldown, Seated Wide Grip Cable Row, Seated Close Grip Cable Row
Biceps: Barbell Curls, Barbell Reverse Grip Curls, Hammer Curls
Lower + Shoulders Day:
Legs: Squats, Lunges, Leg Press, Leg Extensions, Calf Raises
Shoulders: Shoulder Press, Lateral Raises, Reverse Fly Machine
When is the best time to train?
The best time to train is when you can. The optimal time to train has a different answer.
Your Circadian Rhythm is a daily cycle of biological activity, and your body has an internal clock that regulates when to activate its systems. Trust me, this is not woo-woo.
At different times of day, your body is primed for certain activities. And your body is primed for strength training at 5pm. So, if your schedule is flexible, lifting weights between 5-6pm is optimal.
Note: if you train early in the morning in a fasted state, be sure to break your fast with a large meal immediately following your training. Don't wait several hours to eat. Your muscles will thank you.
Where can I find training gear that actually fits me?
Stop it, designer joggers that fit!
At Lean By Design, we create designer activewear fit for the vertically gifted man.
Imagine wearing joggers that don't prep you for a flash flood. Or raising a dumbbell without flashing your mid-drift.
Our stylish and comfortable apparel is crafted to showcase your hard-earned gains and ensure you feel confident both in and out of the gym. Check out our designer collection and elevate your wardrobe to match your newfound physique.
How much muscle can I expect to gain?
Over my years of coaching tall, skinny men with beginner to intermediate training experience who follow my 12-week bulking plan (food, training, supplements) can expect to gain 10-15 lbs of total body weight with 60-70% of those lbs being lean body mass...MUSCLE!
Any final tips?
-
BE CONSISTENT WITH YOUR FOOD - 7 days per week. The first week will seem like a whole lot of food. It only gets easier as your body adjusts.
-
BE CONSISTENT WITH YOUR TRAINING - 5 days per week. Weight training in combination with diet is the only way to get there.
-
BE CONSISTENT WITH YOUR SUPPLEMENTS - Creatine works but has to be taken daily to fully saturate your muscles. Protein powder makes your daily protein goal more manageable.
- TRACK YOUR FOOD - 7 days per week. I track my food daily using the 'Cronometer' app with the paid version because it has some additional features that I like. However, the free version will do the trick for most.
- GET SOME SLEEP - getting 8 hours vs 5 hours of sleep has consistently shown to have positive effects on body composition. More muscle, less fat.
- WEAR CLOTHES THAT FIT - it's great to be tall. It's not so great to be tall and shop for clothes. Check us out!
You can call me tall but don't call me lanky!
Cheers, my friends.