How much can you actually gain in a year, honestly.

For a complete beginner training with progressive overload and eating sufficient protein, gaining 8 to 12 kilograms of lean tissue in year one is realistic.

In year two, that rate drops by roughly half (4–6 kg). By year three and beyond, adding 2 to 3 kilograms of pure muscle represents an outstanding year of training.

This rate is governed by biological adaptation, not lack of willpower. Trying to force faster weight gain on the scale beyond these limits simply accumulates unwanted body fat that you will have to cut later.

Focus on slow, steady weight gain paired with measurable strength improvements in compound lifts rather than trying to bulk fast.