How Much Muscle Can You Gain In A Year?

There is no exact answer to this question, because there are no specific methods of training resulting in a constant linear increase of muscle mass. Also, many variables that influence metabolic growth are genetically dictated; therefore they are outside of an individual’s control (such as varying levels of the growth hormone_ testosterone amongst persons). Third, few people can train steadily without periods of interruptions. Vacations, illness, taking care of children, lack of sleep, poor eating habits, etc. can cause you to abbreviate your training, or skip working out all together.

One also needs to be realistic in their pursuit of muscle growth. If you are as skinny as string bean, you can be sure that you will never be a contender for the Mr. or Mrs. Olympia contest. But following a proper diet and training program can still significantly add size to a slender frame. Generally, stocky individuals are usually able to gain muscle mass at a faster rate compared to smaller persons, but they also tend to gain more body fat as well. So there is an up-side and a down-side to different body types.

Muscle mass has to be fed. This is one of the primary reasons why an increase in muscle mass coincides with increases in body fat. Slim Jims tend to gain less fat during over-feeding periods than bigger persons. Conversely, over-fat persons lose less muscle and more fat when under a restricted caloric diet. Not to worry, although fat increases with increased muscle size, you can still maintain a healthy body fat percentage (men – less than 17%, women – less than 23%). Usually, the increased muscle mass is greater than the amount of additional fat.

By the way, feeding muscle mass doesn’t mean you get to eat more junk food. I’m referring to eating more nutrient enriched foods to fuel high intensity workouts and build muscle.

The idea of gaining muscle mass while maintaining a very low body percentage is difficult. Drastic measures have to be taken regarding diet and exercise. The process is so restrictive that few people have the tolerance and discipline to reach that utopia. It calls for kick-ass workouts, 8-9 hours of sleep daily, minimal fat in-take, timed and balanced meals, no alcohol, zero processed foods and an indomitable spirit. How long do you think you can maintain that lifestyle?

Drum roll please…The answer to the topic is about 25lbs or 12.5kg in a year. However, the more fit you become, the harder it will be to make additional gains. Muscle growth comes in spurts. When you reach the upper limits of your fitness, you will have to fight a lot harder to get more out of your body with less return. It won’t be seemingly as easy compared to when you first started to train.