How much weight can you gain in 12 months

[elbako]

hey guys (maybe girls as well) I started training 6 months ago and I have gained 10kg (22lbs). this has mostly been muscle because my bf% looks the same as to when I started. people don't believe I have gained so fast.

i though in 12 months you could only gain 12kg at best? why am I gaining so fast compared to my friends and others

[kholland65]

I'm assuming you are trying to gain muscle mass. This is perfectly plausible.

Your average person can typically gain about 10-20lbs in a year (of muscle). The most I ever gained was 15lbs in a year.

Typically the biggest gains usually come in the beginning when you are new to lifting. The main reason is your body feels the most shock. It's not used to it so that initial shock forces your body to drastically adapt, leading to big muscle gains. After the first year or two, your body starts to get used to it which is why people plateau and find it really hard to even gain a few lbs. The body becomes more stubborn. It gets used to the work out and no longer feel the need to adapt as much. This is when proper workouts and diets become even more crucial.

For a guy your age (early 20's), gaining the amount of weight you gained is common. Remember, you are at an age when testosterone is at it highest and testosterone is what makes you gain muscle (also why women have a hard time gaining muscle compared to men).

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

Because you're a little misled about your weight gains... 10lbs of it is likely increased water retention that also comes from lifting. From there it's likely 7lbs muscle, 5bs fat or thereabouts. Great gains. But if you gained 22lbs of muscle, you'd be monstrously ripped. And your bf% would change drastically. 25lbs of just muscle in a year is a lofty goal. Not very easily done even with steroids. Especially since it gets harder and harder to gain muscle weight as you progress. Keep up the good work.

[elbako]

thx man but it's still weight, my friends have only gained like half of what I have gained so far, whether it be muscle, glycogen, water, fat or whatever

but you know what you are talking about

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

Oh yeah, definitely. You can't go up in muscle weight without going up in water weight and it's very hard to up in weight period without adding some fat. If you went up 22lbs in weight and still have the same general definition, I think that's pretty good in terms of limiting the fat you're going to get while bulking. If you hit 12 or more pounds of muscle in a year, I think that's a sign of very good dedication. And you seem to be on that path, so props to you.

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

I was just trying to explain why 12kg / 25lbs of muscle in a year is a spectacular feat to accomplish. Certainly not trying to diminish your gains, if it came off like that I'm sorry. By your description, and it seems pretty honest, I think you're making great progress. You can't make those type of gains without putting the work in.

[shadowscapes]

Everyone's body is different. Sure, there are more efficient diet and workout methods, but some people gain muscle really easy and some people work hard and it takes time to see results.

Generally, guys who workout gain like 2 pounds of muscle per month, but you've been gaining twice as fast. I wish I knew the science, but I'd say your genes. Not to undermine the work and effort you put it in though, because you obviously must have put a lot into it.

[elbako]

yeah man I have really been giving it everything the past months, eating like crazy, and never missing a workout

i would not say I have good genetics but who cares what genetics think ;)

[blackkid2]

To be absolutely frank this depends on where you started and what you're doing to gain the weight.

Without that information no one can tell you really.

[elbako]

started 60kg 6ft tall.

now I am 70kg 6ft

i do a 4 - 5 day split hitting each muscle once a week, sometimes I might train a different muscle twice a week

[blackkid2]

Just like I thought your starting BMI was 17.9 meaning you were just barely underweight. Your "explosive gains" is actually just your body returning to a basic and normal weight. Current BMI would be 20.7~9 so you're still on the lighter side.

In short: What you're experiencing is normal.

[elbako]

so if I keep going the way I do now, do you think I could reach 75kg by the end of the year?

and don't give me that crap, the bmi is just stupid. I have a low bodyfat% so my weight is lighter, I still heave more muscle then them

[blackkid2]

The BMI is not "stupid" because you are still underweight and your BF% isn't a strong predictor since you can be anorexic with a really low BF%. Remember that you don't have more muscle because you lack body fat, you just have less fat, by ratio you probably have more bone and other tissues seeing as you weigh nothing. Regardless you probably could gain 5kg if around that or a bit more.

[elbako]

dude, I'm bigger then people that don't lift now, some people weigh more because of many factors, such as bone weight, organ weight, skin weight...

i have light joints, for my frame I have filled it out a bit, although I have a ong way to go

[blackkid2]

I'm not trying to argue with you. You were underweight so you having a low body fat percentage is not surprising. Not that you've actually told us what it is but regardless the weight gain is explained through natural means and it's normal. That's what you asked.

[StraightFreak]

No.. BMI is stupid for any real lifters - I was put "overweight" because I gained 20 lbs of muscle and dropped bf%

[blackkid2]

BMI is stupid for "real lifters", AKA people who this person is obviously not.

[elbako]

gtfo, I just said I started and I don't plan on stopping

[blackkid2]

That doesn't actually make sense. I'm not saying you're stopping; I'm explaining where the line would be between you and a power-lifter that StraightFreak was describing. I'm aware of the limitations of the BMI. It's still a valuable diagnostic tool for most of the populace.

[blackkid2]

I really shouldn't explain myself. I'll GTFO.

[Anonymous]

Well - depends on your diet and workout - I would say 15 lbs of muscle in a year for a newcomer is possible if its year-round training.

my transformation for 3 years (around sports training) is recorded - ask me anything

https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=W09105lVYXo

[elbako]

great work bro, few more years and you will look even better. you should get shredded to man

[Opinion Owner]

Work now takes its toll, but I will keep pushin!

[elbako]

keep going bro never stop, I know what it's like to. lot's and lot's of food and lot's of lifting haha

[Anonymous]

That's because of metabolism.

Though gaining 12 kg at 12 months is just fine.

[Anonymous]

Some people put weight on easier than others. I put 30 pounds on in 3 months so it really depends on the person. If somebody is already bigger its going to he harder to put on 20 pounds than if a person who was skinny was trying to put on 20 pounds