How long it actually takes to build muscle isn’t something you can boil down to a single, neat answer—no matter how many TikToks or Instagram Reels claim they’ve cracked the code to getting jacked overnight.
Those quick-fix promises usually just create more confusion. Should you be fasting? Ditching cardio? Living on supersets? Training like you’re in a military bootcamp? Swearing by kettlebells, Bosu balls, or calisthenics? Chugging protein the second you drop the weights? Loading up on creatine and beef? Hitting a magic heart-rate zone? Squatting your partner? Going shirtless for “extra gains”? Or strapping a resistance band onto literally everything?
With so much noise, it’s no wonder the simple question—how long does muscle really take to grow?—feels harder than ever to answer.