How much muscle can you gain in a month?
By Martin Ebner, Head PT and sports nutrition specialist at Ebylife.
"Congratulations (your name here) on a new personal best of ### pounds!"
If you're a newbie to the world of bodybuilding or powerlifting, you may not be aware that some old-school gyms will announce when you've set a new personal best. If you are an experienced lifter, returning after trying to maintain some semblance of your regular weight training at home, you may be anxious to hear that old PA announcement again. Even if your gym doesn't announce people's weightlifting achievements, your spotting buddy or personal trainer has certainly been there with encouragement and a slap-on-the-back.
Whether returning to a training program or just beginning, the first month brings up the age-old question: Can I look like Daniel Craig as James Bond or Alicia Vikander as Tomb Raider in 4 weeks or less? The answer is no, you probably can’t! However, you can add muscle mass and start your journey to the body composition you desire. So just how many pounds of muscle can you add in a month? Well, that depends!
How Much Muscle Gain in One Month?
"Have you been working out?" All things considered, you can gain enough muscle mass in one month for the difference to be visibly noticeable. The amount of muscle gained will, of course, depend on many factors. Your starting body weight, the amount of body fat that you have, genetics, how much lean muscle mass you already have, your age, your gender, and what exercise program you follow will all have an effect.
However, in general, a novice or newbie can add up to four pounds of muscle in the first month of following an exercise routine that prioritizes weight training. A Men's Health article, How Much Muscle Can I Build in a Month? refers to studies that bear this out. It also indicates that experienced lifters who have been training for two years or more, at best can only obtain around 0.5 lbs of lean muscle mass a month. If you're an experienced bodybuilder, you already know that your body has adapted to the rigors of resistance training, so this is not news to you. In fact, you may be thinking, "A half-pound of muscle gain ain't bad!" and you’d be right!
Hypertrophy
If you read my recent blog on Reverse-Dieting, you may have been surprised to learn that fidgeting can burn up to 350 calories per day. (Seriously, who studies these things?!?) Unfortunately, the world-champion "fidgeter" is not going to win the hypertrophy.
Hypertrophy refers to an increase in muscle size. With proper nutrition, smart lifestyle choices, and strength training, building muscle mass is an attainable goal. Whether you want to tone up and improve muscle definition or build some serious lean muscle mass, lifting weights is the most common way to increase hypertrophy.
According to an article on Healthline.com, Muscular Hypertrophy and Your Workout, there are two types of muscular hypertrophy:
Myofibrillar: growth of muscle contraction parts
Sarcoplasmic: increased muscle glycogen storage
Skeletal muscles, which are responsible for movement and looking good at the beach, are made up of bundles of muscle fibers, known as myocytes. Each myocyte contains myofibrils that allow the muscles to contract. Myofibrillar hypertrophy refers to when the number of myofibrils increases, i.e. muscle growth.
The muscles also contain "sarcoplasmic fluid." This fluid contains adenosine triphosphate (ATP), glycogen, creatine phosphate, and water. It is a source of energy that surrounds the myofibrils in the muscles. Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy refers to the increase in the volume of this fluid. It can make muscles appear larger, but it does not increase strength.
Which type to focus on depends on your fitness goals. Myofibrillar training will help with strength and speed. Sarcoplasmic growth helps give your body more sustained energy for endurance athletic events.
When weightlifting, you can perform many repetitions (reps) at a lower weight or lift heavier weights with fewer reps. The way you lift will determine the way your muscles grow and change. For example, myofibrillar hypertrophy happens when you stimulate your muscles by lifting moderate to heavier weights, which causes tiny tears in the individual muscle fibers. Your body treats this as an injury, and in "treating" the tear, increases the volume and density of the "injured" myofibrils.
Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is more common in competitive bodybuilders, due to the style of training they typically use. They develop muscle tone using higher reps of moderate weight with short rest periods during their workouts. The aim is to "pump up" the muscles, filling them with sarcoplasmic fluid. Unless you perform a number of repetitions to the point of fatigue, with this workout style you won’t see a lot of muscle definition. It increases muscle volume but does not grow muscle fibers, resulting in less lean muscle mass and a reduction in relative strength. This muscle adaptation benefits athletes who need to last longer, only needing maximum strength and speed for brief periods.
