Starting at age 30 possible?
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stevehubbard6911
Posts: 5 Member
I just turned 30 this past year and have adjusted my diet and excerciae routine. Wondering if building mass is even possible or if I should just aim for a healthy rhythm. If building some mass is still possible I'd love to gain 10-15 lbs of muscle. Im naturally thin and haven't had any regular gym work most of my life. Ive started about a month ago and love it. Any advice?
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Replies
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Hi Steve,
30 is very far from too late (if too late even exists)!
I'm 37 now and successfully building mass. It's all about sticking to a good routine and eating a crap ton of food. Being in your 30s, the biggest challenge may be getting in enough calories on a consistent basis. I imagine you probably have a busy career, maybe a family, outside hobbies, etc. With all of that, it can be easy to skip meals or just not eat enough over your maintenance level to pack on some pounds.
There's tons of good workout advice out there, I won't go into that. One tip I would have is to try to plan out your meals in advance for a couple weeks, at least long enough to get into the habit of it. If you know how may calories keep you at your current weight, try this:
Week 1: Add 200 calories on top of that
Week 2: Add another 200
Week 3: Add another 200
Depending on my workout level, I find I need 500-1000 calories a day over what I would normally eat to gain mass. The 500 is when I'm only doing strength training routines and the 1000 is when I'm also consistently doing more cardio stuff, like kickboxing on top of the weights.
See how that goes, get enough protein, and be consistent with tracking your calories. Lift heavy things until you can't lift them anymore. Switch up your routine every couple months, and keep it varied at all times. If it makes it easier for you, do one of the routines that spoon feeds you instructions on a daily basis (Body Beast is a decent one). Or read a good book like "Men's Health: The Book of Muscle".
Good luck!7 -
Yes, very possible. Check out first sticky thread in this forum.0
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Before you start thinking about building muscle, where are you with respect to your target weight and body fat percentage? Thinking about a calorie surplus might be jumping the gun.1
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Are you kidding me? I am two years from 50 years old and am getting prepped to enter a female body building competition. I've also just earned First Rank in Muay Thai and can deadlift/bench more than most guys I know! It's NEVER too late!!!!! Stick to a solid routine, eat nutritious foods to fuel your body and performance and keep building....12
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jesusHchris wrote: »Hi Steve,
30 is very far from too late (if too late even exists)!
I'm 37 now and successfully building mass. It's all about sticking to a good routine and eating a crap ton of food. Being in your 30s, the biggest challenge may be getting in enough calories on a consistent basis. I imagine you probably have a busy career, maybe a family, outside hobbies, etc. With all of that, it can be easy to skip meals or just not eat enough over your maintenance level to pack on some pounds.
There's tons of good workout advice out there, I won't go into that. One tip I would have is to try to plan out your meals in advance for a couple weeks, at least long enough to get into the habit of it. If you know how may calories keep you at your current weight, try this:
Week 1: Add 200 calories on top of that
Week 2: Add another 200
Week 3: Add another 200
Depending on my workout level, I find I need 500-1000 calories a day over what I would normally eat to gain mass. The 500 is when I'm only doing strength training routines and the 1000 is when I'm also consistently doing more cardio stuff, like kickboxing on top of the weights.
See how that goes, get enough protein, and be consistent with tracking your calories. Lift heavy things until you can't lift them anymore. Switch up your routine every couple months, and keep it varied at all times. If it makes it easier for you, do one of the routines that spoon feeds you instructions on a daily basis (Body Beast is a decent one). Or read a good book like "Men's Health: The Book of Muscle".
Good luck!
Would second all of this @stevehubbard6911 . While I worked out for years, I was winging it. It wasnt until 3 years ago when I went to a PT at the age of 32 that things started to change for the better. I was skinny with no muscle before I went to him despite going to the gym but that all changed after I started going to him. Thus it is not too late at all. Do what @jesusHchris said above and that should help. I wouldnt go as far as planning out meals in advance for a couple weeks, I would just take it one week at a time but that's just me.
If you know what your maintenance calories are, increase them by 250, give it a month and if you see no increase in weight, increase again by 250 and so on until you see the weight going up.
Get yourself onto a good and proven workout routine.
At first you will find it difficult to consume so much food but over time you will get used to it.
Good luck.1 -
Too old at 30!
SMH
Generic advice - train hard and effectively, eat well.
If you want to be heavier then you are going to have to eat in a surplus at some stage but that doesn't mean you have to do it just yet especially as you are a beginner.
The more detail you give then the more any advice can be targeted at you rather than just generic ideas.
1 -
jesusHchris wrote: »Hi Steve,
30 is very far from too late (if too late even exists)!
I'm 37 now and successfully building mass. It's all about sticking to a good routine and eating a crap ton of food. Being in your 30s, the biggest challenge may be getting in enough calories on a consistent basis. I imagine you probably have a busy career, maybe a family, outside hobbies, etc. With all of that, it can be easy to skip meals or just not eat enough over your maintenance level to pack on some pounds.
There's tons of good workout advice out there, I won't go into that. One tip I would have is to try to plan out your meals in advance for a couple weeks, at least long enough to get into the habit of it. If you know how may calories keep you at your current weight, try this:
Week 1: Add 200 calories on top of that
Week 2: Add another 200
Week 3: Add another 200
Depending on my workout level, I find I need 500-1000 calories a day over what I would normally eat to gain mass. The 500 is when I'm only doing strength training routines and the 1000 is when I'm also consistently doing more cardio stuff, like kickboxing on top of the weights.
