6 Best Exercises for Men to Achieve a Leaner Physique

Want to achieve a leaner physique? There are few better ways than through exercises involving compound movements.

In this article, we've compiled a list of a few exercises for men looking to build muscle and burn fat. These movements have been scientifically studied and shown to increase muscle mass while burning fat.

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Best Exercises for Lean Physique

Here's a look at six such workouts:

1) Barbell Deadlift

The barbell deadlift is a great exercise for building strong hamstrings and glutes. It's also a compound exercise that works many muscles, including the lower back, hamstrings, quads, and abs. The barbell deadlift is also good for developing strength in the core.

To perform this exercise:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart holding a barbell with both hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
• Bend over by hinging at your hips till you're parallel to the floor. Straighten up again by squeezing your glutes.

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2) Pull-up

You can do pull-ups with two or three fingers on the bar, depending on your strength level.

Do one set of as many repetitions as you can, resting briefly between each rep. If you can do 15 reps, add weight to increase the challenge.

You may also want to try doing wider grip pull-ups (with an overhand grip) or closer grip pull-ups (underhand), which target different muscles in the back and arms respectively.

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3) Squat

Squats are one of the best exercises for the lower body. There are two ways you can do squats: with a barbell or dumbbells.

Either way, you choose to squat, it's important that you maintain proper form throughout the movement. Squatting is an excellent compound exercise, as it works multiple joints — the ankles and knees — as well as several muscles in the arms and legs at once.

You can perform squats by doing them with just your bodyweight (also known as 'bodyweight squats') or with added weight in the form of dumbbells or a barbell on your back.

When using added weight for this exercise (we recommend a lighter amount), keep in mind that safety should always be priority number one when exercising at home.

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4) Dip

Dips are an excellent way for men to build muscles in their chest, shoulders, and arms. They're as follows:

• Place a bench next to a dip bar, or use an adjustable weight machine that allows you to do this exercise.
• Using the bench will allow you to use less weight than if you were using just the dip bar alone.
• You can also increase the difficulty of this exercise by wearing a weight belt while doing it or putting on additional weights around your waist while performing dips.

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5) Bench Press

The bench press is a compound exercise that requires more than just the upper body.

While you're pressing the weight up and down, the core must be stabilized to prevent injury. It's also important to keep your back straight and not arch it when you lower the barbell down into the starting position.

Bench presses are done with dumbbells, barbells, or Smith machines — a type of bar that allows for adjustable resistance.

A spotter can help if you want to go heavy with this workout, but it isn't necessary as long as you're focusing on good form in each rep.

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6) Jump Rope

This is a great exercise for the legs, arms, and core. Jumping rope is also a great cardio exercise you can do anywhere, and no equipment is needed. You can do it at home, in the gym, or even on the road.

Jumping rope is incredibly convenient and inexpensive to do. It also burns a significant amount of calories, helping you sweat it out. That helps you burn fat, inching you closer to your dream physique.

The best part about it is that it has so many variations. You can try normal jumps, and if they're too easy, try double under, zig-zags, high knees, criss-cross, star jumps, or virtually any variation you can think of.

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Takeaway

The aforementioned exercises are the best ones to help achieve a leaner body.

The key is to find the ones that are comfortable for you and then stick with them. If done correctly over time, you will be able to see results.