Alec Titan
There are several ways to measure muscle growth without the use of expensive equipment. The simplest way is through visual inspection, which involves looking in the mirror or taking photos of your body to see if there are any noticeable changes in muscle size. Another way is to take body circumference measurements using a tape measure to measure the biceps and thigh, for example. This method is more accurate than visual inspection, but it may not be suitable for people who are overweight. Monitoring the progression of your weightlifting can also help you observe your muscle mass growth. This can be done by recording the weight lifted, repetition count, and set quantity for each workout.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Body measurements | Help to determine which muscle groups are growing and which may need to be approached differently |
| Help to understand your body's actual changes | |
| Help to see where you are putting on weight | |
| Help to distinguish between muscle and fat | |
| Can be taken on the chest, neck, waist, arms, and legs | |
| Should be taken at the same time and under the same circumstances each time | |
| Should be taken with relaxed muscles and without tensing, flexing, or sucking in your stomach | |
| Should be taken with a flexible, inelastic tape measure | |
| DXA scan | One of the gold standard measurements |
| Is the most cost-effective and easy-to-use standard for measuring muscle mass | |
| InBody devices | High-accuracy alternative to DXA scanning |
| Are cost-effective tools for tracking muscle mass over time | |
| Can be used with progress-tracking apps like InBody and Strong | |
| One-rep max (1RM) | A measure of how much weight you can lift for one repetition |
| A good indication of how strong you are | |
| Visual inspection | Quick and straightforward |
| Somewhat arbitrary |
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What You'll Learn
Visual inspection
When taking body circumference measurements, it is important to ensure consistency by measuring in the same location each time. For example, you can use a mole on your arm as an indicator or always measure at the widest area of your calf muscle. It is also recommended to measure at least twice to ensure accuracy and then calculate the average of the two measurements. The tape measure should be pulled so that it sits on the surface of the skin without compressing it.
Body tape measurements can help determine which muscle groups are growing and which may need extra attention in your strength training routine. They also provide a more comprehensive understanding of your body's changes, especially when used in conjunction with weight measurements. For example, you may notice that your clothes fit better, and you feel lighter and more energized, even if the number on the scale has not decreased as expected.
In addition to visual inspection and body tape measurements, tracking your weightlifting progress can also help you observe muscle mass growth. This involves recording the weight lifted, repetition count, and set quantity for each workout. If you see an increase in these metrics over time, it indicates that your muscles have likely grown.
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Tape measurements
When taking body measurements, it is recommended to wear fitted clothing or no clothing at all so that the garments do not affect the measurements. It is also important to stand tall with your feet together and your body relaxed. The tape measure should be pulled so that it sits on the surface of the skin without compressing it. For the most accurate results, take measurements at the same time and under the same circumstances each time. For example, take measurements first thing in the morning before eating or drinking anything.
There are several specific areas of the body that can be measured with a tape measure to track muscle growth. These include the neck, upper arm (both flexed and straight), forearm, wrist, chest (normal, contracted, and expanded), waist, hips, thigh, and knee. For the neck, measure at the smallest part, just above the Adam's apple, with the head erect and muscles relaxed. If you have a double chin, measure below it to avoid a slant. For the upper arm when flexed, raise your arm to shoulder level and fully contract your bicep with the back of your hand facing the ceiling. Place the tape squarely around the bicep at its thickest point, being careful not to slant the tape.
For the upper arm when straight, hold your arm horizontally in line with the shoulder joint and relaxed. Place the tape around the largest part, usually just below where the deltoid joins the arm. To measure the forearm, hold your arm straight with your fist firmly clenched and your wrist straight. Measure at the largest part of the forearm. For the wrist, place the tape directly next to the base of the hand, between the bony knobs and the hand. Hold your hand open with the palm up and fingers straight, keeping your hand in line with your forearm.
To measure the chest, hold the tape immediately under the armpits so that it crosses the shoulder blades in the back and the nipples in the front. Keep your torso erect, breathing quiet, and your muscles relaxed. For the contracted chest measurement, exhale all the air from your lungs and flatten your chest as much as possible. The expanded chest measurement is the same, but instead of exhaling, inhale as much as you can and expand your chest. For female bodybuilders, measurements are taken above the level of the breasts.
For the waist, measure at the smallest part, usually just above the navel, with the body erect and the abdomen neither drawn in nor protruded. For the hips, measure at the widest part, where the hips are broadest from side to side and the buttocks deepest from front to back. Keep your feet together and your muscles relaxed. Measure the thigh at its largest part, usually in the crease just below the buttocks, with your feet about six inches apart and your body weight evenly distributed. Finally, for the knee, place the tape across the middle of the kneecap.
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Weightlifting progress
Weightlifting and muscle gain progress can be measured in several ways. Firstly, it is important to remember that building muscle takes time, so measuring progress is not only about how much muscle has been gained but also about strength, endurance, energy, and physical ability improvements.
One way to measure progress is to track changes in your body fat percentage. This can be done using skinfold calipers, which measure the thickness of a pinch of skin, with any thickness beyond a fraction of an inch being an indication of subcutaneous fat. Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) is another method, using electrical currents to estimate body composition.
