The question, “how long does it take to build muscle”, it probably one of the top questions for a younger guy who has just began training. That answer actually depends upon a number of factors. This article will tackle a few of the more important variables regarding building muscle and how long it takes.
Age is a Factor on How Long it Takes to Build Muscle
If you are too young you simply won’t have maturity and hormonal environment for proper muscle growth. I would say the earliest you can expect to begin adding muscle will be around the age of 16. Most guys who train hard will experience their biggest surge in muscle growth at somewhere between 18-21. That being said, I do remember a guy in my high school who had an extremely impressive physique at the age of 17. Also, Taylor Lautner added quite a bit of size before “New Moon”.
How Much Muscle You Have Already Added Makes a Difference as Well
You have a genetic “upper limit” of muscle that you can reach when you are drug free. The closer you are to your genetic potential, the slower you will be able to add new muscle. This is one reason that a workout that worked well when you first began training may not prove effective at a later point. So if you have already added 15 pounds of muscle to your body, don’t expect to add the next 15 pounds rapidly. Obviously if you use steroids then the standard rules don’t apply. Then again, if you are using steroids no need to read about building muscle.
How Much Time and Energy Are You Willing to Devote to Adding Muscle?
“How long does it take to build muscle”, will be shortened dramatically if a large portion of the week is devoted to adding muscle. You have probably seen several dramatic transformations of actors and actresses getting ready for movie roles. You can’t really expect to get results that quickly unless you devote a large portion of your week to training. It isn’t uncommon for actors to train two times per day 7 days a week before the filming of a movie. I wouldn’t suggest this for most people because this interferes too much with day-to-day life. Building muscle is a decent goal, but it isn’t so important that it needs to take over your life.
Here Are Some Realistic Time Frames When It Comes to Building Muscle
A complete beginner can expect to add 15-20 of muscle their first 2 years of training. This is assuming that the person is older than 17. After that initial gain, a person can expect to add 2-3 pounds of muscle per year for a few more years. Depending upon genetics this can vary, but I am talking rough estimates. So there really isn’t any exact answer to the question, “How long does it take to build muscle”? There are just estimates.
