Gaining 15 lbs of muscle is a very challenging goal, but it is not impossible. In fact, in his book "The Xtraordinary Size Surge Workout" author Jonathan Lawson documents his 20-lb muscle gain in only 10 weeks without the use of steroids. With sound nutrition, the right workout program and a commitment to training as hard as you can, you, too, can gain a lot of muscle in a relatively short amount of time. Follow a few basic guidelines to gain 15 lbs of muscle.
Step 1
Set up a nutritional slingshot to prime your body to gain a lot of muscle fast. "Muscle Explosion" by Nick Nilsson recommends a specific dietary protocol the week before your begin your muscle gaining program. For the first two days you follow a low-carb diet and on the third day you eat low-fat, with moderate carbs and high protein. The fourth and fifth day you go back to the low-carb diet. On the sixth day you eat only protein and nothing else. The seventh day you eat nothing but fruit. According to Nilsson, the caloric restriction and timing of macro-nutrients primes your body to gain muscle.
Step 2
Do two or three full body workouts per week. For example, you could work out on Monday and Thursday, which works great for hard-gainers or those who have difficulty gaining muscle. Others may choose to follow the Monday, Wednesday and Friday workout split. On Monday and Friday you do legs, chest, back and triceps. On Wednesday you do arms, shoulders and calves.
Step 3
Begin each workout with an anabolic acceleration exercise, says "Xtraordinary Muscle Building Workouts," by Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman. Squats and deadlifts are the best anabolic acceleration exercises because they create the biggest surge of muscle-building hormones such as testosterone and GH or growth hormone. Follow a 20-rep set of squats or deadlifts with a 20-rep set of dumbbell pullovers. Alternate between the two exercises, doing squats at one workout and then deadlifts at the next.
Step 4
Build your workouts around compound muscle-building exercises such as bench presses for chest, pull-ups and bent-over rows for back, upright rows for shoulders, close-grip bench presses for triceps and barbell curls for biceps. Besides squats and deadlifts, these are the exercises that create the biggest anabolic trigger in the body, according to "Optimum Anabolics" by Jeff Anderson.
Step 5
Do one or two sets of a compound exercise for each muscle group on workout days, after one or two light warm-ups. Take each set to positive muscle failure, meaning that you cannot perform another repetition under control. Aim for each set to end at around seven or eight to 12 reps. This is known as the hypertrophy or muscle growth rep-range. Be progressive by incrementally adding weight, five to 10 lbs at a time, as you get stronger from one workout to another.
Step 6
Drink a post-workout protein shake with 30 to 50 g of whey protein and 60 to 100 g of high-glycemic carbohydrates such as dextrose or maltodextrin. According to Anderson, these carbs spike insulin, which creates an anabolic or muscle building effect in the body, by driving nutrients into muscle cells. Try to take in your post-workout nutrition immediately after your workout to improve muscle recovery.
Step 7
Take in six to eight smaller meals, including the post-workout shake, every single day. This creates a trickle effect of much-needed nutrients to growing muscles. Include 20 to 30 g of protein at each meal to provide the amino acids or raw materials from which muscle is built. Do not skimp on carbohydrates like oatmeal, brown rice and sweet potatoes or healthy fats like olive oil, nuts and seeds and fatty fish.
Tips and Warnings
- Limit cardiovascular exercise to ensure that your caloric total provides adequate nutrition for gaining muscle. As a general rule, the faster your metabolism, the more carbohydrates you must take in to gain muscle.
- Never train to failure without a spotter.
Things You'll Need
- Whey protein
- Dextrose
- Maltodextrin
References
- "Muscle Explosion"; Nick Nilsson; 2008
- "Xtraordinary Muscle Building Workouts"; Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman; 2007
- "Optimum Anabolics"; Jeff Anderson; 2004
- Muscle & Performance; "The Best Muscle-Building Moves of All Time"; Chris Logan, May 2010
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