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Why Some Guys Build Muscle 3x Faster (How You Can Too)

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Get FREE 2-week access to smarter fat-loss training with the BWS app: FFMI calculator: Subscribe for more videos: At 15, BEFORE he even touched a weight, his arms were bigger than most grown men. What if I told you this guy eats less than 1, 500 calories a day, and yet is able to build muscle at an unheard of speed Meanwhile, this was me. Narrow shoulders, skinny frame I looked like a stick you’d find in your backyard. So, I dug into science to find a way to beat my crappy muscle genetics and muscle growth rate, and I finally transformed my body. How Well, there are 3 main ways genetics affect your muscles: How fast they grow. Which ones grow the fastest. And your natural limit. Let’s start with speed. Some people are genetically wired to grow muscle faster than the rest of us. Imagine you took 287 people and you had all of them do the exact same full-body workout twice a week for 6 months. Back in 2016, a group of scientists did just that, but used MRIs, Dexa scans, and ultrasound to measure muscle growth as accurately as possible. Researchers noticed 3 types of muscle genetics. Hyperresponders. These people grew 2-3x faster than the average, growing their muscles up to 30% bigger. Average responders. This is where most people fell under. Growing their muscles by about 5-10%. Low-responders. Who barely built any muscle, with some even losing muscle! Remember, this was with the exact same training routine. But what exactly in our muscle genetics is causing this A possibility is myostatin, which inhibits muscle growth. What happens when you remove it Well, a Belgian breed of cattle is actually born without myostatin, and they get abnormally massive as a result. But in humans, the first case of a human mutation in the Myostatin gene was first documented in a 2004 study, where a German newborn was pretty much jacked right out of the womb. However, this mutation is actually extremely rare; in every one million people, 4 might have it. What it does tell us, though, is that muscle genetics can have a huge impact on how much muscle you build and how quickly. How can you tell if your genetics are good or bad in the first place Look at how quickly you gained muscle and strength in your first year of training. But if you’re a low or average responder like me, are you stuck there forever Not even close. You can absolutely speed up your progress and get way more out of your genetics than you think. The first strategy for getting more out of your muscle genetics is training volume. But does more is better’ apply to everyone Well, Eric recently co-authored a one-of-a-kind study that suggests if you’re a low responder, you can potentially match the gains of a higher responder by simply doing more. But and this is important how much more depends on where you’re starting from. If you’re doing under 12 sets per muscle per week, this is where you’ll see the biggest benefit. If you’re in the 12 to 20 set range, the returns are smaller. If you can only build so much muscle each year, and only recover from so much volume, the smartest move is to spend that volume budget’ where it makes the biggest visual impact. From there, start those focus muscles at around 10 sets per week, trained at least twice a week. Then, slowly add about 2 sets per week until you’re up around 20 to 30 sets. Keep your other muscles at about 8 to 12 sets per week. But if you just crank up the volume and train smarter, does that mean everyone, no matter their muscle genetics, can look like The Rock Not quite. The last piece of your genetic story is your natural limit. And the best way to measure it is with something called the Fat Free Mass Index or FFMI. But how high can you push this Let’s start with the average person, who, before lifting, usually has a fat-free mass index of 19. Here you can expect to gain about 8-10 lbs of muscle in your first year of lifting, about 5 lbs in year two, and then less and less each year onwards. Eventually maxing out at a fat-free mass index of 22 to 23. Now, a low responder You gain about half as much. Capping you at an FFMI of 20 to 21. And then of course, you’ve got steroid users. Dr. Mike Israetel who’s open about being enhanced shared his DEXA scan with me, and I calculated his fat-free mass index score at a whopping 35, breaking the scale. Here’s the encouraging part: being lean makes you look way more jacked. Take Bruce Lee, or Brad Pitt in Fight Club. Both fall right into the 20 to 21 range, but have the athletic, lean physiques most guys would kill for. But here’s the problem: most people still never get close to even that level. And it’s usually not your genetics holding you back. Instead, it’s usually down to things you can control: sleep, nutrition, and training effort. So before you blame your genetics, commit to training and eating as if they don’t suck.
