If you aim to build a muscular body, you might wonder, "How long does it take to build muscle?"
The answer is not that simple, as muscle growth is affected by various factors such as exercise, diet, and genetics.
Some people may start seeing results in weeks, while others take months to achieve significant changes. Why is it like that?
Let's discuss this in-depth, so that you can understand how the body works and how quickly you can achieve the ideal body you've been dreaming of!
Muscle growth and muscle quality are two different things. Muscle quality is defined as the ability to produce strength and performance per unit of muscle mass.
Whereas, muscle growth is measured by the increase in mass and volume of muscle fibers regardless of how strong the muscle is.
This means that someone with bigger muscles (muscle growth) does not necessarily have high-quality muscles if the muscles cannot produce optimal strength.
Muscle growth and quality are not just a matter of how often you go to the gym but are influenced by the following factors:
Physiological changes due to age affect the ability to build and maintain muscle mass (sarcopenia).
For example, in the 30s men's testosterone levels decrease and impact the rate of muscle protein synthesis.
Meanwhile, women will later experience menopause and a decrease in estrogen levels, which results in a decrease in muscle mass.
Weight training such as resistance training and progressive overload is the key to building muscle.
These exercises can increase lean body mass and muscle function, improving upper and lower muscle quality.
Training intensity and volume also play a big role in stimulating muscle growth and quality.
You can help the muscle growth process with proper nutrition, including:
Protein is important for muscle synthesis (recovery and maintenance of muscle mass).
Carbohydrates and healthy fats will provide the energy needed during exercise.
Vitamin D plays a role in calcium absorption for muscle contraction and growth.
Adequate calorie intake so your body has the raw materials to build muscle.
Genetic factors determine how fast a person can build muscle and how the body responds to training.
Some people have type II muscle fibers that develop more easily than others. This type has great hypertrophy potential, where the muscle adapts to significant growth when stressed.
Our bodies contain anabolic hormones that play an important role in stimulating muscle protein synthesis, such as:
Testosterone can increase protein synthesis and stimulate the release of growth hormone.
Growth hormone plays a role in muscle growth and increases fat breakdown.
Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) stimulates muscle growth and repairs damaged muscle tissue.
Adequate sleep (7-9 hours per night) is important for muscle growth. During sleep, the body releases growth hormones and repairs damaged muscle tissue.
Spacing your training program is also important to prevent overtraining, fatigue, and maximize muscle growth.
Building muscle is a gradual process that requires strength training, proper nutrition, and adequate time for recovery.
There are no instant results, but with consistency, physical changes can start to show in weeks to months.
Here is an approximate timeline that you can use as a reference in the muscle-building process:
Weeks 1-4: During this time, the body experiences an initial adaptation to training. You will get stronger, but muscle growth is not significant yet.
Months 1-3: You can start to see your muscles grow in size. Muscle mass can continue to grow depending on training and nutrition.
Months 3-6: Muscles are more defined and look firmer. You can feel a noticeable change in strength and posture.
Months 6-12: Major changes appear, especially if diet and training are consistent. You'll need a variety of exercises to keep making progress.
Muscles develop through muscle hypertrophy or an increase in muscle volume.
Muscle doesn't grow during exercise, but when the body repairs and rebuilds muscle fibers after exercise.
Did you know? Here are the stages of our muscle growth:
Microtears: When you do weight training, the muscle fibers are micro-damaged due to the pressure applied.
Protein Synthesis: After a workout, the body uses protein to repair and rebuild stronger and bigger muscle fibers.
Hypertrophy: If training is done consistently with adequate nutrition, muscles will increase in size over time.
Adaptation: Muscles will adapt to the load applied, so it is important to gradually increase the training load to keep them growing.
Men and women have distinct physiological, biological, and hormonal makeups, which naturally play a role in how their muscles develop.
These factors contribute to the differences in muscle growth between the two:
Testosterone. Men have 10-20 times more testosterone than women, which helps in the growth of muscle mass.
Fat distribution. Women naturally have a higher body fat, which can affect muscle definition.
Response to training. Although men build muscle more easily, women can still gain significant strength and muscle with the right training program.
Despite the differences, women can still build muscle and get a stronger body with proper training and nutrition!
Are you ready to build muscle? Don't just train, but make sure your diet and rest also support maximum muscle growth!
Also, understand how muscle growth happens so that you don't make any missteps in planning your training program!
Find more interesting articles about diet and fitness on the Level Up Your Meals website, especially LUM’s blog. Don't forget to share this knowledge with those closest to you!