How fast does muscle weight go on?

shivles
shivles Posts: 468 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I started a weight training program last week, done 4 sessions now, weighed myself this morning and it's gone up by 0.9kg, my body does look better though. Could it be muscle weight already? I'm not stressing about the 0.9kg but I'm just curious :)

Replies

  • mirandamayhem
    mirandamayhem Posts: 772
    I'd guess it's your muscles retaining water while they repair. I've had this this week, but now the weight is coming off
  • PANZERIA
    PANZERIA Posts: 471 Member
    No.

    There could be several reasons for your 0.9lb gain, but there is no way you can bulk up your muscles after just four sessions. After six months you may have gained a bit, but most likely, the muscle tissue will have eaten away at your fat cells, soooo...it'll all even out.

    But to answer your question, no. It does not go on that quickly.
  • cait287
    cait287 Posts: 7
    It is definitely water weight.

    Essentially, exercise/weight training means you are damaging muscle cells by putting strain on them. When they repair, they become stronger, bulkier, more able to withstand strain, and you have more muscle. Your bones actually become stronger (or weaker) in the same way, which is why weight-bearing exercise is good for your bones.

    The process of repairing your muscle is actually mediated by inflammation - we think of inflammation as just being related to infection, but any damage to your cells releases things that signal to your immune system, "hey, we've got a problem here." These inflammatory markers bring a whole lot of other stuff to the area to help with the repair process, and through that wind up dragging water in and causing swelling.

    Essentially, you have inflamed, water-logged muscles that are making you weigh more than normal while they undergo repair.
  • Bakkasan
    Bakkasan Posts: 1,027 Member
    Just water yup. Muscle takes weeks, 6-12 to see any appreciable difference.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    You can probably gain, if you are VERY lucky and eating in a calorie SURPLUS and training VERY HARD... About 12 lbs of muscle the first year of training. 6 after. then 3.. .etc.

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