Like most guys who hit they gym, you’re looking to put on some more muscle mass but you’re confused as to how. Maybe you need to move up a weight class, get stronger for your sport, or just wanna look good at the beach, it doesn’t matter. If you want to put on weight and build muscle mass, there are time tested ways of achieving that goal.
1. Lift Heavy
This should be pretty basic, and if you’re not doing this then start. Doing 1000 reps of 5 lbs won’t get you ripped, but doing a few reps of 1000 lbs will. Go heavy, and reduce your reps. If you want a good program, check out the StrongLifts 5×5 Program -> http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5×5-beginner-strength-training-program/
2. Lift Heavier – Progressive Overload
This follows directly from the first step. First, you gotta lift heavy. Then, once you’ve started hitting the weights, you gotta push and try to lift heavier and heavier over time. If your bench has been stuck at 200 for the last 2 years, and even though you train if 3x a week it hasn’t gone up, then this advice is for you. You need to constantly reach for higher goals, stop benching 200, and start benching 201, then 202, etc…
3. Increase your calories
Another basic ingredient in muscle building, you have to increase your caloric intake. Not just a few hundred, we’re talking thousands of calories here. The most efficient way to put on muscle is to be in a state of caloric excess. You may be thinking “won’t I get fat eating so much”, and the answer is no. If you’re hitting the gym often, you won’t get fat. Your bodyfat will increase slightly, and you’ll have to deal with that after you’ve finished bulking.
4. Deadlifts/Squats and other great exercises
Pick exercises which target large muscle groups, like the deadlift, squat, bench, and so on. You don’t get big doing curls, so stop working on your “gunz” and start squatting heavy.
5. Don’t Overtrain
Follow a good routine like Bill Starr’s 5×5 or Stronglifts and don’t be tempted to overdue it. Stick to the schedule, focus on your eating and sleeping, and you’ll be big enough in no time.
6. Sleep
A common mistake for many guys is to not get enough sleep. You need to sleep, or your body won’t have time to recover and rebuild.
7. Efficient Workouts
This ties in to the point on overtraining, don’t go to the gym and spend the next 5 hours there, its largely a waste of time. Get in, do your warmup, and then hit the weights. You have about 45 mins once you’ve started seriously working out before testosterone levels begin to drop. After that, it’s rapidly diminishing returns. Any of the 5×5 routines can be finished under 45 mins without problems.
8. Eat Protein
Again, a basic rule for anybody looking to pack on some weight. Your body needs protein to rebuild your muscles after a hard workout. A good rule of thumb is to consume about 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. So a 200 lb man would ideally eat about 200-300 grams of protein per day. So hit Costco, and stock up on steak, chicken, milk, fish, and eggs.
9. Avoid too Much Cardio
Putting on muscle and putting on some fat go hand in hand unfortunately. If you try to change this with too much cardio, you risk putting yourself in a catabolic state. That means all your hand work just went out the window, as your body eagerly breaks down muscle tissue.
10. Supplements
Just about every bodybuilding site on the web will recommend that you at least supplement your caloric intake with a good multivitamin every day. If you’re so inclined, think about picking up some creatine as well.
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