So you want to look aesthetically better and fitter, but don’t want to (or don’t have time to) spend hours in a gym? Fear not, as these are the only 7 exercises you need to shape up your body.
To look better can mean different things to different people. Men and women usually have different visions of what aesthetically good-looking means. What matters is how you want to look without wasting long hours in the gym or overthinking which exercise to do.
In the list below we have separated the best exercises for aesthetics, regardless of your background. It is suitable for beginners (we even added some other options in case the prescribed exercise is too difficult for you), advanced athletes, and everything in between.
The beauty of these exercises is that you can push to your own limit. If you want bigger muscles, then increase the weight or difficulty of the exercise. If you want a leaner physique, increase the reps, but lower the weight.
We have separated the list into seven categories, starting from the top of the body. They are:
We have also divided each category to bring you the best, most complete, exercise with equipment – we also have included a no-equipment option for each of the 7 categories above. That way, if you find yourself travelling, not able to go to a gym, or simply don’t have the equipment at home, you can still hit that muscle group and work towards your goal.
Most of these exercises will be compound movements so that you will hit more muscles doing only one exercise. That way it will further increase your gains in the least amount of time.
For the equipment option, we will focus more on exercises that you are able to easily add weight. That way you can develop bigger muscles faster by simply adding an extra plate to your barbell or holding a heavier dumbbell. It just makes things easier, which is what we are aiming for.
7 Exercises You Needs for Aesthetics (Plus No Equipment Option)
1. Shoulders
- Equipment – overhead press
* Too difficult? Do Arnold press.
Also known as strict press or shoulder press, the overhead press is a compound exercise that involves lifting weight above your head with the strict use of the shoulders and arms. It is usually performed with a barbell for maximum efficiency with heavyweights, but you can start with a set of dumbbells.
Along with working on your deltoids (shoulders), it also activates your chest, triceps and trapezius.
- No equipment – handstand push-up
* Too difficult? Do pike push-up.
The handstand push-up should be performed only by those with good strength and shoulder mobility. It is arguably the hardest bodyweight exercise that focuses on your upper body, more specifically your shoulders.
If you cannot perform a single handstand push-up yet, click here to learn how to improve your technique and develop strength until you are ready for this demanding bodyweight exercise.
Read More: 10 Demanding CrossFit Handstand Push-Ups Shoulder Workouts for All Athletes
2. Back
- Equipment – deadlift
When performed correctly, the deadlift will build massive strength in your posterior chain. It is also the exercise that will allow you to lift the heaviest weight.
The beauty of the deadlift, as with most barbell exercises, is that it can be performed by anybody, no matter how strong or weak the person is. Adjust the weight plates on the barbell accordingly so that you can perform the deadlifts in the amount you desire. The 10-15 rep range is a good start.
Read More: Extreme Power and Muscle Building Deadlift Workouts for CrossFit Athletes
- No equipment – pull-up
* Too difficult? Do inverted row using a table.
Okay, a disclaimer for this exercise. Although it is a bodyweight exercise for your back, you do need a place you can hang from to do pull-ups. If not, you may use a table to do an inverted row, although it is considerably less challenging.
Pull-ups will work on your lats and biceps, while also recruiting your deltoids, rhomboids, and core.
3. Chest
- Equipment – barbell bench press
* Too difficult? Do bench press with light dumbbells.
Of course, it had to be the bench press. This is the mother of all chest exercises in the gym. ‘How much do you bench’ even became a thing people ask.
A favourite of bodybuilders, the bench press can be easily adaptable to any person. It all depends on how much weight you load on the barbell.
The main muscles worked in a standard bench press are the pecs, shoulders, and triceps.
Read More: 5 Bench Press Chest Workouts to Build Strength and Muscular Endurance
- No equipment – push-up
* Too difficult? Do wall push-up.
The traditional push-up is incredibly beneficial to your overall upper body strength. It will work your chest, triceps, and shoulders, making it a great bodyweight exercise substitute for the bench press.
Read More: 15 CrossFit Push Up Chest Workouts You Can Do at Home
4. Abs
- Equipment – Barbell/ab rollout
* Too difficult? Do dumbbell sit-ups.
Abs and your core are already usually engaged during other compound movements, such as the deadlift and the push-up, but if you want your abs to pop you certainly must train them directly.
It is not easy to find an ab roller in the gym, but you can also use a barbell with plates to perform this exercise. The catch is that it is only advisable for people with an already strong core, as performing the exercise wrongly will damage your back.
- No equipment – strict toes-to-bar
* Too difficult? Do hanging knee raise or, or hollow rock.
Again, for this exercise you will need a place you hang from – a tree branch can be useful here. During CrossFit competitions, it is allowed to do toes-to-bar kipping, although the strict version is what will activate your abs more.
Read More: 5 Challenging Toes-to-Bar Abs Workouts
5. Glutes
- Equipment – Barbell hip thrust
The hip thrust movement mainly targets the glutes, both gluteus maximus and gluteus medius, but it also activates your hamstrings, quads, core and hip adductors, making it a well-rounded lower body exercise that you can overload with heavy plates on the barbell.
Read More: The Ultimate Guide for Bigger and Stronger Glutes
- No equipment – single-leg hip thrust
* Too difficult? Do glute bridges.
The single-leg hip thrust mimics the hip thrust, although utilising only one leg, turns this exercise into a glute-focused isolation movement.
This will increase your hip-extension strength and help prevent your lower body from future injuries. By working out each side of your glutes individually, you will correct any imbalances.
6. Legs
- Equipment – Barbell Bulgarian split squats
* Too difficult? Do normal barbell squats.
The Bulgarian split squat is already a great exercise that targets each leg individually, and you can make it even harder by loading it up with a barbell on your shoulders to increase the amount of weight you are putting on your legs.
- No equipment – Pistol squats
* Too difficult? Do jump squats, lunges, or traditional squats.
The pistol squats are incredibly difficult not only because you will put your entire weight on one leg, but also due to the amount of ankle mobility it demands from you.
This is an exercise for advanced athletes only. You can learn how to progress and be able to do your first pistol squat by clicking here.
7. Cardio
- Equipment – Assault bike
The assault bike is one of the most hated equipments out there, but only because it gets you tired in very little time. You can push as hard as you want, or take it easy, and still it is a great cardio exercise.
Practically your entire body will work out. Muscles group include the biceps, lats, triceps, delts, glutes, quads, hamstrings, chest, lower back, calves, and more.
- No equipment – Burpee
* Too difficult? Go for a run, sprint, or walk.
Burpees are another exercise that most people love to hate. And again, it is one of the best compact exercises you can do anywhere that will get your heartbeat up.
When performed in high intensity, it will leave you gasping for air in no time.
Read More: 15 Engine Building Burpee Workouts
image sources
- Woman with dumbbells: Scott Webb
- Look Better Doing Less: Alora Griffiths
