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I am 23, software engineer in profession. My height is 5'8" and I weigh around 57+.
I want to gain some more weight with a better shape. But unfortunately I don't have enough time to go to a gym. I am trying to some push ups (3 sets) and some free hand exercises at home.

I am not sure is it the appropriate way, because I want to have a healthy series of workout in home that will help me to gain weight & muscle. I have a small place in my room for workout and I have dumbbells. I am planning to buy a chest expander, push up bars and some more weights.

I am just seeking help in this issues, what specific workout can help me to have better shape? Can you guys specify what should be my strategy?

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Consider also investing in a pull-up bar, if you've got an appropriate place to put it (but they have those models now that fit in a door and most door frames could support your weight). It was easily the best investment in myself I ever made, at least. – VPeric Jul 6 '11 at 13:56
First programmer ever to ask the question: How do I GAIN weight... +1! – Nathan Wheeler Sep 12 '11 at 15:43

2 Answers

First of all, what is your diet like? Are you getting a well rounded diet with fruits, vegetables, and lots of protein rich lean meat? If not your body will never grow regardless of what exercises you do. If you are eating all those things, remember that you'll need to eat more if you want your body to use the calories for building muscle and not just surviving.

If you want to get big and don't want to go to the gym and don't own weights then you should go work on a farm. Bail hay, lift horse feed, and pull stumps out of the ground. I don't mean literally, of course, but you need to find exercises like those to perform. They all have a couple things in common:

  • They are all full body exercises
  • They vary a considerable amount from each other
  • They are probably not something your body is use to doing

Since not every body has access to a farm, some good substitute exercises would be:

  • Deadlift
  • Squat
  • Bench press
  • Some sort of row

While teaching you how to do each of those exercises is somewhat out of the scope of this answer, I encourage you to read up on each and learn to do them safely. Many exercises like them can be down with very little to no weight. You can also almost always substitute a real world item for the dumbbell/barbell.

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Something that Sparafusile said but you will find a whole lot of related info if you search for "5x5 routine". Just take care and go easy with dead lifts though.

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The asker is clearly looking for exercises and routines that can be done at home with dummbells or other minimal equipment. Do you think that 5x5 really fits with that goal? – Doc Faustus Jan 17 at 20:31

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