See how that goes, get enough protein, and be consistent with tracking your calories. Lift heavy things until you can't lift them anymore. Switch up your routine every couple months, and keep it varied at all times. If it makes it easier for you, do one of the routines that spoon feeds you instructions on a daily basis (Body Beast is a decent one). Or read a good book like "Men's Health: The Book of Muscle".
Good luck!
Thanks everyone. I appreciate it. I'm 6'1" and my normal weight is 175. Not sure on my body % fat. I'm naturally thin. I've been going to the gym 3x a week pairing up back/biceps, chest/triceps, leg/core. Eating clean 3200 calories a day. I've gained about 3 lbs in 3 weeks so far. 200 grams of protein a day.
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Thanks everyone. I appreciate it. I'm 6'1" and my normal weight is 175. Not sure on my body % fat. I'm naturally thin. I've been going to the gym 3x a week pairing up back/biceps, chest/triceps, leg/core. Eating clean 3200 calories a day. I've gained about 3 lbs in 3 weeks so far. 200 grams of protein a day.
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You would be really sensible to pick an established and well designed beginner's program rather than just make it up as you go along.
You are only hitting each muscle group once a week - that's miles away from optimal.
Many programs will be full body three times a week so three periods of work/recovery/growth instead of your one.3 -
LOL!!!
It's not too late to start doing anything at 30. You're just starting to know your own mind and learn how to live life at that age.
Take it from this 66 year old.1 -
stevehubbard6911 wrote: »I just turned 30 this past year and have adjusted my diet and excerciae routine. Wondering if building mass is even possible or if I should just aim for a healthy rhythm. If building some mass is still possible I'd love to gain 10-15 lbs of muscle. Im naturally thin and haven't had any regular gym work most of my life. Ive started about a month ago and love it. Any advice?
You're not dead yet!!!
You're only 30 (Hi, I'm 30 too).You would be really sensible to pick an established and well designed beginner's program rather than just make it up as you go along.
You are only hitting each muscle group once a week - that's miles away from optimal.
Many programs will be full body three times a week so three periods of work/recovery/growth instead of your one.
^ This. And all the other sensible advice given so far.
1 -
jesusHchris wrote: »Hi Steve,
30 is very far from too late (if too late even exists)!
I'm 37 now and successfully building mass. It's all about sticking to a good routine and eating a crap ton of food. Being in your 30s, the biggest challenge may be getting in enough calories on a consistent basis. I imagine you probably have a busy career, maybe a family, outside hobbies, etc. With all of that, it can be easy to skip meals or just not eat enough over your maintenance level to pack on some pounds.
There's tons of good workout advice out there, I won't go into that. One tip I would have is to try to plan out your meals in advance for a couple weeks, at least long enough to get into the habit of it. If you know how may calories keep you at your current weight, try this:
Week 1: Add 200 calories on top of that
Week 2: Add another 200
Week 3: Add another 200
Depending on my workout level, I find I need 500-1000 calories a day over what I would normally eat to gain mass. The 500 is when I'm only doing strength training routines and the 1000 is when I'm also consistently doing more cardio stuff, like kickboxing on top of the weights.
See how that goes, get enough protein, and be consistent with tracking your calories. Lift heavy things until you can't lift them anymore. Switch up your routine every couple months, and keep it varied at all times. If it makes it easier for you, do one of the routines that spoon feeds you instructions on a daily basis (Body Beast is a decent one). Or read a good book like "Men's Health: The Book of Muscle".
Good luck!
+1
editing - jHc, Blue pup looks like a kangaroo. What's up with that?
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I started working out consistently for the first time at the age of 32. One year later I've seen an amazing transformation.
I don't think you're ever too old. Unless mentally you convince yourself you are.2 -
There are people that start in their 80s or even their 90s for that matter and have success.
It's comes down to muscle stimulas, recovery, muscle adaptation from increases, and eating in a surplus.
Find a structured novice program and run the chit out of it while eating in a surplus and you will have success.0 -
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age doesnt matter
look at those wrestlers at there age. 0 -
For a bit of inspiration, do a Google search for Ernestine Shepherd. She didn't start lifting weights until she was in her 50's I think.0
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Jeez - I started a few months ago and I'm 46. I've made fantastic gains in both size and strength and I feel better than I've felt in years. I *wish* I had started this journey 16 years ago. lol0
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I started working out consistently for the first time at the age of 32. One year later I've seen an amazing transformation.
I don't think you're ever too old. Unless mentally you convince yourself you are.
Same here, though I was 31 when I really picked it up last August. It hasn't been a year yet, and it's still hilarious for me to look at pictures from when I was 231 years ago, 150 last August, and 170 now.
It's never too late. Find something heavy and pick that *kitten* up.
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stevehubbard6911 wrote: »I just turned 30 this past year and have adjusted my diet and excerciae routine. Wondering if building mass is even possible or if I should just aim for a healthy rhythm. If building some mass is still possible I'd love to gain 10-15 lbs of muscle. Im naturally thin and haven't had any regular gym work most of my life. Ive started about a month ago and love it. Any advice?
I started about 7 years ago... at 48 year old.... never done any excercise before
and on top of that I had luck of being a woman, wich makes it even more difficult to build musscle
In my third year of training I had a period of gaining 5kg pure musscle mass (based on mesuring weight and fat%)
Althoug I know its prrobebly not completely accurate.... I´m sure I had a great result
So...is 30 year to old.... well hack no!!!!!1
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