Narrowing down to just two exercises out of all the variations of different exercises out there is not as easy as it sounds. In this post, I’ll tell you why I chose these exercises on the whole as well as why I chose them over their alternative variations. These are the movements which have had a big impact on helping me change my body composition. If you’re someone who wants to not only get strong but also look aesthetic, make sure you incorporate these exercises into your routine.

Before we get started, keep in mind that aesthetics are subjective. What might be aesthetic to you might not be aesthetic to someone else. That being said, we can all agree that there are a few things which need to be present in an aesthetic physique. So what is it that really sets an aesthetic physique apart from the average person you see on the street? Proportion. If you’re someone who’s been chasing aesthetics, you already know the importance of having developed shoulders, along with a well-developed upper chest and a wide back. Besides these, the arms and core are what complete the look. Once you reach a level of good development in these muscles and maintain low body fat, you will look aesthetic. Period.

Make no mistake, there are a lot more exercises which you can and should do to get a complete and well-rounded physique. Keeping that in mind, treat these two exercises as a priority in your training and you yourself will see the results over time.

Here are my 2 favorite exercises for aesthetics (not in any specific order):

Standing Press

The standing press, a.k.a. the overhead press is simply one of the most important exercises you can do for your physique in terms of aesthetics. To understand why, we’ll break down what muscles the overhead press hits. In the press, you primarily use your front delts along with the long head of your tricep. Besides these, your upper chest and lateral delts also get worked to a certain extent while performing this movement correctly. Also, notice that I specifically chose the standing press. Doing this standing takes a lot more core stability and helps you get a stronger core in the process of building your press. A lot of people find this variation difficult compared to the traditional seated dumbbell or barbell presses but this is exactly what makes it rewarding. Not only will this exercise help you reach your goal of looking aesthetic, but it will also help you strengthen your core and have some carryover to any other pushing movements you perform.

Weighted Chin-Up

This is one of the most underrated exercises ever. In fact, if you’re someone who can’t do any chin-ups at all, just building your strength to 3 sets of 10 itself will have a visual impact on your physique. You might be wondering why I choose this over a barbell row or a lat pulldown. Let’s break down the muscles used while performing a weighted chin-up. The exercise primarily works your lats, helping you achieve a wide back. Besides this, it also works your rear delts to a certain extent. If you wonder why I mention a chin-up instead of a pull-up, the answer is biceps. It has been shown that weighted chin-ups are an amazing biceps builder. Moreover, to progress on this exercise consistently, you’ll have to keep your body fat in check as carrying extra pounds of fat will only make it harder for you to add more weight to your chin-up.

Conclusion

If I had to choose just two exercises for aesthetics, it would be the weighted chin-up and the standing press. The two exercises together work the shoulders, back, upper chest, arms and core which form the base of an aesthetic physique. Once you reach a good level of development in these muscles, your physique will look aesthetic given that you are at a low body fat percentage. Make sure you add these exercises into your routine and don’t forget to apply the principles of progressive overload.

To read more about progressive overload, click here https://www.bodymindquotient.com/home/progressive-overload-the-key-to-muscle-gains

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