Exercise and workouts are often thought of as a way to lose weight, but did you know that you can also exercise to gain weight? With the right exercise and diet plan, you can distribute body fat proportionately and build lean mass and muscle at the right places, based on your body type.
As well as improving your physique, it also increases your strength and adds structure to your body. Have a look at these exercises if you want to know what they are.
Effective Exercises For Weight Gain
Women have a different body composition and distribution of muscle mass than men. With the guidance of a certified trainer, focus on specific exercises that are relevant to you.
Push-Ups
Steps to Follow
- Lie down on your stomach.
- Lay your hands on the ground with your palms facing down and your elbows bent and shoulder-width apart.
- Place your toes on the ground.
- Align your legs, feet, and back.
- Push yourself up with your hands as slowly as you can. Stretch your arms completely. Your entire body should be raised off the ground and supported by your hands and toes.
- Bend your elbows slowly as you lower your body. The only part of your body that should touch the ground is your hands and toes.
- Do 15 reps or as many as you can as per your comfort.
- Target Muscles: Chest muscles or pectorals, Shoulders or deltoid muscles, Triceps, and Core muscles.
Precautions: Using push-up handles will help you if you have wrist pain or poor wrist flexibility. It is important not to strain your knees if you are having a hard time getting off the ground.
Bench Press
Steps to Follow
- Lay on your back on the bench, keeping your entire body relaxed.
- Stretch out your fingers and grab the bar.
- Raise the weight bar slowly, stretching your arms completely.
- Put it back onto the rack or near your chest where you started. Bend your arms at a 90° angle.
- Do 4 to 5 reps or as many as you can comfortably do.
- Target Muscles: Triceps, Anterior deltoids, Traps, and Back.
Precautions: While unracking the weight bar, make sure to grip it properly to prevent shoulder injury.
Pull-Ups
Steps to Follow
- Face your palms outward as you grasp the pull-up bar. Make sure your hands are parallel to your shoulders.
- Make sure your feet are fully off the ground before you pull yourself up to the level of the bar.
- Pull your body up until your chin is above the bar.
- Slowly lower your body until your feet are on the ground and your arms are straight.
- Do as many reps as you feel comfortable doing.
- Target Muscles: Biceps, Lats muscles (the flat muscles of your back), Forearms, Trapezius (muscles in the center of the upper back), and Deltoid muscles (the muscles in your lower back).
Precautions: Do not strain yourself if you have a neck injury or weak wrist flexibility.
Bench Dips
Steps to Follow
- Lie on a bench perpendicular to your body with your back against it. Make sure the bench is stable and wide.
- Hold the edge of the bench with your hands. Keep your palms facing downward, with your fingertips facing the ground.
- Put your legs straight out in front of you, bent at the waist and perpendicular to your body.
- Slowly lower your buttocks by bending your elbows and pushing yourself until your forearms are parallel to the floor.
- As you exhale, straighten your arms and lift your torso back to the starting position.
- Repeat 4-5 times or until you feel comfortable.
- Target Muscles: Triceps
Precautions: Keep your chest puffed out and your shoulder blades pulled back. Be careful while doing this exercise if you have neck or back problems as it may strain them.
Squats
Steps
- Stand straight with your feet in line with your hips.
- Raise your arms straight forward and perpendicular to the ground. You may also spread your fingers and join your palms in front of your chest.
- Keep your entire body tight and flex your stomach.
- Breathe deeply and lower your buttocks as if you are sitting on a chair. Your thighs should be parallel to the ground. (You can also do this exercise while holding a weight bar for better results.)
- While doing this exercise, make sure your bent knees do not cross your big toes, and your body is straight and firm.
- Come back to your original position and repeat 5 times.
- Target Muscles: Thigh muscles like quads, hamstrings, and outer thighs, Glutes, and Core muscles.
Precaution: Be careful not to extend your knees beyond your toes when you squat down, as this can injure your knees. Starting with no weight bar is a good place to start if you are a beginner.
