Cardiovascular Exercise To gain mass, your caloric expenditure needs to be lower than your caloric intake, so limit your cardio sessions to 15-20 minutes maximum, 2-3 times per week. Walking (easy to brisk pace) Jogging Running Swimming Cycling Stationary bike Elliptical machine Stair-climber Martial arts Dancing High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) HIIT improves your overall body composition. However, since HIIT burns a lot of calories in a short period of time, keep your activities short with longer periods of rest. Perform the following activities for 30 seconds each followed by 30 seconds of rest after each move. Do 2-4 rounds to work your core and/or warm up before strength training. High-knees jog in space Jump squats Burpees Mountain climbers Alternating side lunges Forearm plank Plank jacks Strength Training These exercises will help you build overall lean muscle mass and allow your body to distribute fat evenly throughout your body. Adjust the number of sets and reps according to the amount of weight you use and your current strength level. Lower body exercises Deadlifts: 3 sets of 5-10 reps * Stand with the middle of your feet under the barbell * Bend over and grip the bar with your palms facing toward you (shoulder-width grip) * Bend your knees until your shins touch the bar * Lift your chest up and straighten your lower back * Take a big breath, hold it, and stand up with the weight * Hold the weight for a second at the top, but do not lock your knees * Lower the weight to the floor by moving your hips back while bending your legs * Rest between reps Lunges: 3-4 sets of 10 reps (with dumbbells or free-handed) * Start with feet shoulder-width apart * Take a step forward with your right leg, dropping your hips until both knees are are parallel with your hips and your quads are perpendicular to your shins * Push off with your right foot and return to your original standing position (or step forward with your left leg for a “walking lunge” * Repeat this action with the left leg lunging forward first Squats: 3-4 sets of 12 reps (with dumbbells or free-handed) * Place your knees shoulder-width apart * Keeping your back straight, drop your hips until they’re parallel (with your knees with your knees over your toes) * Tip: Imagine yourself dropping down into a chair * Once you thighs are parallel to the floor, push off the floor, keeping your knees over your toes and driving your hips forward until you’re upright Upper body exercises Bench press: 3 sets of 8 reps * Lie on the bench with your eyes under the bar * Grip the bar with a medium grip-width (thumbs wrapped around the bar) * Straighten your arms to lift the bar off the rack * Lower the bar to your mid-chest * Press the bar back up until your arms are straight (but not locked) * Hold this position and breathe * Inhale, hold it, and lower the bar again Lat pull-down: 3 sets of 8-12 reps * Sit at a lat pulldown machine and grip the bar just beyond shoulder-width with your palms facing forward (overhand grip) * Keep your torso upright, pull your shoulder blades down and back, and pull the bar down to your chest * Pause before slowly returning the starting position Push ups: 3 sets of 10-20 reps * Get down on all fours, placing your hands flat on the ground slightly wider than your shoulders * Straighten your arms and legs (imagine your body as a ruler) * Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor; engage your abdominals to keep your back from dipping down (your forearm and upper arm should make a 90° angle) * Pause, then push yourself back up to make one rep Dumbbell shoulder press: 3 sets of 10-15 * Hold a dumbbell in each hand and sit on a bench with back support * Plant your feet firmly on the floor about hip-width apart * Bend your elbows and raise your upper arms to shoulder height so the dumbbells are even with your ears * Your head should be back against the bench pad and your abdominals pulled in to create a space between the small of your back and the bench * Push the dumbbells up directly overhead and inward until the ends of the dumbbells touch lightly * Slowly lower the dumbbells back to ear level to make one rep Upright row: 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps * Stand holding your dumbbells down in front of you with your palms facing your body * Exhale and pull the weights up to shoulder-height, keeping the weights close to your body) * Slowly lower the weights back down to the starting position--that’s one rep Plank row: 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps * Start in pushup position with one weight in each hand, shoulder-width apart * Without rocking your hips, contract your core and lift one weight off the floor, bringing your elbow toward the ceiling * Return the weight to the floor while staying in a plank position and repeat with the other arm to make one rep Bicep curl: 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps * Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a weight in each hand, palms facing forward * Squeeze your bicep as you bring your right fist toward your shoulder, then slowly return to the start position * Repeat with your left arm to make one rep Arm Raise: 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps * With a weight in each hand, stand with feet shoulder-width apart * Slowly raise both weights in front of you until your hands are in line with your shoulders * Slowly bring the weights down to the start position * Then raise both weights to the side (forming a T shape with your body) to make one rep