Some people are so impatient they want to see growing muscles in just a couple of weeks. However, good things take time to develop. In this article, I’m going to share answers to important questions like how long does it take to build noticeable muscle with and without lifting weights, what are the factors for muscle growth, and more.
How Long Does it Take to Build Noticeable Muscle?
Some research and studies show that if you do weight training, it can take approximately 3 to 4 months to observe some noticeable muscle changes in your body. If you’re a beginner, you’ll start seeing improvement in muscle gain usually within 12 to 16 weeks. And it is only an average period, some people may see visible muscle changes in less than 3 months but for some people it can take up to 6 months, depending upon how your body responds.
What are the most essential factors for muscle growth?
There are multiple factors that contribute to muscle growth. Below we’ll see some of the most important ones for muscle hypertrophy.
Genetics
Researches indicate that genetics plays an important part in building muscles. And this is one of the reasons why some people gain fast and some slowly.
Scientific studies have discovered many genes involved in muscle growth and development. For example, a person who has poor testosterone hormone finds it more difficult to develop muscle mass and strength.
But it doesn’t mean you can never grow your muscles. Bodybuilding is a science and going through the basic principles of muscle hypertrophy, you likely to see visible muscle changes in 12 weeks.
Diet and Nutrition
Most people find it difficult to gain muscle even after hard workout in the gym. Every day they put their best but they don’t see gains after 3 to 4 months and the reason behind is poor diet.
Doesn’t matter how hard you work out, how consistent workout, if you do not feed your muscles proper nutrients, your muscles won’t respond quickly or not at all.
According to an article published by the National Institute of Health, the recommended dietary allowance for an average person (age >19) is 0.8 grams/kg. And it is only for the maintenance of optimal health during normal growth and aging.
One more study suggests that increasing protein consumption contributes to greater muscle strength and mass gain when combined with resistance exercises.
So it is clear that if you want to see visible muscle changes in the short amount of time, you can’t ignore your healthy nutrition, especially protein intake.
What are some muscle building foods?
- Eggs
- Chicken Breast
- Fatty Fishes
- Soya Chunks
- Greek Yogurts
- Nuts
- Beans
- Turkey Breast
- Protein shakes
- Lentils
3. Consistent Workout
When it comes to muscle growth, consistency is the key.
Some researches published online on different websites shows that consistency is more important than the amount of weight you lift and variations of exercises.
So, whether it’s winter, rainy or sunny don’t miss the gym. If you want visible changes in your muscles, try working out as frequently as possible with your full effort.
The frequency of the workout sessions depends on person to person. However, if you want to see muscle growth in 8 to 12 weeks then aiming for four to five workout sessions each week can be considered good.
4. Workout Varieties
Doing the same type of exercises and following the same kind of routine may not work every time or stop working at a certain point. That’s why trying different varieties of exercises may help you grow muscles quickly than expected.
But the main thing is to do that works the best for you. If one kind of routine works well for you, stick with it but if not, change it.
Here are more than 20 Exercises That may help you build muscles faster. (Based on Facts and Effectiveness)
| Exercises | Major Muscles Worked | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| Bench Press | Chest | Intermediate |
| Dumbbell Press | Chest | Beginner |
| Push-up | Upper Body | Beginner |
| Smith Machine Overhead Press | Deltoids | Beginner |
| Dumbbell Front Raise | Shoulder | Beginner |
| Side Lateral Raise | Shoulder | Beginner |
| Rear Delt Machine | Shoulder | Beginner |
| Deadlift | Full-body | Intermediate |
| Leg Press | Qaudriceps | Beginner |
| Squat | Quadriceps | Beginner |
| Leg Extension | Quads | Beginner |
| Leg Machine Curl | Hamstrings | Beginner |
| Calf Raises | Calves | Beginner |
| Cable Pulldown | Back | Beginner |
| Cable Rowing | Back | Beginner |
| Barbell Bent Over | Back | Beginner |
| Dumbbell Pullover | Back and Chest | Intermediate |
| Dumbbell Rowing | Back | Beginner |
| Tricep Dips | Triceps | Intermediate |
| Barbell Lying Overhead Extension | Triceps | Beginner |
| Tricep Rope Pushdown | Triceps | Beginner |
| Dumbbell Overhead extension | Triceps | Beginner |
| EZ Bar Bicep Curl | Biceps | Beginner |
| Dumbbell Concentration Curl | Biceps | Beginner |
| Dumbbell Hammer Curl | Biceps | Beginner |
| Cable Bicep Curl | Bicep | Beginner |
| DB Twisteing Curl | Bicep | Beginner |
5. Rest
Resting and sufficient sleep is also an important factor in muscle growth. Many studies revealed that giving worked muscles proper rest helps your muscles grow.
When you work out, your muscles break down and then after a couple of hours of workout, your body starts rebuilding the muscles for growth if you take the handsome amount of protein and proper sleep.
During sleep, the pituitary gland releases growth hormone, which in turn stimulates your body to produce insulin-like growth factor—hormones essential for muscle repair. (shape.com)
How Long Does it Take to Build Muscle and Lose fat
For overweight people, building muscles while losing fat is like climbing Mountain Everest. Certainly, it is a great task but it is possible.
Muscles building during fat loss is a rigorous process and requires a good diet plan, intermittent fasting and resistance exercises. If you can maintain all three of them you’ll start noticing an improvement in your body composition within 12 weeks.
How Long Does it Take to Build Muscle without lifting Weights?
Building muscle and muscular body is possible without lifting weights. There are multiple bodyweight exercises you can do to increase your muscle mass.
Bodyweight exercises may not be as good as weight training for muscles growth but doing it consistently with the consumption of sufficient proteins and carbs will surely help you build muscles within 6 months.
The best body-weight exercises that can help you build muscles:
- Pushups
- Dips
- Squats
- Lunges
- IYT Raises
There are multiple benefits of training with bodyweight exercises for muscle growth. Below are some of the important ones:
1. Bodyweight exercises are fun and a great way to increase strength and maintain muscularity.
2. If your goal is to lose weight while developing muscle mass, bodyweight exercises can help you do this.
3. While adding some extra mass to your body, you can increase your flexibility and mobility with bodyweight exercises
4. If you are low on budget but want to go from skinny to muscular, bodyweight exercise is a great option. It doesn’t require any equipment or a spacious place, all it requires is your mood.
References:
- The Role of Genetic Variation in Muscle Strength, Published by American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine