How Long Does it Take to Build Muscle?

How long does it take to build muscle? It depends on a number of factors, including genetics, age, sex, diet, training, and rest. Most people start to see results within a few weeks of starting a muscle-building program. To build muscle faster, eat more protein, lift heavy weights, get enough rest, and be patient.

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It can be disappointing hitting the gym every day, but the results aren’t showing up. The truth is, while you might be doing everything right, growing muscle is a process that doesn’t happen overnight.

There’s no doubt amino acid supplements are a great help. But, even with the best regimen and work ethic, your muscles still need time to develop and most importantly, to grow.

This quick read should help you polish up on what you know about growing muscle and the factors that could affect how long it takes to build muscle.

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How Do Muscles Grow?

Understanding the process behind the results is critical. It will help you cultivate the right culture, patience, and eventually, favorable results.

The muscle growth process is an interesting one. Before the skeletal muscles (considered the most adaptable in the body) can grow, they have to undergo trauma (muscle injury). This is achieved through extreme exercises like weightlifting.

After the muscles are injured, satellite cells from outside the muscles come in to repair the injured muscles. The cells repair the damage by joining together. As a result, the cells not only help repair the muscles but also increase the muscle fiber.

The satellite cells don’t work alone. They are aided by hormones that help in muscle growth as well. The hormones which include testosterone and Human Growth Hormone (HGH) are responsible for various functions which include;

• Repairing muscle cells
• Sending cells to your muscles after a workout
• Keeping tabs on your muscle mass
• Forming new blood capillaries to new muscle cells to provide nutrition

The amount of hormone released depends on the intensity of the exercise as well as the type of training. For instance, resistance workouts release more HGH from your Pituitary gland.

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How to Build Muscle

Weight training is essential in growing muscle. Training for about 20 – 30 minutes up to 3 times a week should be enough to trigger results.

Thoroughly train each muscle group at least twice a week for the best outcome. Through exercise, you stimulate protein synthesis, which keeps your protein levels elevated throughout the day.

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How Long Does It Take to Build Muscle?

There are a variety of factors that affect muscle growth. More on that later on. A typical muscle growth curve looks as follows:

• First pound – the first pound is perhaps the hardest to grow most likely because of the anticipation. You’re most likely going to wait for a couple of weeks before you can build your first pound of muscle.
• 5 pounds – Your first 5 pounds of muscle will take about 3 months. Considering that this will have an impact on your physique, it’s not a long time to wait.
• 10 pounds – You will hit the 10-pound mark after about 7 months of work in the gym. At this point, you and other people should start seeing dramatic changes in your body.
• 20 pounds – after reaching your first 10 pounds in less than a year, your body will slump. Growing the next 10 pounds to get you to 20 will take a little more time. Hitting the 20-pound mark might take up to 22 months. At this point, you’re jacked up and look like a superhero.
• 30 pounds – Getting 30 pounds of muscle mass requires a little more time. It needs good genes, as well. To add this amount of muscle mass to your body, you need about four or five years of training.

The timelines for muscle growth are not equal and neither is the appearance at each milestone. That’s because there are certain factors that affect how fast you build muscle and how much muscle you build.

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Factors that Affect the Rate at Which You Grow Muscle

There might be a few stumbling blocks to how fast you can grow muscle. Even though you hope to have the best regimen, it’s best to know them, so you understand what you’re up against. Some of these factors are within your control while others are not.

• Genes – this is one of the most significant and unfortunately, uncontrollable factors that will affect the rate at which you grow muscle. There are different factors that are gene-related that will affect how quickly you develop muscles.
  These include;
  – Skeletal Formation & Muscle Length; your length, thickness, and structure of your bones & muscles
  – Neuromuscular Efficiency; refers to how your muscles and nervous system relate.
  – Muscle fiber density; the volume of muscle fibers per square centimeter
  – Myostatin; if you have more myostatin, you will find it harder to build muscles

• Gender – This is yet another factor that you don’t have control over. Typically, women build less muscle, and the process is also longer. This is largely because of the lower testosterone levels.
• Workout routine – There are three fundamentals to building muscle. You have to practice all of them harmoniously to increase the rate and speed at which you grow muscle. These include the intensity of your workouts, the volume of the sets, and how often you train each muscle group.
• Diet – While training provides your muscles with the motivation to grow, a good diet provides the muscles with fuel. A poor diet can adversely affect how fast you grow muscle even when you’re always training. A proper diet should contain enough protein to help you build muscle.

These are the main factors that might be affecting how long it’s taking you to grow muscle growth. Even with the factors that are outside your control, consistency is vital. You will eventually start seeing results.

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The Takeaway

Growing muscle is a complex process that requires discipline, consistency, and a good dose of genes to get the right results. Even though your genes are not customized for bodybuilding, with persistence, you will see results.