How Long to build a decent Physique

[jameshelp]

I am I have been going to the Gym For 2 years. the first year was an L for me as my trainer was not good so I decided to hop on the web and get some research by myself I found some answers a lot by the way some of those include (they are science base by the way) :

1. Get at least 0.8 - 1.0 gms of protein for a pound of body weight.
2. If you want muscles to grow train them twice a week once a week is ok but doing it twice gives the best result.
3. Training till failure is the best to see the most gains.
4. If you wanna Gain Eat more than your maintenance and if you wanna lose eat less.
5. Other Supplements do help but aren't necessary (Not JUICE or Gear).
6. Both during cutting and bulking Dont go over gaining or losing 1% of the body weight to help retain and maintain muscles

I have been following this science for the last 3 months and I have been in a bulk and then a cut since last 2 months and lost 6 Lbs taking it slow to preserve muscles but I am tired of the slow progress so this is to you natty out there how long does it take to build a good physique with 15-inch arms and good looking abs.

Thanks for all of your Replies

 

[boanerges1989]

@jameshelp Natural bodybuilding is gonna take years and discipline to achieve anything impressive tbh, compared to the influencers on gear you see everywhere. Im doing a cut rn and have 17in arms and maybe abs in a few months. Ive been lifting for 3 years and 4 months now.

 

[jameshelp]

@boanerges1989 what's your height and weight mine is 5'9 and 176 Lbs your Pretty good by the way.

 

[boanerges1989]

@jameshelp 5’11 and 206 as of today,(

https://imgur.com/a/fV6Wa5H

) this is how i look btw

 

[dawn16]

@boanerges1989 Definitely made some nice gains there. Those thighs!

 

[jameshelp]

@boanerges1989 Man your Stats Seem to be amazing I cant see your Pic tho but whats your protein intake been and what other suppelemts you take?

 

[boanerges1989]

@jameshelp I never tracked my macros until now, just made sure to eat mostly healthy and get full. I guess you could say ive been maingaining for the past 3 years, this is my first actual cut. Only supplement i take is just whey powder

 

[mycroft1325]

@boanerges1989 What do you do for arms?

 

[boanerges1989]

@mycroft1325 Standing dumbell and hammer curls as heavy as you can get for 4x8. Or preacher curls

 

[mycroft1325]

@boanerges1989 and triceps? Thanks

 

[boanerges1989]

@mycroft1325 Standing dumbell extensions and rope pushdowns

 

[dawn16]

@boanerges1989 Looking great man!

 

[imnotjokingwellnotmostly]

@jameshelp Takes a while buddy

 

[eajones103]

@jameshelp I’d say that 3 years of dedicated training with nutrition in check gets you a top 10% body. But to get to the top 1% you’ll have to do this for 10+ years.

 

[rojer]

@eajones103 In today's world its a top 1% body at least. Most people are really out of shape.

 

[jameshelp]

@eajones103 Thanks Mate

 

[rickypro88]

@eajones103 If you mean 1% of all physiques most natural people will never hit that

 

[onemanundergod]

@rickypro88 I saw somewhere that there are more millionaires in the US than people with abs

 

[darwinian12345]

@eajones103 Cap lol. Idk if it's cause I'm still in Uni and got lucky but I'm 6'1", graduated high school at 135 pounds and I'm about 180 now 11.XX%ish bf but only worked out seriously the last 6 months and I've built a very aesthetic, natural physique.

 

[newmommie305]

@jameshelp It takes years. From my experience, when someone does "all the right things" yet still is frustrated with lack of progress two main culprits tend to be relevant: 1) impatience, and/or 2) failure to understand "failure" and/or the appropriate level of effort.

To the former, this shit takes a long time without gear. Despite that, it's still worth it to stay natty unless you sincerely intend to make a run at the stage. For most normies, just trying to impress the homies , get swole, finally kiss a girl, etc., gear is fuck and not worth the side effects. Just the attitude adjustment alone takes it off the table for me personally. I know way too many decent dudes that got on cycle and morphed into insufferable douchebags in a matter of weeks. I shit you not. Admittedly anecdotal so take that FWIW. So, you just gotta stick it out. Consist effort will always win out if you can maintain it for long enough.

To the later, it takes experience to understand what true failure and effort is. Most of us start out just counting sets and reps with the mind set "get to my tenth rep and I'm done!". As you gain experience you start to know your body better. Over time you connect your mind with the muscles and learn what type of effort gets you results. This is not something someone can teach nor is it objective, hence why many lifters get stuck in a cycle of minimal progress sticking to a regiment that isn't sufficiently challenging.

To you question, the consensus is that it takes approx. 130 training hours (give or take) for normal people to noticeably change their physique. This varies greatly depending on your level of fitness (i.e. people with more progress to make tend to make it quicker while people already in shape tend to see more gradual results). Abs are 90% diet and arm size is all about triceps. Assuming you are achieving the appropriate level of effort in the gym, and with a good diet and PPL program hitting tris twice a week, I would estimate that you should see progress within 4 months or so.

Lastly, take progress picks after every lift (or weekly if preferred) and save them in an album on your phone. This will help you combat the lying ass mirror who tends to distort the reality. Whenever I feel stagnant I go to my album and look at myself a few months prior. It helps control the dysmorphia and assess areas that may be lacking.