What Exercises Can You Do at Home to Gain Weight?

While a lot of people are obsessed with shedding those extra pounds, there are also those who want to gain weight and build muscle. Well, if you're one of those, there are certain exercises you can do at home to gain a few kilos and look fuller.

When working out to gain weight, you also have to ensure that you gain less fat and more muscle. The right exercises combined with a proper diet as per your body and fitness level help build lean muscle mass in the right places. Along with enhancing your overall physical appearance, performing exercises for weight gain can also help you gain strength and energy and add structure to your physique.

We’ve listed a few easy and basic level home exercises that must be included in your workout routine to gain weight

1.) Push ups

Muscles targeted: shoulders, pectoral muscles, triceps.

To perform this exercise:

• Take a high plank position. Keep your hands firmly on the floor just underneath your shoulders and your legs extended behind.
• Keep a neutral spine and lower your body until your chest reaches just above the ground.
• As you do this, push your body back up. This completes one rep.
• Perform 8 to 10 reps.

2.) Bench dips

Muscles targeted: shoulders and triceps

To perform this exercise:

• Stand in front of a sofa, bench or a sturdy chair by facing your back.
• Hold both the edges of the bench with your hands at a shoulder-width distance.
• Keep your legs extended forward and straight so that it is perpendicular to your chest.
• Now lower your body bending through your elbows until your forearms and upper arms get perpendicular to each other.
• Lift your body using your triceps to the initial position.
• Perform at least 10 reps.

3.) Bodyweight squats

Muscles targeted: quads, hip flexors and hamstrings

To perform this exercise:

• Stand upright with your back absolutely straight. Your feet should be slightly wider than your hip-width distance.
• Your gaze should be straight and your arms extended in front of you.
• Contact your glutes and move your hips backwards. Bend your knees.
• Engage your core and start to bend your knees while also pushing your hips out.
• Sit down on your heels with your body weight. Lower your body until your hip is lower than your knees.
• Hold for a few seconds, exhale and start getting up while keeping your body weight on your heels.
• Perform 10 reps.

4.) Lunges

Muscles targeted: glutes, hip flexors and quads

To perform this exercise:

• Stand upright with your feet in line with your hips.
• Engage your core and take a step forward with your right foot. Kneel until your left knee gets perpendicular to the floor.
• Push back through your heels and lift your body back up to the initial position.
• Perform the move 20 times on each side.

5.) Burpees

Muscles targeted: triceps, hamstrings, chest and delts.

To perform this exercise:

• Start off with an upright position with both your hands on the sides.
• Go down to a squat position but keep your palms on the floor.
• Now while keeping your arms extended, kick your legs back. You’ll now be in a high plank position.
• From this position, immediately go back to squat and jump to finish the first rep.
• Perform 8 to 10 reps.

6.) Crunches

Muscles targeted: rectus abdominis and obliques

To perform this exercise:

• Lie flat on a yoga mat or the floor with your feet flat and your knees bent.
• Put your arms across your chest. Engage your abs and breathe easily.
• As you exhale, lift your upper body slowly off the mat while keeping your neck and head stable and relaxed.
• Inhale and lower your body to the initial position.
• Complete 10 reps.

Summary

When performing these exercises to gain weight, aim to strengthen each muscle by focusing on them individually on specific days. For example, you can target your abs and shoulders one day, followed by legs and lower body exercises the next day.

Make sure to reduce your recovery period and include a variety of exercises once your body has adjusted and you’ve gained strength and confidence. It is also very important to eat appropriate pre-and-post exercise meals to get the energy you need. Get enough rest to get maximum muscle recovery.