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The time it takes a person to gain muscle mass by doing anaerobic physical activity, such as weight training, is approximately 6 months. However, muscle hypertrophy can begin to be noticed after a few weeks or months depending on the physical and genetic characteristics of each person.
However, if the person does not do physical activity regularly, does not have a healthy diet or does not let the muscle rest long enough, the time to gain muscle may be longer.
Body changes
When anaerobic or resistance exercises are performed, such as weight training and abdominal exercises, for example, the breakdown of muscle fiber and inflammation of muscle cells is stimulated, which activates a hormone-guided mechanism that aims to repair fibers and decrease inflammation. of the cells. When this process happens, the muscle fiber increases, leading to muscle mass gain.
The first changes in the body are usually:
- In the first and second months of exercise, the body adapts to the activity. It is during this period that the individual feels more pain after exercise and his cardiovascular system adapts to the effort, as he gains more strength, endurance and flexibility.
- After 3 months of regular exercise, the body starts to burn more accumulated fat and, in this period, although there are no major gains in the muscles, a good reduction of the fat layer under the skin can be observed. From there it becomes easier and easier to lose weight.
- Between 4 and 5 months after the beginning of physical activity, there is a considerable decrease in fat and a greater release of endorphins in the body, leaving the individual in a better mood and with more physical disposition. And, only after 6 months of the beginning of the physical activity, a considerable gain of muscular mass can be observed.
The muscles that take the longest to develop are the triceps, inner thighs and calves. These will never "grow" as quickly as other muscle groups, due to the type of fibers they have.
It is also important to mention that in the case of women, the body responds much slower to muscle growth due to lower levels of testosterone, as this hormone is directly related to the process of gaining muscle mass. Check out other tips to gain muscle mass.
How to facilitate muscle mass gain
Some strategies that can be adopted to facilitate muscle hypertrophy are:
- Include protein-rich foods with every meal and right after training, which means you have enough protein in your body to help build muscle. Check out a list of protein-rich foods;
- Include foods rich in carbohydrates after exercise in conjunction with proteins, as it is necessary to replenish the sugar reserve in the muscle and repair the damage caused during exercise;
- Take protein supplements and some nutritional supplements to promote muscle growth, however it is important that it is recommended by the nutritionist, as it depends on the individual goal of each person;
- Rest the muscle group that was stimulated in the training for 24 to 48 hours, and should train another muscle group the next day. For example, if the workout of the day was for the leg, you must give the muscle a 48-hour rest so that the hypertrophy is favoring, and the upper or abdominal members, for example, should work the next day;
- Sleeping and resting for at least 8 hours is also important to allow time for the body to recover and favor muscle mass gain.
To enhance the exercises and make the muscle mass gain faster, some strategies can be adopted, which should be guided by a nutritionist and physical education professional, so that an individualized plan can be elaborated both in terms of food and physical activity.
Watch the following video to see more tips on how to eat to gain muscle faster: