For far too long, we have been made to believe that muscles are only built in the gym! But that’s not always true. There may be times in life where going to the gym may neither be a choice, nor a possibility. Even if are a gym-loving person, sickness or travel may keep you away from it. As a fitness enthusiast, you may probably worry about losing all your gains that you achieved after sweating it out in the gym. Well, you don’t have to worry, as you can maintain the muscle mass you worked so hard to build. You just have to pick the right exercises that you can do at home or while you are away from the gym.

To figure out how to maintain muscle mass without going to the gym, HealthShots connected with fitness guru Aminder Singh of Team Aminder fame.

Importance of maintaining muscle mass

Maintaining muscle mass is not only important, but it becomes a mandatory requirement, especially as we grow older. Singh explains that this is because as we grow up, we gradually begin to lose muscle mass. What’s worse, we end up accumulating more fat mass. As we cross the age 40, muscle breakdown happens at the rate of 7 percent. It shoots up to 15 percent by the time we touch 60! The expert says that reduced muscle mass in this age means complete loss of strength, as we can’t even move a single limp without the help of muscles. So, muscle mass muscle exercises are the only preventive solution to retain strength as we grow older. Neglecting your muscle mass can lead to an increased risk of serious health conditions such as osteoporosis.

Exercises to build and maintain muscle mass at home

We know that push-ups work the chest, triceps, shoulders, and multiple other muscles, besides increasing your upper body strength (beginners’ guide to ace push-ups at home). But there’s more you can do to maintain mass muscle at home. Here are some of the exercises you can do at home!

1. Lateral leg raises

For each leg, do 5 lifts with your toe flexed, 5 with your toe pointed, and 5 with your toe pointed toward the ceiling. These are core and lower body exercises that help in building mass muscle.

2. Water bottle curls with 5 kg water bottle

Hold a 5 kg or 1 litre water bottle in each hand, stand with your feet apart and curl the water bottles up towards your shoulders with your palms facing in. This exercise builds up your forearms and biceps.

3. Water bottle shoulder overheads press with 5 kg water bottles

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a 5 kg water bottle in each hand. Raise the water bottles and take them overhead, pause for a few seconds, and then bring your hands down. This exercise works up your entire triceps and shoulders, says Singh.

4. Shoulder front raises with bottle

Stand straight with your feet a little apart and hold a water bottle in each hand. Extend your shoulders and elbows to drive the water bottles straight up. This exercise targets your biceps and shoulders.

5. Pelvic exercise

Lie down on the floor on your back and then lift the hip up and squeeze it. You need to hold each squeeze just for a few seconds and then release it. This helps to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, which further enhances your bowel and bladder control.

6. Rowing back exercise

Rowing back exercise is done by holding any grill and pulling the body towards the grill. This works your back and upper arms and helps to build your entire upper body strength.

7. Spot walking

While walking on the spot, raise your knee up to the hip level and swing your hands the way you do when you walk outdoors. Walking on the spot is simple and an effective exercise, says Singh. It helps to burn calories, improves your cardiovascular fitness and also increases the strength and endurance of your leg muscles.

You also need to focus on proper nutrition to maintain muscle mass. Increase your intake of proteins by consuming foods such as chicken, fish and eggs. Also, take proper rest and have an optimal amount of sleep each day!