Date: 2025-09-28

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Comments and reviews: 20

CRUSHEQUITY
My FFMI is like 32. Im 45%bf, 440lbs, 130lbs Skeletal Muscle Mass and like 235lbs Lean Mass 6'1. According to Inbody 440 anyway. 24hrs fasted test. Ive lost 100lbs and from 546lbs and have 5-10lbs muscle more. Idk for sure cuz only test I could take is Inbody. ive never had Dexa or CT scan or whatever. can't afford MRI and Dexa to far from me. Would love to see what actual Dexa is. But with my body I can gain/lose 10lbs SKELETAL muscle mass on INbody weather im in fasted state or bloated carbed state within 12-24hrs. My highest was 147lbs when I was eating carbs. Now in complete carnivore and 24hrs fasted Im 130-132lbs Skeletal muscle mass. No lean mass, actual skeletal muscle. Ive been low carb whole time and now full carnivore. But before I touched a weight, just sitting 24hrs a day, I deadlifted 405, benched 235x5 and Squatted 225 for 4-5 reps. I just started training in 2023 but trying to overcome entire life of sedentary lifestyle. Part of the issue is even at 500lbs my whole life I could do whatever everyone else did for most part. I also cand get within like 3 inches from rim of basketball rim at only 6 foot 1 475lbs. I dunno now. But I remember hearing about the FFMI for first time and that really put into perspective how freakish I am. Ive never taken anything btw. I just had a dog shit first 20 years of my life and hid away from the world to deal with it. But whatever, im here now and my life just beginning. Ive only wasted my blessing if I die before doing something with it.
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Matheus29001
I am very thin (1. 83m and 63kg, I started exercising a week ago and have seen a slight change in my body, to the point that just today someone asked if I'd gained weight. This is after over 10 years of trying to gain weight and only losing it (always varying between 55kg and 63kg. What have I done differently now My diet remains the same; I'm still as sedentary as ever. What has changed is that I'm now eating kefir and drinking glutamine before bed for intestinal recovery. And I've already noticed a difference in satiety, strength, and energy. I believe my intestines were inflamed and unable to absorb nutrients all these years, and now everything has changed. Perhaps the problem isn't exactly genetics, but rather the person's intestines not functioning properly.
It would be interesting to conduct a study with 100 people with different body types and genetics doing muscle-building exercises for 90 days, and then, after 45 days of consuming kefir and glutamine, doing the same exercises for 90 days to see if there is a change. If it worked for me, it might work for others. Perhaps the gut microbiota is much more important than we think.
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NightwishArena
I have always thought I had pretty average genetics, but according to this, I actually had great genetics. I was around 22. 6 when I was 20 (over 3 years of training. When I first hit 24 I was 28 years old. Then I build a house while working at masonry and got various overuse injuries, and after that I haven't been able to lift as heavy. I was still able to regain all muscles and strength twice. last time was over 10 years ago.
I still have hard time to believe that most guys who were bigger than me were taking steroids. My best FFMI have been maybe a bit over 24. Even now at almost 49 years old, after 10 years of gym break, and only less than 3 months of light training with caloric deficit (very bad sleep and low testosterone, I'm very close to 24. It is crazy that I didn't actually lose my muscles during that break at all, just gained about 8kg of fat. I don't have any dexa scans to confirm any of this, but I think I can pretty well guesstimate my fat percentage.
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jeremy_ethier
I also think it doesn't help for certain people like me who were still pretty active when they were younger, but didn't start lifting or going to the gym until their 20's or mid 20's, because if I started going when I was 16, 18, 21 like alot of people, I would assume my results would've been more pronounced and I would've had more advantages over my older self.
However, I always find things like this interesting and I refuse to give excuses to myself when it comes to bad genetics or any of that. I just think people should still always put that work in, don't make excuses, trust the process, enjoy the journey, and don't compare yourself to others.
Doesn't matter if anyone is taking gear, it doesn't matter if gym is their life, if their diet is perfect, it has nothing to do with you or your progress. Just enjoy that you have going on.
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pumpkinpatch2976
I went to the gym for about 4 months with a buddy, 3/4 days a week, maybe 10 hours or so I was 27, never did bench before, just curled some dumbbells at my house as a teenager. My first bench press was 150lbs at 190lbs bodyweight, in 4 months I hit 215, after that my buddy left for work and I didn't want to go by myself. I also have pretty big calves, and maxed out the standing calf raise machine on the first try, it capped at 325 lbs.
I feel like if I actually invested steady, I could be pretty big naturally. My dad was not that much smaller than eddie hall at the ages of 35-55.
Also, in that same time frame, my 32x30 blue jeans still fit at the waist, but my thighs were so big that my pants were tight and difficult to bend down to the floor in.
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nathanielacton3768
My son's nickname when he was a toddler was 'the nugget' because he looked like plastic bag full of nuggets. What 18month old has visible muscle To get him to fall asleep I would rock him in my arms and let him kicks against my locked arms. So in a way he started off with resistance training from the first month.
So, how did he turn out At 17 he holds a national record, competes in world championships and is aiming to become a professional athlete. I'm an IT dude that barely builds muscle after years of powerlifting. His bench is now 50% higher than mine. The difference is so big I switched to inclined dumbbell where I can still hold my own.
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runningriot7963
I know Genentics play a role, but I've had most of my skinny friends ask me how to get bigger, and they say they just can't get bigger no matter what, then after asking them some questions I find out, He was getting less than 6 hours of sleep on average a night, his high protien breakfast was 2 eggs, and he was training with like 20 RIR every set. and wwas super inconsistent with his training, like bro. where do I even start, you're doing everything wrong lol. Some people just blame genetics, when if you just pretend like genetics don't exist and just dial in your training and recovery you will see gains.
