What can help me build muscle faster than diet, exercise, and rest alone?

Question

I was thinking of doing an amateur bodybuilding show, but I'm drug-free and build muscle super-slowly no matter what. I am in need of going to a local bodybuilding show that I signed up for, but it's in four months and I'm looking to gain 12 pounds of muscle before then and lose about 8 pounds of fat.

I won't ever use steroids, but I'll do anything else that can help, as long as it's still not prohormones, HGH or SARMs. I gain only about half a pound of muscle a month, and I'd like to speed this up naturally. What supplements can help? I take tons of creatine but it unfortunately doesn't do enough.

I tried caffeine for heavier workouts, but workout intensity has no bearing on speed. I sleep 8-12 hours a day, and sleep quite well -- and this makes little difference. I get adequate protein, carbs and calories -- but it doesn't make a difference. I try different workouts and mostly only bodybuilding sets that focus on pump, intensity and many sets and reps -- but this yields no difference vs. any other regimen.

I don't want to show up and look "small" because people expect bodybuilders to have decent size.

How can I get as big as possible naturally within 4 months? I've heard of blood restriction and doing and workout out 50-100 sets can force excess blood to muscle which makes them get filled and huge. Also, I heard that you can take 200mg of creatine and drink five gallons of water and bloow flow restriction/pump creams that help put on size instantly. Do these help with looking bigger at least?

I'm lean and have okay size, but don't feel it's enough to be in an amateur bodybuilding contest.

I cannot back down from this. What are my options? 10-12 lbs. of muscle within four months.

I know muscle heals when not working, but I need this to be quick, like 1 day.

EDIT: I realize that 4 months is really pushing it, but I'd like to basically super-charge my progress now as best as it can possibly go until the show that's coming up. I believe there's something extra that can slightly help more than just the usual diet/macros, sleep and rest, which I have at the best.

Answer 1

4 months to gain 12 pounds of lean mass, and drop 8 pounds of fat? It's possible, perhaps, but really unlikely. Like the odds of winning the lottery unlikely.

Untrained, you can add ~1% of your bodyweight in muscle per month. Since you said you're not putting on much, let's assume you're on the lighter side coming in at 165. Which means you could add 1.65 pounds a month, putting you (1.65x4 = 6.6) well short of 12. And that would not be in the kind of caloric deficit needed to drop 2 pounds a month of fat.

You can't "supercharge" your progress, and attempts to do so invite issues like tendonitis and other overuse injuries which will submarine everything. No one likes it, but strength/size/endurance training is akin to filling a bathtub up one teaspoon at a time. The people squatting 700 pounds, winning bodybuilding contests, and clocking 2 hour marathons are the ones who've been at it a long time with smart training and years (decades, frequently) of discipline.

You won't like this answer but you picked the wrong goal. Be realistic about the time you can invest in your training and what you can reasonably expect if you do your part.

Answer 2

I sleep 8-12 hours a day, and sleep quite well -- and this makes little difference.

It makes a lot of difference. To prove this, try sleeping for 4 hours per night, and see how much better off you were with 8-12. You're taking the effects for granted, because you don't see the direct corrolation between good sleep, and the progress you've made this far.

I get adequate protein, carbs and calories -- but it doesn't make a difference.

Again, try NOT getting adequate protein, carbs and calories, and see what happens.

Why are you trying to discount the good effects of good habits?

How can I get as big as possible naturally within 4 months?

You're already describing the process. 4 months is nothing if you're looking for big changes. It takes years.

I've heard of blood restriction and doing and workout out 50-100 sets can force excess blood to muscle which makes them get filled and huge.

Where did you hear this? I'd be interested to read this peer reviewed research report.

Also, I heard that you can take 200mg of creatine and drink five gallons of water and bloow flow restriction/pump creams that help put on size instantly. Do these help with looking bigger at least?

I think you mean 200g? Because 200mg is very little. A normal serving size is 5g. The rest sounds like mumbo jumbo to me. Again, I'd be interested to know where you get this info. 5 gallons of water is sure to make you puke. And what the hell is pump cream?

Listen, what you're trying to do is circumvent normal human limitations. Normally, when people do that, they use steroids. Barring that, I'm afraid you're stuck.