It can be tough to gain muscle mass as a naturally skinny girl.
The majority of workout regimes won’t be catered to your body type or fitness goals. Many female-oriented workout routines focus on losing weight instead of gaining lean muscle mass.
But the good news is that it’s possible for skinny females to gain muscle mass.
By following these exercises and eating tips, you can bulk up so that you’re ready to show off your summer body!
How To Gain Muscle Mass For Skinny Women
Lift Heavy Weights
Though this may sound obvious, the best way for men and women alike to build muscle is through weightlifting.
Known as muscle hypertrophy, this is the process of lifting weights at moderate repetitions to increase muscle mass.
For women, lifting heavy weights won’t make you too bulky. The reason for this is that a woman’s body contains less testosterone than a man’s body.
This is the primary sex hormone found in the male body. It works as an anabolic steroid. In addition, testosterone is essential for the development of muscle mass.
Since only a small amount of testosterone is produced by the ovaries, women don’t have to worry about developing a traditionally masculine body type.
Weightlifting can be as simple as using dumbbells to do some bicep curls to increase your arm strength.
Eat The Right Food
Essentially, there are two main components to building muscle mass: exercising and eating. If you don’t have the correct diet, you will likely struggle to gain muscle mass.
Protein is perhaps the most important macronutrient that you need. The reason for this is that protein is an essential ingredient for building muscle.
In addition, protein will help your body to repair muscles. It’s recommended that women consume approximately 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of weight to increase muscle mass.
If you want to increase your protein consumption. It’s advised that you consume foods like chicken, eggs, nuts, cottage cheese, fish, yogurt, turkey, beans, or pork.
Alternatively, you can try whey protein powder for a super simple way of adding more protein to your diet. These protein supplements can come in a variety of flavors.
Additionally, skinny women need to eat more calories to gain muscle mass. Between 2,000 and 2,6000 calories per day will be sufficient for women who want to bulk up a bit.
If not, you should increase your calorie consumption by at least 5%. A calorie surplus is useful for muscle development and repair.
This will be especially important for skinny women who are struggling to gain weight and muscle.
Increase The Intensity
As you start to become more confident in your exercise regime, you should increase the intensity.
Women can make a workout more intense through a variety of different methods. For instance, you can start lifting heavier weights.
If you have noticed that you can more easily lift a weight and do more reps than you could before, this could be a sign that you need to crank up to a heavier weight.
Alternatively, you can take shorter breaks in between reps. In between reps, you should take between 2 and 5 minutes.
However, if you want to make things super intense, your rest breaks can be as little as 30 seconds.
Another technique of making things more intense is to add a drop set to your routine. Essentially, a drop set is a type of resistance training.
This technique will involve completing a set of exercises until failure, which will help you to build muscles.
Drop sets are best suited to women who have a little more experience, as this is an advanced form of training.
Hard Work And Perseverance Pay Off
Perseverance is essential to completing your goals at the gym. Women will need to stay motivated if they want to achieve their fitness goals, as numerous hurdles can hamper their progress.
To gain muscle, skinny women should aim to visit the gym between 2 and 5 times a week. If not, they can work out at home at similarly regular intervals.

Don’t Expect Immediate Results
Everyone will see different results when it comes to weightlifting. However, most people will not notice immediate results.
For most people, it can take a few weeks or even a few months for their bodies to noticeably change after exercising.
After a few weeks, you may begin to notice more muscle toning. Don’t excerpt to see these results immediately, as it can take a long time for your body to become more muscular.
As a result, dedication will be required.
The Best Exercises For Skinny Women
It’s important to do the correct exercises when attempting to build muscle mass as a skinny lady.
Here are some just of the exercises that you should add to your fitness routine:
- Bicep curls
- Bench press
- Squats
- Deadlifts
- Push-ups
- Press-ups
- Goblet squats
- Shoulder press
- Barbell hip thrust
- Dumbbell fly
If you aren’t sure about which exercises are best for you, it can be a good idea to hire a personal trainer to help you devise a suitable workout routine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can A Skinny Woman Gain Muscle?
Yes, skinny women can gain muscle. Yet, they will have to overcome challenges, such as having less testosterone than men.
By following the above tips, skinny women can gain muscle through techniques like hypertrophy training.
How Long Will It Take To Build Defined Muscles For Females?
For women, it will usually take a few weeks to gain defined muscles. Namely, it can take between 4 and 8 weeks to achieve these noticeable results.
However, different factors, such as the intensity of your training, will impact the speed at which you gain muscle.
Final Thoughts
By putting on extra muscle mass, you can increase your self-confidence and achieve the perfect body.
Though certain hurdles can make it challenging for skinny women to obtain this muscle mass, you can use these top tips to achieve your fitness goals. So why not start following this exercise routine?!