What is a lean body?
Before we understand what is a lean body, we need to understand what is lean body mass. Lean mass is the difference between the total body weight and the weight of the fat in the body. To simplify, lean body mass is the weight of everything in the body except the fat and includes:
Ligaments
Tendons
Internal organs
Muscles
Water
Bones
Skin
The healthy range of lean mass is considered to be between 70-90 percent. While men’s lean body mass is on the higher side, that of women is on the lower side. The only way to accurately calculate your lean body mass is through a body composition monitor that will measure the percentage of your body fat.
What are lean body exercises?
Lean body exercises are the ones that are aimed towards losing fat and gaining muscles. These help in burning more calories, even after you have stopped working out giving you a perfect lean body.
What causes body fat?
Body fat is made up of large white cells that are stored around the organs in the arms, buttocks, thighs, belly, and under the skin. While some amount of body fat is essential for the energy required for daily functioning and in the regulation of hormones like estrogen, leptin, insulin, cortisol, etc., too much fat is extremely harmful. Some health risks, both physiological and mental, that occur due to high body fat and non-maintenance of lean body mass include:
High blood pressure
High cholesterol levels
Heart diseases
Type-2 diabetes
Fatty liver and kidney diseases
Osteoarthritis
Certain types of cancers
Problems in conceiving and later during pregnancy
Cognitive issues like memory loss, Alzheimer’s diseases, dementia, etc.
Here are some of the most common causes of an increase in body fat:
Consuming a diet rich in sugars and carbohydrates and low in proteins.
Not exercising and leading an inactive lifestyle that doesn’t let you create a calorie deficit.
Poorly managed stress increases body fat. This happens due to the release of cortisol hormone that hampers our metabolism levels.
Suffering from conditions like hypothyroidism that lead to the slowing of metabolism and gaining of weight.
Menopause may cause excessive weight gain in women.
Family history and genetics play a role in a person having high body fat.
Medical conditions like Cushing’s disease or Prader-Willi syndrome may lead to weight gain.
Dependence on antidepressants and beta-blockers may lead to excessive body fat.
Poor sleep patterns leading to unhealthy eating habits cause weight gain.
Dependence on smoking and alcohol.
Age-related slowing of metabolism is one of the most common factors that lead to excessive body fat.
What are the symptoms of body fat?
Excessive body fat is characterised by symptoms like:
Having a BMI of 35 and above.
Visible body fat buildup.
Experiencing trouble while walking.
Having trouble while breathing.
Feeling fatigued.
Increase in appetite.
Who can do lean body exercises?
Lean body exercises can be done by anyone who wants to live an active and disease-free life. The best aspect of lean body exercises to reduce body fat is that they can be customised for everyone including:
Older people can do simple yet effective lean body exercises.
There are several lean body mass exercises for women who are pregnant to avoid gaining excessive weight and to help with normal deliveries.
Children can do simple exercises to build lean mass.
People who are recovering from surgeries or injuries can get lean body exercises customised.
People who are immobile can also do these exercises to get a lean cut body.
Who should avoid lean body exercises?
The following categories of people should avoid doing lean body exercises without consulting their doctor:
People who have heart diseases must avoid doing lean body exercises.
To get lean body women who have just given birth should wait for at least three to six months before starting exercising.
People who suffer from conditions like incontinence, pelvic floor weakness, etc. should avoid doing lean body exercises.
Lean body exercises must be avoided by people who are suffering from fever or flu.
People suffering from osteoporosis must avoid aiming for a very lean body and excessive exercising.
To get lean body women who are pregnant must only exercise after consulting their doctor.
If you have suffered a recent injury or undergone surgery, you must avoid high-impact lean body exercises.
If you are suffering from sore muscles or back pain, lean body exercises must be avoided.
People who remain sleep-deprived must get their sleeping patterns right before starting lean body exercises.
What is the list of best lean body exercises?
