How to Gain Muscle When It's Stopped Coming Easy

To gain muscle, train each muscle with about 10–20 hard sets a week, add reps or weight over time, eat a small calorie surplus, and get about 1.6 g of protein per kg of bodyweight a day. Those principles work at any age, for women and men alike, and for every “body type.” In your first year, expect about 1–2 lb of muscle a month; gains slow after that.

What does it take to gain muscle mass?

Four things: hard weekly sets, progressive loads, a small calorie surplus, and enough protein. Aim for about 10–20 hard sets per muscle a week; research found that 10 or more weekly sets trended toward the largest gains (Schoenfeld, Ogborn & Krieger, 2017). Protein gains plateaued around 1.62 g/kg a day (Morton et al., 2018). Your response can vary widely: in a group of 585 people following the same 12-week arm program, muscle size changes ranged from −2% to +59% (Hubal et al., 2005).

• Use how much muscle you can gain in a month to set expectations for your rate of progress.
• See how long it takes to build muscle for a longer view of what progress can look like.
• If you train without performance-enhancing drugs, explore natural bodybuilding for guidance suited to that approach.

How do you bring up a lagging body part?

Give the muscle its own weekly dose of hard sets, train it earlier in the session, and keep at it for months. Count that muscle's sets on their own with the training volume calculator: most lagging muscles get fewer than 10 hard sets a week, the level that trended toward the largest gains (Schoenfeld, Ogborn & Krieger, 2017).

• Arms stuck? Read why your biceps are not growing.
• Chest, legs or shoulders lagging? The one lagging muscle section of why you are not gaining muscle walks through it.

Does your age, sex or body type change the plan?

The principles stay the same; the absolute numbers change. Women grow at a similar relative rate to men (Roberts et al., 2020), and lifters over 50 still add lean mass, more with higher volume (Peterson et al., 2011).

• How long it takes to build muscle has the timeline for women and lifters over 50.
• If you identify as an ectomorph or a hardgainer, the obstacle is usually eating enough, not a special muscle-building problem.
• Wondering how much is left to gain? The muscle potential calculator estimates your natural ceiling three ways.

What about fat and muscle at the same time?

Beginners and people carrying extra fat can lose fat while building muscle. Set the numbers with the body recomposition calculator, or read skinny fat if you are not sure whether to cut or bulk first.

When muscle stops coming, there is usually one variable that stopped keeping up, and often two or three. Find out which one is holding you back first to narrow down what to address.

FAQ

How can I gain muscle mass fast?

Gain muscle as fast as your training age allows: aim for about 10–20 hard sets per muscle each week, progressively add load or reps, eat a small surplus, and get about 1.6 g/kg of protein daily. Beginners gain fastest; after the first year, the monthly rate roughly halves.

How much muscle can you gain in a year?

A natural beginner can gain about 1–2 lb a month in the first year, with men toward the top of that range and women toward the bottom. Gains roughly halve in year two. See how much muscle you can gain in a month.

Why am I not gaining muscle even though I work out?

Usually, you’re eating at maintenance or your plan doesn’t give you a reason to add weight to the bar. Check those two first; why you’re not gaining muscle walks through the full list.