Here are a few exercises that you can perform to build muscles. These exercises don’t require weights. Thus, these exercises can be performed within the confines of your home.
Push Ups
This exercise helps you build and tone your chest, shoulders, and arms. To perform push ups, follow the instructions provided below:
➠ Lie with your face facing the floor, and your toes curled under.
➠ Slowly, start lifting your chest, stomach, and thighs off the floor. Lift all your weight on your arms and your feet.
➠ Thereafter, slowly come down, but do not touch the floor.
➠ Do at least 12 to 15 repetitions of this exercise.
Pull Ups
➠ Hang on a doorway pull up bar
➠ Tighten the core muscles, and slowly lift yourself, so that your chest is raised above the bar.
➠ Slowly, come down to the starting position.
➠ Repeat this exercise as many times as possible, or for a minimum of ten repetitions.
Squats
➠ Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart, and place your hands behind your head.
➠ Slowly lower your torso, as though you were to sit on a chair, but keep your heels pressed on the floor and your tail bone tucked in.
➠ Lower your torso till your thighs are parallel to the floor.
➠ When you are returning to the starting position, squeeze your glutes.
Lunges
➠ Stand upright and place your right foot in front of you.
➠ Slowly, lower yourself till the right thigh is parallel to the floor, and the knee of the left leg is about to touch the floor.
➠ Return to the starting position.
➠ Perform at least 12 to 15 repetitions.
➠ Repeat these steps by placing the left foot in front, and perform 12 to 15 repetitions.
Calf Raises
➠ Stand on a step-aerobics platform, with the balls of your feet firmly planted on the step, and the heels hanging over the edge.
➠ Rest your hands against a wall.
➠ Slowly, rise up on your toes, with your heels raised a few inches above the edge of the step.
➠ Stay in this position for a few seconds. Thereafter, lower your heels below the platform. As you lower your heels, you should feel a stretch in the calf muscles.
➠ Come back to the starting position. Repeat this exercise 12 to 15 times.
Crunches
➠ Lie on the floor, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
➠ Your feet should be hip-width apart.
➠ Support your neck with your hands.
➠ Pull your abdominal muscles inwards, thereby lifting your head, neck, and shoulder blades off the floor. At this time, you should feel a contraction in your upper abs.
➠ Return to the starting position.
➠ Start with 1 set of 15 repetitions. You can gradually increase the number of sets.
Leg Raises
➠ Lie on your back, placing your hands on either side of the body.
➠ Slowly, lift your feet off the floor, till they make an angle of 45 degrees with the floor.
➠ Lower your legs, while ensuring that your legs don’t touch the floor.
➠ Return to the starting position.
➠ Start off with 1 set of 15 repetitions. Gradually, increase the number of sets.
If you are keen on using resistance, you can opt for resistance bands or a Swiss ball.