Lunges
Steps to Follow
- You should stand straight with your feet aligned with your hips. That’s the starting position.
- Take a deep breath, step forward with your left foot, and kneel until your right knee is perpendicular to the ground.
- Raise your body back into the starting position using your heel.
- Then repeat on the other side 20 times. Do this exercise while holding some weights for best results.
- Target Muscles: Glutes and buttocks, Hamstrings, Quadriceps, and Core muscles.
Precaution: Keeping your knees from crossing your big toe while kneeling down can cause knee pain. When doing lunges, avoid leaning forward. Your upper body should remain straight.
Deadlift
Steps to Follow
- Keep your feet shoulder-width apart while standing straight.
- Firmly grasp the weight bar.
- Keep your eyes forward.
- When lifting the weight bar, keep your back straight and lift it first up until your thighs, then up until your hips.
- Place the weight bar back on the ground by bending at the hips slowly.
- Perform as many repetitions as you are comfortable with.
- Target Muscles: Glute muscles, Hamstrings, and Core muscles.
Precautions: Despite the fact that this exercise is very effective, it is difficult to perform without a trainer. Avoid doing this exercise if you have any injuries.
Overhead Press
Steps to Follow
- Hold the weight bar with shoulders-width apart as you squat.
- Slowly raise the bar to your chest or shoulders.
- Taking a deep breath, lift your arms over your head until they are fully extended. Your elbows should remain locked.
- Slowly lower the bar until it reaches shoulder level.
- Repeat as many times as you are comfortable with. This exercise can also be done with dumbbells.
- Target Muscles: Deltoids, Triceps, and Upper back muscles.
Precautions: Performing this exercise if you are injured to your neck or shoulders is not recommended.
You can also follow a few tips to gain weight along with these exercises.
Tips To Gain Weight
- By focusing on each muscle group on specific days, you can strengthen each muscle group. You could, for example, target your upper body and abs one day, then your lower body and cardio the next.
- Once your body is adjusted to these exercises, you can shorten your rest periods and add variety.
- Make sure you eat proper pre- and post-workout meals as it will help you recover quickly.
- For maximum recovery and to add bulk to your muscles and increase weight, take enough rest.
- Dietary Habits that Promote Health
One of the most important approaches to healthy weight gain is through this method. Consuming high-calorie foods to gain weight is not healthy. To enhance digestion, you should include healthy and wholesome carbs, high-quality proteins, healthy fats, and probiotics.
This is a diet that you can follow to gain weight in a healthy way.
Keep A Check On Your Lifestyle
Weight gain requires a holistic approach, not just exercise and eating healthy. Here are some things you need to keep in mind:
- Be Practical: Set a realistic goal for your weight-gain journey.
- Sleep Quality: Focus on getting quiet and peaceful sleep for 7-8 hours. Good sleep enhances muscle recovery and improves your mood.
- Reduce Stress: Cortisol is the main culprit behind your stress levels and low mood. Try stress management techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or deep tissue massage to relax your entire body.
- Stay Away From Bad Habits: Don’t indulge in unhealthy habits like drinking and smoking.
What To Avoid
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- Exercises that are irregular. Spend at least 20 minutes doing cardio exercises for your heart, brain, and lungs. Gradually increase and decrease your heart rate.
- Maintain a low-natural-food diet. Consume plenty of natural fruits and vegetables to get enough fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
- Avoid high-calorie foods containing saturated fats and trans fats.
- Drink aerated beverages.
- Avoid processed and refined foods.
- Take too many weight gain supplements. Always go for practical and sustainable approaches.
Conclusion
Healthily gaining weight requires discipline and balance. Dieting or exercising only won’t help you achieve your weight gain goals. Be sure that you are performing the exercises correctly by consulting a fitness trainer. If you have any physical injuries, consult your doctor.
Gaining weight is a gradual process, so you will need to give it adequate time if you want to see results.