Take a Deep Breath
Why are you reading this blog? If you need to be ripped for an event next month, the time to start was "not today." Rather, it was earlier, much earlier. As a personal trainer, I'm obliged to say that there are no shortcuts for building muscle. It takes consistent training and following a healthful lifestyle for not months but years. However, there are some things a person can do to support the process.
Following a consistent routine that includes all the major muscle groups is essential for building muscle. weightlifting and compound movements, such as squats, are most effective for building muscle mass. One must also incrementally increase the resistance over time (progressive overload principle). Staying on the same weight, reps and sets for too long will not challenge the muscles enough to promote hypertrophy.
If you are a novice, I can't stress enough the importance of working with an experienced personal trainer. Not only can a personal trainer help you develop personalized exercise routines, but they will also help you with lifestyle choices, nutrition/meal plans, and ensure that you practice good form to prevent injuries. They will also be your ally and biggest fan, encouraging you to safely push your limits and create realistic goals.
If you belong to a gym, they should either have a personal trainer on staff or can make recommendations. Or do some research and find a qualified trainer with references in your neighborhood. AceFitness.org has a guide called How to Choose the Right Personal Trainer.
Another reason to take a deep breath before deciding on a bodybuilding exercise program is knowing how much body fat you have. Our body composition affects our hormone levels, especially insulin and testosterone levels. You're far more insulin sensitive when you're carrying less body fat which means that your cells use blood glucose more readily, rather than storing it for later use as body fat. Testosterone, known primarily for its role in increasing muscle mass, also plays a role in regulating fat gain.
You can use this handy calculator to estimate your body fat percentage. If you're a man with over 12% body fat or a woman with over 24% body fat, your best bet is to begin with light resistance exercises/weightlifting and a decent cardio workout. Once you've had some weight loss, then you can transition into a "bulking phase". This will enhance insulin sensitivity and muscle-building efficiency when you up your calorie intake and increase your strength training.
And don't worry, after a couple of months of an exercise program with cardio and moderate weight training, even if you can't bench press your own weight (yet), if you’ve been diligent enough, you should still hear that wonderful phrase, "Have you been working out?"
What Should I Eat?
Diet is another very important consideration. As I just said above, a personal trainer or registered dietitian will help with your dietary planning. However, I'll discuss some of the basics here.
People who want to build muscle should aim to eat a healthful diet rich in macronutrients. The macros are protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. "But Martin," I often hear folks say, "carbs are baaaaaaaaad." No, they're not! Living on junky simple carbs is not a good idea, but whole grains and complex carbohydrates give you the energy you need for your day and for your workout. Your muscles store and use glycogen which comes from glucose which comes from carbs.
Complex carbohydrates provide a slower and more sustained release of energy than simple carbohydrates. This contributes to long-term good health, appetite control and sustained energy levels. Complex carbohydrates include legumes, whole grains and starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, peas, and corn.
Unsaturated or “good” fats include vegetable oils, especially olive oil; avocados; ground flax seeds; nuts; seeds; and fatty fish like salmon, sardines, mackerel, and tuna. Saturated or “bad” fats are found in high-fat cuts of beef and pork, full-fat dairy products, butter, and various processed snack foods. Trans fats, the really bad ones, are found in margarine; deep-fried food; snack foods like chips, crackers, pastries, and donuts; and anything with hydrogenated oil.
You need to make sure you get enough protein. Proteins are part of every cell, tissue, bone, and organ in our bodies. They are involved in many bodily systems including metabolism, immune defense, and hormones. They are constantly being broken down and replaced. The protein in the food we eat is digested into amino acids which are the building blocks of proteins. These amino acids are then used by the body to synthesize the all proteins we need.
Your protein intake should be about one gram of protein per pound of body weight. So a 150-pound person would need 150 grams of protein per day. Since protein has about 4 calories per gram, this person would need about 600 of their daily calorie intake to be from protein. Healthy protein is found in lean meat; poultry; fish; legumes like beans, lentils, chickpeas, and peanuts; tofu and other soy products; eggs; nuts; seeds; milk and other dairy products like whey, yogurt, kefir, and cheese.