You can also measure the circumference of your muscles with a tape measure. A 2020 study found that this method was not significantly different from more complex methods when tracking the percentage change in bicep size. Measure the circumference of your biceps, triceps, chest, thighs, waist, and calves at regular intervals, such as every two weeks, to monitor progress.
Another simple way to track muscle growth is through visual inspection, such as looking in the mirror or taking progress photos to see if there are any noticeable changes in muscle size. Clothing fit can also be an indicator of muscle gain, as you may notice your clothes becoming tighter in certain areas.
Additionally, monitoring the progression of your weightlifting can help you observe muscle mass growth. Record the weight lifted, repetition count, and set quantity for each workout. If you see an increase in the weight you can lift or the number of reps you can perform, it is likely that your muscles have grown.
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Body composition analysis
One of the gold standard measurements for body composition analysis is a DXA scan, which can measure muscle mass and body fat percentage. This method is typically expensive and may not be accessible to everyone. An alternative to the DXA scan is the InBody device, which is a cost-effective tool to track muscle mass over time. InBody devices are being used in many gyms and can help track your muscle growth. It is important to remember that you should use the same method and device to track your progress over time, as different devices may use different approaches to measuring muscle mass.
Another way to measure body composition is through visual inspection, which involves looking in the mirror or taking photos of your body to see any noticeable changes in muscle size. This method is simple and quick, but it may be somewhat subjective. Additionally, you can use a body weighing scale that claims to check your body's muscle mass. However, these scales may not always be accurate.
You can also calculate your body fat percentage over time to determine if you are gaining muscle. Improvements in body fat percentage and increases in weight likely indicate that you are gaining muscle. Personal trainers often use skinfold calipers to measure their client's body fat. By determining your body fat percentage, you can subtract that number from your total body weight to find your lean body mass, which includes muscle, bone, skin, and organs. It is recommended to wait at least four weeks before measuring again to see any significant changes.
Additionally, you can employ a progressive training routine to measure your muscle gain. If you are increasing the weight you are lifting each week or performing more reps with the same weight, you are making progress and gaining muscle. It is important to document your workouts, measurements, and weights to see your progress over time.
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Journaling
Record Body Measurements
Taking body measurements is a good way to track changes in muscle growth. This can be done using a flexible, inelastic tape measure, such as a cloth measuring tape or a body tape measure. It is important to ensure that the tape measure sits on the surface of the skin without compressing it. Measurements should be taken at the same time and under the same circumstances each time to ensure accurate results. For example, measurements can be taken first thing in the morning before eating or drinking anything.
Track Body Composition
Calculating your body fat percentage can help determine how much lean mass is on your body, which includes muscle. If your body fat percentage is decreasing while your weight remains the same or increases, it indicates that you are gaining muscle. Body composition analysis methods such as DXA scans or body weighing scales that measure muscle mass can be used to track muscle growth over time.
Monitor Weightlifting Progression
Recording the weight lifted, repetition count, and set quantity for each workout can help track muscle growth. If there is an increase in the weight lifted or the number of repetitions performed, it is likely that muscle growth has occurred. Progress-tracking apps like InBody and Strong can be used to monitor weightlifting progression and track muscle growth over time.
Visual Inspection
Visual inspection through the use of mirrors or photos can be a simple and quick way to track muscle growth. However, this method may be less accurate compared to other measurement techniques.
Review Progress Regularly
It is important to review your journal regularly to track muscle growth and strength increases over time. This can be done by reviewing the journal at the end of each day or week to see how strength and muscle mass have increased. Regular measurements and documentation of photos, measurements, and body composition testing under consistent conditions can help clearly show muscle growth.
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Frequently asked questions
One way to measure muscle growth is to monitor your strength gains. Your one-rep max (1RM) is a good indication of how strong you are and can be tested regularly to determine strength gains. You can also monitor the progression of your weightlifting by recording the weight lifted, repetition count, and set quantity for each workout.
You can use a body weighing scale that claims to be able to check your body's muscle mass. However, these scales do not distinguish between what you are gaining or losing, which could be water, fat, or muscle.
When taking body measurements, you should wear fitted clothing or no clothing at all. Stand tall with your feet together and stay relaxed without tensing, flexing, or sucking in your stomach. Pull the tape measure so that it sits on the surface of the skin but doesn't compress it. For your hips, measure the widest part of your glutes. For your thighs, measure the midpoint between the lower part of the glutes and the back of the knee, or the widest part of the thigh. For your waist, find the narrowest part of your torso. For your abs, stand with your feet together and find the widest part of your torso, often around your belly button. For your arms, stand up straight with one arm relaxed, and find the midpoint between the shoulder bone and the elbow of that arm.
There are three different types of muscle: skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle. Skeletal muscle is responsible for controlling movement and posture, cardiac muscle consists of the heart, and smooth muscle helps make up the gastrointestinal, urinary, reproductive, vascular, and respiratory systems.
