Taking Wegovy or Mounjaro? Strength training deserves just as much attention as cardio. Muscle-strengthening exercise helps you keep your strength and stay able to do everyday tasks.1
We cover why in our complete guide to exercising on Wegovy or Mounjaro and our guide to muscle loss on GLP-1 medications. After cardio instead? See our best cardio exercises for GLP-1 weight loss.
This list covers ten strength exercises for your whole body. You'll find lower and upper body moves, core-friendly options that don't need you to lie flat, and a mobility and balance pick to round things off. Each one comes with a simple way to make it easier.
Treat these as examples to adapt to your health, mobility and fitness, not a programme that suits everyone. If you haven't exercised for some time or you have a medical condition, speak to your GP first.2 Stop if you feel dizzy, faint, short of breath or you get sharp pain. Call 999 if you have tight or squeezing chest pain.3
No gym needed. Every move here works at home with your bodyweight, a band or a few household items.
1. Squats
Squats work your legs and glutes, some of the biggest muscle groups in your body. That makes them one of the most efficient strength exercises you can do.
Bodyweight squats are enough to start with. The NHS says to work until another rep would be difficult to do without a short rest.1
Not sure it's hard enough? If you could easily keep going at the end of a set, make the move a bit harder.
Full squat too much for your knees or balance? Try a chair squat.
Lower yourself towards a chair seat, then stand back up. The NHS has chair-based versions, like sit-to-stand and mini-squats, that give you something stable to hold on to.4 They're a sensible place to start if you're new to strength training.
“Strength exercise helps maintain your strength and ability to do everyday tasks. Start with manageable exercises such as sit-to-stands or wall press-ups, and gradually build up. Aim for the last repetitions to feel challenging while keeping good technique. Stop if you feel dizzy, faint, unusually breathless or have sharp pain. Call 999 for tight or squeezing chest pain.
Ana Carolina GoncalvesSuperintendent Pharmacist
2. Glute bridges
Glute bridges need no weights and very little technique. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift your hips towards the ceiling, squeeze your glutes at the top, then lower slowly.
This move works your hips, glutes and lower back. These are the areas that help with everyday movements, like standing up from a chair or climbing stairs.
There's no crunching motion through your stomach, so many people find it more comfortable than crunches if nausea is an issue in the early weeks of treatment. Aim for 10 to 15 reps, resting as needed between sets.
3. Push-ups (or wall press-ups)
Push-ups (also called press-ups) work your chest, shoulders and arms in one movement. And they're easy to scale to your fitness level.
A wall press-up, with your hands flat on the wall at chest height, is a genuine starting point, not a compromise. The NHS suggests 3 sets of 5 to 10 reps.4 As you get stronger, you can move to a higher surface like a worktop, then the floor.
Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels throughout. Don't let your hips sag or your bottom lift, and go at a controlled pace rather than rushing.
4. Resistance band rows
Rows work the muscles in your upper back. They get far less attention than your chest and arms, but they matter just as much for posture and everyday strength.
All you need is a resistance band anchored to a door or another sturdy fixture. Pull the band towards your ribs, squeezing your shoulder blades together, then release with control.
Check your anchor point before every set. A band that slips or snaps can whip back towards you.
The NHS counts working with resistance bands as a muscle-strengthening activity.1 They're cheap, portable and practical if you don't have access to a gym or free weights. A set with two or three resistance levels is enough to keep progressing for months.
5. Bird dog
Start on all fours. Extend one arm forward and the opposite leg back, hold briefly, then return to the start and switch sides. Bird dog strengthens your core and lower back, and it challenges your balance and coordination too, all without any pressure on your stomach.
That makes it a useful alternative to crunches or sit-ups if lying on your back feels uncomfortable. Some people find that's the case in the early weeks on Wegovy, when stomach side effects such as nausea are most likely.5
Move slowly and keep your hips level throughout. Aim for 8 to 10 reps on each side.
6. Modified plank
A plank builds core strength by holding a position rather than repeating a movement. So it's a good option if lying flat and crunching feels uncomfortable. Starting on your forearms and knees, rather than your toes, is a genuine beginner version, not a lesser one.
Aim to hold a straight line from your head to your knees (or heels, in the full version). Breathe steadily throughout rather than holding your breath.
A little shaking towards the end of a hold is normal. Sharp pain isn't, so stop if you feel it.
Start with holds of 10 to 20 seconds. Build up gradually as it feels manageable, adding a few seconds each week.
