Many bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts work hard to build muscles and it takes years of training. Lockdown has made things worse for not only people who love to stay active but also for the ones who used to pump iron for muscle gains. The situation is only getting worse and no one knows when the gyms and fitness studios would reopen across countries.

It is important to understand that staying healthy is more important during this time but if you are still worried about losing muscle mass, you can maintain it even if you don’t have access to the gym right now. Here are some tips that will help you retain muscle mass during this lockdown.

• Don’t forget the basics. Go back to doing squats, lunges, push-ups, etc to keep your muscles mass intact. Add resistance of choice if you don’t have dumbells.
• Do not chase progress if it is not possible in your situation. Make sure you stick to an exercise routine and not be discouraged by the fact that gyms aren’t open.
• Increase the number of reps if you can’t find weights to train. This will promote muscle growth as well.
• Eat enough protein. Make sure your protein requirement of the day is met so that you can maintain your muscle mass.
• Do not skip meals due to the fear of gaining weight. Divide your meals according to the caloric requirement of your body.
• Add pause between your reps to increase muscle tension in the body part you are training. Refer to the videos of trainers to understand this better.

Try not to get discouraged due to the current situation and make the best out of it. Also pay attention to your nutrition as muscle growth also depends on your diet.