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tadk1312
What if I observed that I am a high responder to training in terms of muscle mass but my strength gains are barely none and I already can't move that much weight. I barely progress yet my muscles grow significantly
Edit: Additionally I do low volume, ppl with a rest day every other day, so 3x a week and 2sets per exercise. I am still growing and that is what my body kind of tells me to do, if I do more than that I am cooked and my tendons become inflamed, idk what to make of it if I leave a lot of gains on the table or if listening to my body is actually the optimal thing for me personally
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lukaszimoch4739
If I train 30 sets for two muscles I focus on, it means 60 sets in total. Depending on the rest time between the sets this alone takes 5-10 hours only for those two muscles - per week!
Ofc my muscles will grow, but this is getting out of hand. Even if I train 5 times a week, this would mean I have to train my target muscles 1-2 hours per workout. I could save some time with super sets, but this will probably imapct the quality of the sets.
And on top of my 1-2 hours long workouts only for two muscles I am supposed to train all my other muscles as well Nice joke
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RealLifeFit
3: 54 This whole industry is turning into a huge cover-up for fake natties. F you Jeremy he doesn't have myostatin deficiency. If he has please show me the baby pictures of him having huge muscles because he's either born with it or it's something else that makes him that big. Your below average genetics is clearly in intelligence.
First case of myostatin GENE defect recorded in 2004 and since then every second influencer has it. ok bro Please start selling shirts with 4 in a million genetics
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kas8075
jeremyethier - I dislike your websites limitations and streamlined focus so you lost a customer - I go to the gym 5-6x a week, I have used machines and had tests and I know my body fat is 6% currently yet your websire restricts me to saying that I'm 10-15% as your lowest setting, on top of that it asks what area I want to focus losing fat on rather than what area I want to put the suggested 9kg of muscle on to. so while your vids may be cool, your product site is not and I'm out.
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redthunder6183
when i first started lifting, the growth was absolutely insane. I gained like 20lbs in just a few months (about 6 months. but then i hit a brick wall, i only gained 5lbs over the next year, then it took 3 years to gain an extra 5 lbs.
might be because my diet hasn't changed since i started and i might just be burning more calories with the extra muscle, or maybe i just have a really fast metabolism, but it just feels like i hit a hard wall.
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ScienceSummary
Got a lot of doubt about these recommendations. 10: 42 20-30 sets that's super many. one could do this for some muscle but Other Muscles 8-12 sets/week make me doubt this - that's very many too and if at all would only work with low intensity or for some short duration. I found only few comments addressing this. And 6 sets per week is many and not some maintenance-level.
Also a key question: do dropsets count as sets here
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xdogg577
I've struggled with arm growth for the last year. I've definitely gotten stronger, but I didn't see a whole lot of visual results until I started increasing volume. My legs on the other hand grow like crazy. I can train my legs once every two weeks and still see results. My strategy for my upper body was to go slightly lighter weights but higher reps and in the last 2 months my arms exploded.
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jeremy_ethier
My ffmi is 25. 15 is this good or bad, i was pretty athletic in youth, a lot of swimming, diving, rowing, judo karate bicycle, and gym from my 16 to 22 year maybe a two years in total intermittently trening in the gym, in recent time gym again I lost 35 kg from 140 to 105, i vant to know my ideal weight for health reasons, please help
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gruzza9000
Julian has myostatin deficiency. He eats like shit, doesn't train well, doesn't need steroids, and his body doesn't regulate muscle growth at all. It can be another solution other than just steroids. Still, his physique isn't attainable for 99. 9999% of the population with steroids, because of his mutation, so don't take his training advice
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VijayMandal-t4m
Been lifting on and off for years and always overcomplicated my workouts. Grabbed The Unreleased Program on a whim and it’s honestly the first thing that made training feel simple again. No fluff, just a plan that actually works. Kinda wild that a book got me more progress in a month than all the random programs I’ve bought before.
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SelfBoostShorts
Im 18 years old and konsistently training for 3 years now, 4x a week. I Train every set to true failure and i also know the science behind Lifting. I have Hit my Daily calorie and Protein Goal nearly everyday and after this 6 months cut i now have an FFMI of 17 (186cm, 70kg, 15%bf). Is it Even worth continuing Lifting
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jeremy_ethier
1: 15 This amount of muscle on a teenager after only a view years can't be achieved by great genetics alone, it can't be achieved with steroids alone. It requires elite genetics in combination with steroids.
Unless he can proof that he has a damaged myostatin gene he is on gear as far as I am concerned.
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uyuutup
so much volume is not effective if you can not recover. you started with genetics and etc. and turned down to work hard and get big. There is too much scientific studies done for one topic, if you pick the studies works for you, its advertising. And result is scientific and wrong at the same time
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