7. Yoga or tai chi
Yoga and tai chi both combine gentle movement with balance and flexibility work. Either one is a great addition alongside the strength and cardio exercises in this list.
The NHS lists both as flexibility activities, and as exercises that can help you keep your balance and avoid falls as you get older.1 Both count as muscle-strengthening activities too.2
Yoga offers more variety in intensity, from gentle restorative classes to more demanding flows. Tai chi is slower and steadier. Either one is a low-pressure way to fill a rest day with movement that still counts.
Many leisure centres run beginner-friendly classes, a handy way to get feedback on your form when you're starting out.
8. Lunges
Lunges work one leg at a time. That helps even out any strength differences between your left and right side that squats alone might miss.
Step forward with one leg and lower your back knee towards the floor. Then push back up to standing before switching sides.
Balance a concern? Keep a hand on a wall or the back of a chair, or take a shorter step until you feel steadier. Aim for 8 to 12 reps on each leg. The NHS suggests building up to at least 2 sets, or 3 for even more benefit.1
9. Farmer's carry
Carry a weight in each hand and walk a short distance. It sounds simple, but it works your grip, core and shoulders all at once. It's also a genuinely useful everyday movement.
The NHS lists carrying heavy shopping bags as a muscle-strengthening activity, so this is one exercise that doubles as real life.2
Two full water bottles or a couple of shopping bags are enough to start. Keep your shoulders back and your core braced as you walk, rather than leaning to one side. Stop before your grip or posture starts to give way.
10. Overhead press
Pressing a weight overhead builds strength through your shoulders and arms in a way the pushing and pulling moves above don't fully cover. You can use a resistance band, a light dumbbell or a couple of tins.
Get shoulder pain when lifting your arms overhead? Skip this one and speak to your GP or a physiotherapist.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Press the weight straight up above your head, then lower it back to shoulder height with control.
Start light and focus on moving through the full range rather than on how much you're lifting. As with the other moves on this list, work until another rep would be hard to do without a rest. That's what makes it count.1
Frequently asked questions
Why is strength training important on Wegovy or Mounjaro?
Losing weight can mean losing some muscle as well as fat. Muscle-strengthening exercise helps you keep your strength and stay able to do everyday tasks. That's why it's worth doing alongside any cardio while you're on treatment. If you haven't exercised for a while or have a health condition, speak to your GP before you start.
Do I need weights to do strength training at home?
No. Bodyweight moves like squats, push-ups, glute bridges and planks all build strength without equipment. A resistance band is a low-cost way to add variety if you want it. Household items like filled water bottles or shopping bags work as light weights too, so you can start with what you already have at home.
How often should I do strength exercises each week?
The NHS recommends muscle-strengthening activity on at least 2 days a week, working all the major muscle groups. Spacing sessions out with a rest day in between gives your muscles time to recover. Start gradually and build up over a period of weeks, rather than trying to do everything in your first session.
Which of these exercises are more comfortable if I'm feeling nauseous?
Moves like the bird dog, modified plank and glute bridge avoid crunching through your stomach. Some people find them more comfortable than sit-ups when they feel sick. If nausea is making it hard to eat, drink or exercise, or it isn't settling, speak to your GP, pharmacist or prescriber for advice.
How do I know if I'm using enough resistance or effort?
A good guide is to work until another rep would be hard to do without a short rest. The NHS suggests 8 to 12 reps of each activity, and at least 2 sets. If you finish a set and could easily keep going, make the move a little harder next time.
Can beginners do these exercises safely?
Each exercise has an easier starting version, such as a wall press-up instead of a full push-up or a chair squat instead of a full squat. Treat them as examples to adapt to your health and fitness. If you haven't exercised for some time or have a medical condition, speak to your GP first. Stop if you feel dizzy, faint, short of breath or you get sharp pain. Call 999 if you have tight or squeezing chest pain.
References
- NHS. How to improve your strength and flexibility. NHS website; 2026. nhs.uk
- NHS. Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64. NHS website; 2024. nhs.uk
- NHS. Heart attack. NHS website; 2026. nhs.uk
- NHS. Strength exercises. NHS website; 2024. nhs.uk
- Novo Nordisk Limited. Wegovy 2.4 mg, FlexTouch solution for injection in pre-filled pen: Summary of Product Characteristics. Electronic Medicines Compendium; 2026. medicines.org.uk/emc
This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice. Always read the patient information leaflet supplied with your medication and speak to a healthcare professional if you have specific concerns.