How fast muscles can grow

So if you have recently gone through a cut to have a lower starting body fat, you might want to consider maintaining your lower weight for a few weeks first to allow your metabolism to stabilize before trying to bulk.

And vice versa. Jumping into a cut too soon after a bulk could result in some unintentional loss of gains. The worst part about transforming your body is not seeing immediate progress or not knowing if your hard work is even paying off. Tracking changes in your body weight is one of the easiest ways to tell if your hard work is paying off. The scale might not always go up every day, but it should be creeping up slowly and consistently week after week.

You will naturally experience a lot of fluctuations in your weight due to changes in water weight, hormones, and dietary changes - especially in the beginning stages. But after three to four weeks a lot of these fluctuations should even out and you should start to see the scale move in the right direction. Track your weight at the same time each day and plot it on a chart to see your long term progress.

Getting jacked will often mean your clothes start to fit differently - usually in a good way. Muscle building and increased strength tend to go hand in hand.

Feeling strong is one thing, but the best way to track this is to log your workouts each week. Note how many reps and the weight used, and aim to increase the amount e a ch week.

Training programs that utilize progressive overloads are perfect for this. Lifting weights increases fluids to your muscle giving you that post weight training pump, especially when you are just getting started wi th strength training. Over time, some of the water retention may diminish but you should continue to feel bulkier.

One of the best ways to measure your visual progress is with daily or weekly progress photos. Stand in front of a mirror and take a full body photo. Repeat and assess your visual transformation regularly. You will be both amazed and motivated by the results you see. Ultimately the most efficient way to measure your muscle gain progress is to assess your body composition at the beginning and end of your bulk.

Ultimately, how long it takes to gain muscle depends on the person and how long you can stick to your muscle growth goals. Muscle protein synthesis requires a balance of adequate nutrition, strength training, and rest. While the details can vary depending on your fitness level, the basic principles of muscle gain remain the same.

So figure out how many calories you need each day and aim to hit that goal consistently. Stuck on what to eat? Look for protein-rich foods that are also rich in the amino acid leucine. You can find leucine in animal products like:. Learn more about high-protein foods ». How can you get started? The first step may be heading to your local gym and having a consultation with a personal trainer.

Many gyms offer a free session as part of a membership promotion. A personal trainer can help you master the correct form with free weights, weight machines, and more.

Proper form is key for avoiding injury. Always remember to talk to your doctor before starting a new workout routine, especially if you have a health condition.

They may have recommendations for exercise modifications that can help keep you safe. If you're looking to see gains in strength, you may wonder how to gain muscle without gaining fat.

Here's a science-based breakdown of what works. Keeping your quads strong can improve the stability of your knees and reduce your risk of injuries. Many quad exercises can be done at home using just…. A recessed maxilla can cause cosmetic issues like flat cheekbones and a prominent jaw, and lead to dental problems, speech issues, and obstructed….

If you do tear a meniscus, you might be tempted to "walk it off. A lateral pelvic tilt is when one hip is higher than the other. Learn about five exercises that can help with this condition. Enthesopathy refers to pain and inflammation around your joints.

This includes your wrists, knees, and ankles. To get some pre-bed casein, try cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and milk. For smoothie lovers, casein-based protein powder works like a charm.

Muscle recovery requires more than the right nutrition. It takes time—roughly eight hours per night—dedicated to recovery, Fitzgerald says. After all, when you sleep, your body releases human growth hormone, which helps grow muscle and keeps levels of the stress hormone cortisol in check. Plus, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association , sleeping for five hours, as opposed to eight hours, per night for just one week cuts muscle-building testosterone levels by a whopping 10 to 15 percent.

The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults ages 18 to 64 sleep seven to nine hours per night. No excuses. Start Sleeping Like One. But by boosting your performances at high-intensity lifting workouts, the natural compound effectively promotes muscle growth, according to the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. In fact, in one Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research review, researchers concluded that, at a given weight, supplementing with creatine can help you lift 14 percent more reps than you can sans supplements.

For the best results, opt for creatine monohydrate, the most thoroughly researched form of the supplement. A natural compound produced in the human body, beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate prevents muscle-protein breakdown, encourages muscle growth, and speeds exercise recovery.

You'll stay the same. You have to make your regimen more strenuous again. Several factors contribute to muscle gain — and sometimes loss — including age, gender, and protein intake. Age: Building muscle and strength becomes more challenging starting at age 40 when your body naturally starts to lose muscle mass.

Regular resistance training can fight this decline, says Haroldsdottir. Gender : Males and females differ in their metabolism, types of muscle fibers, and speed of muscle contractions. While men are thought to grow muscle faster, women's muscles may recover faster and are slower to fatigue after workouts.

Protein : To gain muscle you need 0. If you're not seeing the results you want, check to make sure you're getting enough protein in your diet, as it's essential for muscle growth. Hormones : Hormones are responsible for controlling many physiological reactions in your body including energy metabolism, tissue growth, and growth or decline of muscle protein.

Hormones, such as insulin, contribute both to building new muscle and helping to burn fat. Testosterone helps repair muscle protein after exercise; cortisol, human growth hormone HGH , and others also play roles in muscle growth. Progressive or volume overload : Research has shown that continuously increasing the amount of weight and reps while strength training may help build strength and muscle mass, though results vary depending on sex, age, and muscle groups worked.

You can build muscle with any type of exercise, but if you want to see those gains faster, strength training is the way to go. Make sure you're getting enough protein to fuel the muscle growth, getting enough sleep every night, and resting your muscle groups in between workouts.

You won't see immediate changes in your body, as it can take up to 12 weeks for notable muscle gain due to working out. World globe An icon of the world globe, indicating different international options.