Can I build muscle mass without protein shakes?

For a muscle to gain mass, the metabolic basis for it must be in place: the net protein balance must be positive. This means the rate of muscle building has to be greater than the rate of muscle breakdown. Only then is protein stored in the muscle and the muscle grows. This state is only achieved through the combination of muscle training and protein intake (or rather, intake of essential amino acids). Besides a sufficient daily intake of dietary protein (approx. 1.3 to 1.7 g/kg body mass), the timing pattern of intake in particular should be right: about 20 g of protein every 3 to 4 hours, four to six times a day. Plan your training so that you can take a portion straight after training.

Source: Source: COACH Magazin (Markus Gsell) – Interview with Marco Toigo