For most young people (that’s anyone still in their thirties or younger) one of the most important questions seems to be, “how much time does it take to build muscle?” There will be several elements that figure into the answer to this question. This article will tackle a few of the more important variables regarding building muscle and how long it takes.

To answer “How long does it take to build muscle,” first let’s look at age.

Some teens really want to jump right into a “bodybuilding” routine. This is NOT recommended, since in early adolescences the human body is simply NOT fully developed enough to handle the intense physical demand that weightlifting puts on it. You should be no younger than sixteen to start a muscle-building regimen. The largest muscle gain in males will generally be between the ages of 18 and 21, if they are working diligently at it. Although this is the normal range, I have seen a 17 year old whose muscle development was very striking. Additionally, before the filming of “New Moon”, Taylor Lautner was able to increase his muscle mass substantially.

The Amount of Muscle You Have Built Previously is a Factor

You have a genetic “upper limit” of muscle that you can reach when you are drug free. It is actually harder to gain MORE muscle mass if you are already near your predetermined limit. This is one reason that a workout that worked well when you first began training may not prove effective at a later point. Therefore, you should understand that gaining 15 pounds of additional muscle, when you have already increased your body’s muscle by 15 pounds, will be a slower process. These general guidelines will not hold true if steroids are being used, however. Then again, if you are using steroids no need to read about building muscle.

What Type of Effort and Time Commitment Will You Make to Building More Muscle?

If you are willing to spend a substantial amount of time and energy each week on gaining muscle, then “how long does it take to build muscle”, will be a process that takes much less time. We’ve all witnessed our favorite Hollywood celebrities get totally “buff” for a particular film project. The reality of it is, they have spent the MAJORITY of their WHOLE WEEK doing some INTENSE workouts! 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.

So how long does it take to build muscle in a PRACTICAL period of time?

A very realistic goal is that you can expect to safely, naturally, and healthily put on fifteen to twenty pounds of good muscle definition in your initial two years – This standard applies to individuals 17 years of age and older. 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“? We can only look at what is typical.

Be Sociable, Share!

•