The gym isn’t for everyone. Maybe it’s too expensive, inconvenient, or simply not your style. But that doesn’t mean you can’t achieve an aesthetic physique! By utilising your own bodyweight, you can build lean muscle mass, improve strength, flexibility, and mobility, all from the comfort of your home. Here are 10 exercises to get you started, followed by a secret tip to maximize your results:
1. Jump Squat Exercises:
This is an intense move, so consider using a mat or exercising on grass to reduce stress on your knees. Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and hands at your sides. Squat down as if sitting in a chair, keeping your back straight and core engaged. Lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Squeeze your glutes and push through your heels to jump explosively. You can extend your arms for added momentum during the jump. Land softly with knees bent and immediately transition back into a squat position for the next rep. Jump squats are a fantastic way to target your quads, glutes, and hamstrings.
2. Decline Push-Up Exercises:
This variation elevates your feet, making the push-up more challenging and putting more emphasis on your upper chest and front shoulders. Use a sturdy bench or piece of furniture to elevate your feet. Lower yourself into a push-up position with your feet raised behind your head. Hands should be shoulder-width apart and placed directly under your shoulders. Slowly lower your chest down until it nearly touches the floor, feeling tension in your muscles. Hold for a second, then press back up, squeezing your chest at the top. Decline push-ups primarily target your chest muscles, but don’t neglect your core!
3. Table Row Exercises:
Don’t have a pull-up bar? No problem! A sturdy table can be your new best friend. Table rows are excellent for building upper body strength and developing muscle. Lie underneath the table with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Grab the edge of the tabletop with both hands, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Pull yourself up slightly, lifting your chest towards the table and squeezing your shoulder blades back and down. Aim to pull yourself as close to the table as possible in a controlled manner. Lower yourself back down with control to the starting position.
4. Backward Lunge Exercises:
This is a versatile and low-impact exercise that sculpts killer thighs and a toned backside. Stand tall with feet hip-width apart. Take a large step backward and lower your body towards the floor. Your knees should be bent at 90-degree angles at the bottom of the lunge. Push back up to the starting position and repeat for the desired amount of reps. Like the backward lunge, the next exercise also targets your legs…
5. Single Leg Squat Exercises (Pistol Squat):
This exercise sounds intimidating, but it’s a fantastic way to build balance, flexibility, and strengthen your quads, glutes, and hamstrings. Stand on one leg and raise the other leg straight out in front of you. You can hold your arms out in front for balance or keep them by your sides. Keep your core engaged and torso upright throughout the movement. Begin by pushing your hips back as you lower into a squat. Ideally, go low enough so your hips are parallel to the ground. Squeeze your glutes as you push through the foot on the ground to stand back up. Try to keep your raised leg straight throughout the reps.
6. V-Ups Exercises:
Sit-ups are good, but v-ups are even better! This challenging exercise will torch your abs. Lie on your back with your arms extended overhead and legs straight with your feet together. Engage your core to lift your feet and torso about 6 inches off the floor, forming a V shape with your body. Keep both your arms and legs straight and slowly lower your body back down to the floor. Ensure your arms are extended overhead and your legs are straight with your feet about 6 inches off the floor.
7. Up-Down Plank Exercises:
This plank variation is a bang-for-your-buck exercise that targets multiple muscle groups while elevating your heart rate. Get into a standard plank position on an exercise mat. Keep your palms flat on the floor, arms straight, and hands directly under your shoulders. Brace your core as you lower your left elbow down to the ground, followed by your right. Briefly hold this position with your elbows supporting your weight. Then, press your left palm back into the floor to return to a high plank position. Building an aesthetic body involves reducing belly fat, and protein-rich diets are the best way to achieve this while building muscle, but more on that coming up!
8. Reverse Crunch Exercises:
This targets your entire abdominal region, including the lower abs and obliques while remaining a safe exercise for your spine. Lie on your back with your hands by your sides. Lift your knees until your thighs and calves form a 90-degree angle, with your calves parallel to the floor. Now, lift your hips and bring your knees towards your chest as far as you comfortably can. Hold for a moment before slowly returning to the starting position. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
9. Rotating Side Plank Exercises:
This exercise is a must-have for stronger and more defined abs and obliques. It combines a standard side plank with a rotation, challenging your balance, toning your waist, and strengthening your core. Lie on your side with your forearm on the floor, elbow directly under your shoulder, and your forearm parallel to the short edge of the mat. Extend both legs and raise your hips so your body forms a straight line from head to heels. Now, rotate your torso upwards, reaching your top arm towards the ceiling while keeping your core engaged and your spine neutral. Lower your arm back down and twist your torso in the opposite direction, reaching your free hand under your body towards the floor.
10. Back Extension Exercises:
This is an isolation exercise that primarily targets your lower back and can improve your overall aesthetic goals. It’s a low-impact exercise that still activates the same muscle groups as more intense movements. Lie on your stomach in a comfortable and spacious area. Clasp your hands behind your head. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and lift your chest off the floor by contracting your glutes and lower back. Hold for a moment at the top of the movement while continuing to squeeze your lower back muscles. Slowly lower your chest back down to the floor by releasing the contraction in your glutes and lower back.
Bonus Tip: Progressive Overload
For those who stuck around until the end, here’s my secret tip to refine your overall workout program: take advantage of progressive overload. Muscles grow when challenged, but once your body adapts to your workout and gets comfortable, muscle growth stagnates. This is where progressive overload comes in. It essentially means gradually increasing the stress placed on your body, causing muscle fibers to break down and rebuild, leading to increased muscle mass and pushing your muscular and skeletal systems to adapt. There are various ways to implement progressive overload:
- Increase the duration of your workouts.
- Shorten your rest periods between sets.
- Increase the frequency of your workouts (within reason).
- Increase the number of reps or sets you perform.
- Increase the weight lifted (if using weights in the future).
Progressive overload isn’t limited to resistance training. You can apply this principle to exercises like running and cycling as well. So, if you feel your body has plateaued and isn’t showing significant progress anymore, consider incorporating progressive overload to reignite your workouts!
Remember, diet plays a crucial role in achieving an aesthetic physique. You can exercise all you want, but results will be significantly better when combined with proper meal planning. Stay tuned for the next video to learn about some great meals you can enjoy for an ultimate aesthetic body!
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