How to Actually Track Muscle Growth

Muscle growth isn't magic—it's math, momentum, and measuring what matters.

Let me be blunt: the mirror lies. Lighting lies. Instagram filters lie. But you know what doesn't lie? Data. Numbers. Progress over time.

Most guys walk into the gym, get a pump, flex in the mirror, and convince themselves they're growing. Maybe they are. Most aren't. Why? Because they're not tracking anything. No plan. No measurements. Just vibes.

Here's how I track muscle growth, and how you should too if you're serious about this game.

1. Measure Your Arms - Cold and Pumped

Don't just eyeball your size. Get a tailor's tape and measure your arms cold (no pump) every couple of weeks. Then do it pumped. Track both. If you want to know if you're growing, this is where it starts. You can also measure chest, quads, calves—but arms are the most obvious.

2. Track Your Weekly Volume

Most people don't even know how much volume they're doing week to week. Are you doing more reps, more weight, or more sets over time? That's progressive overload. I track sets x reps x weight for my main lifts. If those numbers don't go up, you're not growing. Period.

3. Log Your Big Lifts

Bench, squat, deadlift, pull-ups, rows. These movements don't lie. If you can rep more weight for more reps with clean form than you could last month, you're building muscle. Don't get distracted by fancy fluff. Track your compound lifts religiously.

4. Track Your Body Fat %

Most guys think they're bulking when really they're just getting fat. You need a way to track body fat—and I don't mean the bathroom scale. I use calipers. You can also use DEXA scans or even a smart scale with trends over time (just don't trust it day-to-day). If your weight's going up but your body fat is staying stable or dropping, you're doing it right.

5. Use the Mirror as Confirmation, Not Measurement

Yeah, the mirror's cool. It's a tool, not the measurement. If you see the biceps popping and the waistline staying tight and your data backs it up—now we're talking.

Bottom Line: If you're not tracking your progress, you're gambling. Stop guessing. Start measuring. The weights don't lie, and neither should you.