If you eat a variety of lean meats and/or fish, you'll have no trouble getting all the amino acids you need. However, if you are a vegetarian or a vegan, you can still get all the amino acids you need for your basic dietary requirements and muscle protein synthesis. It takes a little bit of work and paying attention, but it's not difficult. A good resource to check out is my blog: The Ripped Vegan: Can You Build Muscle on a Vegan Diet? It talks in-depth about the role of protein/amino acids and has lists of foods that will help you cover all the bases
Related article: Complete Protein Supplements Guide: Everything you need to know about protein for fitness goals
You should have a diet that is roughly one-third of each of the macros. That is one-third protein, one-third carbs, and one-third healthy fats. An article from Healthline.com, How many calories do you burn from daily activities? can help you determine what your basic calorie intake should be. Then, knowing how many of those calories should be from protein, you can split the difference between carbs and healthy fats.
Supplements
Protein powder is available from a wide variety of distributors. Many are derived from whey, the dairy byproduct of cheese-making, but some vegan options exist as well. Protein powder is a good choice for building muscle, especially those who are concerned with weight gain. For a great range of choices for protein powder and protein supplements, my go-to is Transparent Labs. Their protein series has many choices for energy bars, whey protein powder, and vegan protein powder.
Workout
Be careful about hitting it too hard in the beginning. Whether you're a newbie or returning to your training program after a spell on the sidelines, take your time to prevent injury or over-training. Weight training for 30 to 45 minutes, 2 to 3 times a week is enough to see results initially. You should try to target all your major muscle groups at least twice throughout your weekly workouts.
While you may not see results right away, even a single strength training session can help promote muscle growth. Exercise stimulates muscle protein synthesis within 2 to 4 hours after working out. Your levels may stay elevated for up to a whole day.
Strength training activities include:
Full-body weight exercises, like pushups, squats, and lunges
Resistance band movements
Workouts with free weights, like dumbbells or kettlebells
Workouts with stationary weight machines, like a leg curl machine
When you are weightlifting, aim to do sets of 8 and 12 reps. Rest for about one minute in between sets. Then complete another set of the same length. Take approximately 1-2 seconds to lift or push your weight into place. Then hold that contracted position for up to a second and take a slow 3 seconds to lower the weight.
Lift weights that are heavy enough to be challenging, but not so heavy that it makes it overwhelming or impossible to maintain good form. A good guide is to select a weight that fatigues your muscles after 8 - 12 reps. As that weight becomes easier, gradually increase the weight.
A single set of 12 reps with a moderate to heavy weight to muscular failure can help build muscle mass faster than 3 sets at a lighter weight.
Get ready to do some heavy lifting. There is no way to avoid lifting harder and heavier if you want to increase your amount of body muscle. These compound exercises use the larger muscle groups: glutes, lats, traps, quads, and hamstrings. Most of the training should revolve around the big basic moves: squats, bench press, shoulder press, deadlift, chin-ups. If you’ve been training for 6 months or less, skip the isolation exercises as they do not provide enough stimulus for muscle growth alone.
Besides giving you the best bang for your workout buck, compound exercises cause your body to produce important hormones like testosterone and other anabolic hormones which are important for muscle building. Also, human growth hormone (HGH) is produced immediately after an intense compound-exercise workout. This hormone helps regulate your body's composition. It stimulates the growth of muscle and bone but it also controls metabolism and heart function.
Compound exercises performed with moderate to heavy weights will activate the larger muscle groups. I recommend these:
Barbell Squat Press: These work your whole body, especially your core and upper body.
Begin with your back straight, feet shoulder-width apart and barbell at shoulder height.
Keep your midsection tight and look straight ahead.
Bend your knees, and lower your hips down into a squat with your hips slightly lower than your knees.
Press into your heels and stand up.
As you return to standing, press the bar over your head with your arms fully extended and your elbows slightly bent.
End the movement by lowering the barbell back to shoulder height.
Standard Deadlift: Deadlift training produces a lot of muscle activation in your lower body and back.
Stand with feet hip-width apart.
Engage your core as you bend down to grab the barbell with your knees bent and your butt back.
Keep your back straight and neck neutral.
