How to Gain 30 Pounds of Muscle Mass

Work out and eat right to gain muscle mass.

While the majority of people may be more preoccupied with losing weight than gaining it, adding muscle mass to your frame can be a way of replacing the fat on your body with a stronger physique. Whether you're a man or woman, young or old, the right combination of weight training and a higher caloric intake including proteins, carbs and fats should put you on a safe and healthy track toward gaining 30 lbs. of muscle mass.

Things You'll Need

• Gym access or weight lifting equipment
• Trainer
• Scale
• Measuring tape

Instructions

1. Consume a healthy diet with a ratio of about 30 percent to 50 percent protein, including lean red meats, poultry and fish; 20 percent to 50 percent carbohydrates, such as whole grain breads and pasta; and 20 percent to 40 percent fat, including nuts, dairy and animal products.

2. Create a weight training routine (or work with a trainer who can devise one for you) that focuses on compound exercises, which means weight lifting that utilizes more than one muscle group, such as squats or bench presses. Keep in mind that free weights and dumbbells build more muscle mass than machines can.

3. Start out with four to five sets of each exercise with six to 12 repetitions during these sets. As you progress with your weight training, you should either add to the amount of weight lifted or the repetitions (reps) completed.

4. Aim for about 10 to 16 sets of exercises per body part per workout session as you gain muscle mass to continue fueling the growth. (Men should generally aim for the higher end of the spectrum and women the lower end.)

5. Complete two to three hour long, high intensity weight lifting sessions per week.

6. Have a gym associate or trainer take your measurements to see how much muscle mass you have gained. Keep track of your progress, and repeat the above steps until you have gained 30 lbs. of muscle.

Tips & Warnings

• When attempting to lift your maximum weight during a certain exercise, start with a more realistic amount and slowly increase the weight until you can manage only one repetition. This approach should protect you from injuries.

• Do not overtrain or strain your muscles, which can lead to injuries, especially when you first start your weight training routine. While you should push yourself to get to the next level, make sure you do not do so at the expense of your health.

• Talk to your doctor if you have had a history of trouble bulking up before. She can conduct tests for any hormonal imbalances that are affecting your muscle mass gain.

Resources

• StrongLifts.com: How To Build Muscle Mass