Building muscle takes time and consistency, so if you are flexing in front of the mirror daily, wondering what's going on, just be patient. On average, most people expect noticeable muscle growth within four to six months of starting a strength training program.
Generally you can get gains within 3 months that are noticeable. All you need to do is weight training (heavy as you can with proper form, proper form being key). If you do it right you can see significant gains in 6 months where you can put on significant muscle mass in comparison to where you were.
But “it takes weeks for the compounding change to be visible to the naked eye,” he says. The experts we spoke with estimate that could be anywhere from four to 12 weeks, depending on various factors. Visible changes can be noticeable earlier in people who are newer to strength training, Carlson says.
According to fitness researcher Lyle McDonald, women in their first year of proper training can expect to build on average one pound of muscle per month, and men can expect two pounds. Muscle growth slows down the longer you've been lifting weights.
Three months is enough for some people to get ripped — at least to a certain extent. You can lose up to 24lbs of fat in that time if you're starting from a higher weight or build up to 6 pounds of muscle.
For the majority of people, it takes roughly 130 quality hours to get fit. A lot of people ask me where I got that number. It's equivalent of training hard, an hour a day, 5 days a week, for 6 months. Your hours can't be half-ass hours, either.
"Typically within four to eight weeks [of] taking creatine, you'll probably gain anywhere from two to four pounds of lean body mass," Antonio says. Creatine alone won't help your muscles grow, however.
The Timeline for Building Muscle
On average, most people expect noticeable muscle growth within four to six months of starting a strength training program.
“You can lift lighter weights, and as long as you lift them with a high degree of effort, they're as good as heavier weights in making you bigger,” he says. Using a home gym machine or even just your own body weight, like with push-ups or lunges, works.
Noticeable changes (2-4 months): More noticeable changes typically occur within several months, including weight loss and muscle tone. Your genetics, muscle fiber makeup, and the quality of your workouts affect your strength if you are well-conditioned.
That's because your ability to put on muscle is individual—and can vary greatly based on genetics, age, gender, and the specifics of your workout program. Still, one study suggests that beginners can gain around four to seven pounds of muscle in their first three months of lifting (5).
4 or 5 meals per day is in the “optimal” range for building muscle — no need for more.
Protein shakes do offer an immediate post-training boost, and this intake of protein will help build muscle after exercise. Only use protein shakes as a complement to your diet. And remember – in order to see any benefit from protein shakes, you must be exercising regularly as well.
They are long-term processes that do not occur within a few hours or days, meaning the term “simultaneous” is relative in this context. In fact, if you time when you eat and fast well and prolong the time frame for achieving your goal, you can absolutely build muscle and lose fat “simultaneously.”
"In general, if you continue to consistently strength train and add in two to three days of zone two cardio workouts, plus proper fuelling, you can see healthy weight loss in four to six weeks", McKenzie says. But substantial weight loss (and fat loss) often takes much longer.
No matter what your age, you can improve your fitness.
If it's been a long time since you've exercised and you're feeling less than fit, you might think that it's too late to make a change. But you're wrong. You can improve your fitness at any age. "The stories in this area are actually very dramatic.
You may notice some changes at 6 to 8 weeks. You can significantly improve your health and fitness in 3 to 4 months (12). Some experts claim that if you work out consistently and carefully watch your diet, you can expect a six-pack, a muscular physique, and a lean body within a year.
The 7 hour rule is a sales and marketing strategy introduced by Daniel Priestley in his book “Oversubscribed”. The core premise is that, it takes 7 hours of cumulative interaction time between a lead and a company to build the necessary trust, understanding and desire to want to buy your product or service.
In Carl Richards' fantastic personal finance book “The One-Page Financial Plan,” he discusses what he calls the 72-hour rule. The rule is quite simple. For all non-essential purchases, before you make the purchase, wait 72 hours.