Drive your feet through the floor and squeeze your glutes to extend your hips and come to a standing position.
Focus on using your glutes and hamstrings, not your back, to lift yourself.
Push your butt back as you gently return the barbell to the floor.
Clean and Jerk: The clean and jerk is a total body movement that stresses nearly every muscle in the body.
Grip the barbell with your feet set hip-width apart and turned slightly out.
The first pull is essentially a deadlift that ends when the barbell passes your knees. Maintain a neutral spine and to keep your core braced.
The second pull is a two-part, cohesive step: As the barbell passes your knees, you drive your hips, pulling the barbell up your body, making sure to stay balanced with your shoulders above the bar. Then you forcefully rotate your elbows underneath and into the front rack position. Use your traps to elevate the barbell higher and pull yourself under it.
As the bar is exploding upward from the hip drive, quickly squat down and catch the barbell across your shoulders in a front rack position. Your elbows should be pointing forward.
From the front rack position, dip your knees down a few inches.
Dip down, drive the bar over your head, and drop into a half squat position as the bar ascends.
Lock your arms out and pause in the bottom of the jerk to stabilize the weight. Hold this position while you get set. Do not stand up until the weight feels balanced. Once you’re stabilized, stand up.
With your arms locked, allow the barbell to fall away from you and to the floor.
Push Press: This exercise not only increases your shoulder and upper-body strength, it also conditions your rotator cuffs.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and grip the barbell with your elbows pointing forward.
Rest the bar on the front of your shoulders.
Drop down into a shallow squat, centering your weight under the barbell.
Press up through your heels.
Drive the bar directly above your head until your arms are straight.
Lower the bar down to your chest.
Maintain a neutral arch in your spine throughout the move.
Dumbbell Chest Press. This is a great exercise for improving your chest. It is better than the standard barbell bench press as it trains each side in isolation, preventing your stronger side from compensating for your weaker side.
Lie back on a bench holding a dumbbell in each hand just to the sides of your shoulders.
Face your palms forward, towards your feet. (If you have shoulder issues then switch to a neutral grip, where the palms face each other.)
Press the weights above your chest by extending your elbows until your arms are straight. (Don't let them touch.)
Slowly bring the weights back down.
Lift moderate to heavy. Do these exercises three or four times per week and make sure that you are regularly training "to failure." This concept of "progressive overload" means that if you aren’t struggling to do the last rep or two, it's time to graduate to heavier weights with fewer reps and repeat the cycle.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
High-intensity interval training or HIIT, is a great way to get the benefits of cardio and resistance training at once. Especially if you need to lose some weight, consider adding some HIIT to your regimen. The great thing about HIIT is that you can do it at home or the gym. This particular plan requires no equipment and also helps train the upper body:
Push-ups (20 seconds)
Rest (10 seconds)
High knees (20 seconds)
Rest (10 seconds)
Mountain climbers (20 seconds)
Rest (10 seconds)
Push-ups (20 seconds)
Rest (10 seconds)
Jump squats (20 seconds)
Rest (10 seconds)
Plank jacks (20 seconds)
Rest (10 seconds)
Burpees (20 seconds)
Rest (10 seconds)
Push-ups (20 seconds)
Rest (10 seconds)
Recovery Days
As pumped as you are to get “swole”, be sure to have at least one full-on rest day every week. Recovery days allow your muscles to recuperate. That doesn't mean you have to hit the couch all day! Some light movement sessions will improve the circulation between muscles and help you recover faster. Keep in mind how your muscles grow. During training, you're literally tearing them. Going for a walk, a bike ride, or a short easy hike will keep nutrients and regenerative biological substances flowing while letting your muscles recover.
Related article: Do you need a rest day or are you just being Lazy? Signs and symptoms of overtraining
Take Away
If you are a beginner or returning to training after an extended period of inactivity, with a well thought-out workout and nutrition plan you can expect to gain 2-4 pounds of muscle in a month. However, I would strongly recommend having a longer-range goal. Trying to push it too hard, too fast can lead to injuries or over-training. Work with gym staff or a personal trainer to keep you on track, stay hydrated and get lots of quality sleep. Before you know it, folks will stop asking, "Have you been working out?" because it will be totally obvious!
