Try these 5 super easy yet effective exercises for beginners to build muscle at home

Maintaining a workout regime during Covid-19 is full of challenges due to social distancing norms and justifiable aversion towards going back to public gyms. Keeping a reasonable degree of physical fitness, however, is still bundled with positive effects, which will affect the bodily and mental aspects of our wellbeing.

In such a situation, working out at home is our safest bet to build muscle strength, stretch the body for warm-ups and improve mobility. Especially for beginners, the lack of workout spaces can prove to be a real challenge as they do not have the correct guidance and equipment to build muscles.

So, we present to you five easy muscle gain exercises that you can do from the comfort of your home to improve your muscular strength and kickstart your fitness journey:

1. Push-ups

This is a classic exercise that improves muscular endurance and the size of your chest muscles, front shoulders and triceps.

Directions:

• Start with your hands underneath your shoulders and toes on the floor.
• Brace your core and align your hips to form a straight line with your body.
• Keeping your weight on your arms, bend your elbows to lower your chest towards the floor.
• Hold the pose as close to the floor as possible without touching it.
• Press back up powerfully to return to the start position.
• Repeat this at least 10-15 times to start with.

2. Biceps curls with a resistance band

The lightness of these bands enables increased repetitions, thereby improving endurance and mobility, which positively influences your bodily motions and muscular strength. Biceps curl is a great movement for both building muscle mass and toning the arms.

Directions:

• Hold each handle with your arms by the side and palms facing forward.
• Place one foot on the middle of the band to secure it to the floor.
• Keep your elbows pinned to your sides, bring your hands up towards your chest.
• Bring your hands back down and repeat at least 20-30 times.

3. Chest stretch

This exercise stretches and strengthens your chest.

Directions:

• Stand with your feet about hip-width apart and bring your arms behind you and interlace your fingers with your palms pressing together.
• Keep your head, neck, and spine in one line as you gaze straight ahead.
• Inhale as you lift your chest toward the ceiling and bring your hands toward the floor. Breathe deeply as you hold this pose for five breaths.

4. Squats

Squats are not just great for your lower body but also help tone the abdominal area, improve posture, strengthen knees and joints as they ensure adequate quantities of oxygen and blood to flow around these parts, thus helping to keep them supple and strong.

Directions:

• Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, place your arms down at your sides.
• Follow this by tightening your abdominal core, keeping your chest up, and looking straight.
• To perform the basic movement, bend your knees and push your hips back as if you are going to sit in a chair.
• In addition, when your thighs are parallel to the floor, pause and then push back up to your starting position.
• Lift the arms up slightly when thrusting back up to the starting position and repeat at least 10-15 times.

5. Planks

Planks are the ultimate fat burner that helps strengthen the abdomen and back muscles.

Directions:

• Begin in a tabletop position. Align the knees under your hips and your shoulders over your wrists.
• Press your hands into the floor and step one foot back at a time, bringing your torso parallel to the floor.
• Allow the arms to remain perpendicular to the floor with the shoulders aligned over wrists.
• Press your outer arms inward and spread your shoulder blades wide.
• Spread the chest open, draw the tailbone down, lift the thighs, and reach back through the legs.
• Reach the head forward and gaze softly towards the floor.
• Stay for 5 to 10 breath cycles.

So, ladies, exercise from the comfort of your home to tone up!