You Don't Have Enough Training Volume
The more volume in your training (more sets and reps) the greater the hypertrophy response you will get (up to a point of course). If you like to stick to powerlifting specific programming this may very well be the reason you aren't seeing much progress in terms of muscle growth.
You're not eating enough – one of the main causes of not being able to build muscle is not eating enough and more importantly, not eating enough of the right food. Everyone bangs on about the importance of protein, but carbs and fats are just as important when it comes to growing muscle.
Some people's muscles tend to get stronger over time - but not bigger. There are several possible causes for this. But, usually, the underlying reason is all the same: they don't have a good understanding of the differences between training for strength vs hypertrophy.
“Strength building training must be stressful enough and, therefore, heavy enough to do its job. This can be accomplished while maintaining postures and positions that are safe, but lifting weights that are too light and/or for the wrong amount of training volume dosage will never illicit strength gains.”
Muscle atrophy can occur due to malnutrition, age, genetics, a lack of physical activity or certain medical conditions. Disuse (physiologic) atrophy occurs when you don't use your muscles enough. Neurogenic atrophy occurs due to nerve problems or diseases.
How to build muscle. Spending your whole day in the gym isn't necessary to build muscle. Weight training for 20 to 30 minutes, 2 to 3 times a week is enough to see results. You should try to target all your major muscle groups at least twice throughout your weekly workouts.
While having bigger muscles does lead to the potential for having greater strength, generally speaking, optimizing muscle size and optimizing muscle strength are two different things. And you can work with your clients to achieve one or the other. It just takes different strategies, each backed by exercise research.
Typically, muscle mass and strength increase steadily from birth and reach their peak at around 30 to 35 years of age. After that, muscle power and performance decline slowly and linearly at first, and then faster after age 65 for women and 70 for men.
Biceps get a lot of attention at the gym, and many people can overwork them in an attempt to get gains fast. When struggling to grow your arms, it can be easy to just keep on adding to your routine, but this can easily go wrong. Biceps are different from larger muscle groups, where additional exercise is always better.
"There's no evidence that weight lifting stunts growth," she said. "In fact, resistance training can help build coordination and strength in young athletes, and there's a strong push right now for young female athletes to lift weights in the hope that it may offer more injury prevention.
Depending on your goals, muscle growth does not depend on the amount of weight you lift. It is a myth that one must lift more weight to bulk up. If you're regular and patient with lighter weights, you can achieve similar results.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Yes, it is possible to be strong—and to get stronger—without having enormous muscles.
The simple answer: No. Many people (especially females) are afraid that if they lift weights, they will get bulky (gain a lot of muscle mass), which inevitably changes their physique into what they may view as undesirable. Weight training does one thing very reliably: it makes you stronger.
According to the above-mentioned Japanese study, noticeable gains in muscle mass are seen in about three months of consistent strength training. Some research subjects gained noticeable muscle mass in less than three months, while for other participants, it took a little longer. Three months was the average.
A bulking phase can last anywhere from 1 month to over 6 months or longer, depending on your goals. To start bulking, add a given number of calories to your typical daily calorie intake.
Muscle soreness is related to muscle damage, which can promote, but is not required for, muscle growth. In a nutshell, unless your goal is to feel sore, then you don't need to be sore after every workout.
Unfortunately, like many good things, newbie gains don't last forever. After a beginner has spent a certain amount of time in the gym, that rapid increase in muscle gain begins to slow down. Specifically, after about one year of lifting, newbies typically start to see those easy gains subside.
Avoid or limit alcohol, foods with added sugars and deep-fried foods. In addition to your diet, whey protein, creatine and caffeine can be useful supplements.
Most beginners will see noticeable muscle growth within eight weeks, while more experienced lifters will see changes in three to four weeks. Most individuals gain one to two pounds of lean muscle per month with the right strength training and nutrition plan.