What kind of (natural) muscle-building results have you experienced?

[DanielBishop]

As I've mentioned in another thread, I'm about to start my bulking phase.

I'm 21 now, and have been lifting weights since I was about 16. The problem was, when I started I didn't lift heavy enough and avoided fat (even healthy fats) like the plague. I also ate the wrong sort of carbs, and didn't realise how much protein I needed. I didn't eat enough overall, and tried to lose fat while gaining muscle (and subsequently my weight didn't really change). Then in later years I began eating more during the bulking phase, but ate the wrong things and just got fat.... and after a couple of months of being fat, I hated myself and needed to cut again. So my bulking phases were always cut short, and never very productive.

Now, thanks to dieting gurus such as Mr. X, MS and OMEGA (but especially Mr. X).... I've developed a bulking diet (40% protein:30% low GI carbs:30% healthy fats) which will deliver 2g protein per lb of bodyweight, and hopefully enough complex carbs and essential fats to see some real gains.

My question is this:
How much muscle can I expect to gain?

I know there's 1,001 variables.... including the effectiveness and intensity of my training routine, my genetics, rest, and countless other things. But I have no idea at all of what is a realistic expectation.

Am I likely to gain 3lbs of muscle in a year, or 30lbs? I honestly don't know.

So I'd like you guys to share with me, your bulking results over the years.... natural only, please.... how much lean muscle mass did you gain, and over what period of time?

I'm simply looking for a yardstick so I'll have at least SOME idea of what to expect. It's no good having a New Years Resolution to gain 100lbs in a year if that's completely ridiculous.... just like a New Years Resolution to gain 1lb is probably setting the bar a little low.

I won't quote you guys on anything, and I know that nothing you say will be a guarantee that I'll gain ANY muscle at all. Like I acknowledged, there's 1,001 variables. I just want SOME clue, so I'm at least in the ballpark.

Thanks!!

 

[Fatty4You]

Hey DB, I never used to eat a lot, but i thought i could get bigger anyway. Well, obviously that didn't happen. When i graduated school in May 2002, i weighed about 189-192 lbs. I had been up to 199 once, but then dropped down again and couldn't get weight back on. Then I decided that i was gonna start taking my lifing and EATING a lot more seriously. I ate a lot and I started to cycle my routine - sometimes lifting lighter, sometimes lifting heavy.

Well, long story short, by the beginning of December i weighed in at about 225 lbs. Now, this was muscle mass, BUT certainly some fat added also. Since then i have slimmed down a bit and I am now 217, but i still have some slimming to do come spring time. Also my strength has gone up a fair amount in that time. I am completely natural and i have all my gains to contribute to hard working and hard eating. I think though that my body was like a sponge and was dying to finally be fed, because as of late i have weight the same and have not seen any size increases, but I still continue to make strength increases.... slowly.

So, i would say that progress depends on what your body is used to. I would say it sounds like you have kinda been a little "off" with your diet and routine up until now, as was i, but now that you are taking it seriously, i am sure, at least for a while you will see really good results, which will of course slow down over time.

Good luck,
-Fatty

 

[DrBones]

I was in the same boat as both of you two...
My training sucked, my diet sucked, and I managed to get up around 175 lbs from 150 of REALLY lean muscle... After starting to read these boards I went up to 178 of REALLY lean muscle in about 2-3 months. This was on a very clean diet.. and not really a bulk either. Since the end of August, I've gone from 178 to 200... I'm guessing I've put on around 7-8 lbs of LBM by now, and I am probably sitting around 185 cut, at 5'10... This is a guestimate...
I think you should be able to gain 10 lbs of LBM a year.... If everthing is in check...
Thats my guess..

 

[he-man]

first year of serious lifting is when i saw my best gains. got up to 220 natural and hit a wall. had to try lots of different stuff after that including AS to make smaller gains. i'm sure that's how it is for most.

 

[michaelcoutts]

i have been bulking for the last 2 months now and i have put on roughly 16 pounds.
But that alot of that is fat because i am ectomorphic and i needed that extra bit of fat to help to really put on muscle mass. My diet is basically 'all you can eat'. ATM i am eating chocolate and coke so you can see what i mean. That is not to say that i havent also added alot of muscle along with that additional body fat.

Judging by what you said, i am guessing that you have and endomorphic type body so my diet would defiantely not be suitable for you therefore gains may not be as rapid.

 

[DanielBishop]

Actually, I think I'm more ectomorphic than anything. I'm reasonably tall (almost 6'2") and my limbs are very long and slender.... which is why I don't have the appearance of being bulky. However, I do gain fat pretty easy.... probably due to the fact that I eat HEAPS. I've just always eaten a lot of volume so that's probably the reason.

Anyway, since my diet has never been right it's difficult to say.... we'll find out, I guess.