Here are 5 effective bodyweight, weight-bearing exercises that help preserve muscle:
1. Squats
Targets: Quads, hamstrings, glutes
Why it helps: One of the best full-body muscle-preserving movements.
How to do it:
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart
- Sit back and down like you’re lowering into a chair
- Keep chest upright and knees tracking over toes
- Push through heels to stand
* Progression: Slow the tempo or pause at the bottom.
2. Push-Ups
Targets: Chest, shoulders, triceps, core
Why it helps: Preserves upper-body pushing strength.
How to do it:
- Hands slightly wider than shoulders
- Body in a straight line
- Lower chest toward the floor
- Push back up
* Modify on knees or elevate hands on a bench/counter if needed.
3. Reverse Lunges
Targets: Glutes, quads, hamstrings
Why it helps: Single-leg work maintains balance and hip strength.
How to do it:
- Step one leg back
- Lower until front thigh is parallel
- Push through front heel to return
- Alternate sides
*Progression: Slow descent or add a pause.
4. Glute Bridges
Targets: Glutes, hamstrings
Why it helps: Supports hip strength and protects against muscle loss in the posterior chain.
How to do it:
- Lie on your back, knees bent
- Press heels into floor
- Lift hips until body forms a straight line
- Squeeze glutes at top
* Progression: Single-leg bridges.
5. Plank Variations
Targets: Core, shoulders
Why it helps: Maintains core stability and upper-body endurance.
How to do it:
- Elbows under shoulders
- Body straight
- Brace core and hold
* Progression: Shoulder taps or side planks.
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How to Use These for Muscle Maintenance
For preserving muscle during weight loss:
- 2–4 sessions per week
- 2–4 sets per exercise
- 8–15 reps (or 20–45 sec holds for planks)
- Focus on controlled movement and near-fatigue
20-MINUTE MUSCLE-MAINTENANCE ROUTINE
-Liz O’Hagan, Pharmacist & Lifestyle Medicine Expert
Try this 2–3 times per week to help preserve lean mass while using weight-loss injections.
This is designed to:
- Stimulate all major muscle groups
- Be joint-friendly
- Require no equipment
- Be effective but not exhausting
20-Minute Full-Body Muscle Maintenance Routine
Structure
- 3 circuits
- ~6 minutes per circuit
- 30–45 second rest between exercises
- 1 minute rest between circuits
Move with control. Aim to finish each set feeling like you could only do 1–2 more reps.
🔹 Circuit 1 (Lower Body Focus)
1. Squats – 12–15 reps
Slow on the way down (3 seconds), normal up.
2. Reverse Lunges – 8–10 reps each leg
3. Glute Bridges – 15 reps
Pause 1 second at the top.
Repeat once (2 total rounds).
🔹 Circuit 2 (Upper Body Push + Core)
1. Push-Ups – 8–12 reps
(Use knees or incline if needed.)
2. Plank Hold – 30–40 seconds
3. Slow Mountain Climbers – 20 total reps
(Controlled, not cardio pace.)
Repeat once.
🔹 Circuit 3 (Full Body Strength Stimulus)
1. Wall Sit – 30–45 seconds
2. Chair or Bench Triceps Dips – 8–12 reps
3. Standing Calf Raises – 15–20 reps
Pause briefly at the top.
Repeat once.
Weekly Plan Example
Option A (Minimum Effective Dose)
- Monday
- Thursday
Option B (Stronger Muscle Protection)
- Monday
- Wednesday
- Saturday
Important Tips When Using Weight-Loss Injections
Because appetite may be reduced:
- Prioritise protein (roughly 1.2–1.6 g per kg body weight daily).
- Train even on low-energy days — reduce reps rather than skipping.
- If strength is dropping week to week, increase protein slightly.
- Progress by:
- Slowing tempo
- Adding pauses
- Increasing reps slightly