Most of us wonder about how to get lean body and reduce body fat. Here is a list of some of the most effective exercises that will reward you with a perfectly lean cut body:
Bench press
Rope jumps
Running
Squats
Jumping jacks
High knees
Jumping lunges
Flutter kicks
Burpees
What exercise burns the most body fat at home?
Here are some of the best muscle-building exercises that will help you get that lean shredded body and answer the oft-asked question of ‘how to make a lean body’? What’s more, you don’t even need to go to the gym or own expensive equipment to do these lean body exercises. Here are some lean body exercises explained in detail:
Bench press
This is one of the most effective exercises that help you get a lean cut body by working on your upper body muscles like the arms, shoulders, and pectorals. This is great for men’s lean body as well as for women.
Start this lean body exercise by lying on a flat bench and gripping a barbell with your hands wider than shoulder-width.
Slowly lift the bar and pause of 2-3 seconds.
Lower the bar to the chest as you press your feet into the floor.
Total reps and sets: 3 sets of 5-10 reps
Total time: Hold each lift for 2-3 seconds
Rope jumps
This high-impact exercise for women and men’s lean body and is great for losing body fat and to increase stamina.
Start this lean body exercise by standing straight with your legs together.
Hold a rope behind you in each hand.
Swing the rope above your head and jump over it when it comes near your feet letting it slide back.
Total reps and sets: 3 sets of 50 reps
Total time: 3 seconds
Jumping squats
Squats are great for strengthening your core and muscles in your lower body like calves, hamstrings, quads, etc. It is the perfect exercise for losing calories quickly and serves as a great woman and men’s lean body exercise.
Start this lean body exercise by standing straight with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Push your hips back and flex your knees and come to a sitting position.
You can extend your hands in the front and hold the wrists to balance yourself.
Release your hands and propel your body upward into a jump.
Total reps and sets: 2 sets of 15-20 reps
Total time: 3 seconds
Jumping Jacks
Jumping Jacks is a great cardio exercise that not only improves the strength of your muscles but is also an excellent way to burn calories and get a lean ripped body.
Stand straight with your feet close together to start this lean body exercise.
Your hands should be on your side and chest out.
Jump and land on the floor with your feet shoulder-width apart as you raise your hands above your head.
Jump again with your feet close together and bring your hands into the starting position.
Total reps and sets: 3 sets of 30 reps
Total time: 3 seconds
High knees
This is a very high-impact lean body exercise that engages your core and legs. This also improves your flexibility, balance, and coordination and gives you a lean ripped body.
Start this lean body exercise by standing straight with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Keep your forearms and arms at an angle of 90-degrees with each other.
Your forearms should extend in front of you and palms should face the floor.
Jump on your right and left legs alternately and make your knees touch your palms.
Total reps and sets: 2 sets of 20 reps
Total time: 3 seconds
Jumping lunges
This is a superb exercise to challenge yourself and to work your cardiovascular system. Jumping lunges work on your quads, hamstrings, calves, and hips and reward you with a lean athletic body.
Stand straight with your shoulders rolled back, chest straight, and hands on your waist.
Jump and land on the floor with your left leg behind and right leg in the front.
Make sure that your knees are flexed and your thighs are at an angle of 90-degrees with your shins.
Jump again and switch legs now with your right leg behind and left leg in the front.
Total reps and sets: 3 sets of 15 reps
Total time: 4 seconds
Flutter kicks
The most effective exercise for getting a lean shredded body, this works on the muscles of your core and hip flexors. Mimicking a swimming stroke, it is also a great weight loss exercise and rewards you with a lean ripped body.
Start this lean body exercise by lying down on your back.
Your hands should be on your sides and palms flat on the floor.
Lift your legs off the floor so that they are at an angle of 30-degrees.
Lift your right leg and lower your left leg keeping your head straight. Remember not to touch the floor.
Bring your left leg up and lower your right leg.
Total reps and sets: 3 sets of 25 reps
Total time: 3 seconds
Burpees
One of the best lean body exercises, burpees help in making your hearts and lungs stronger and work out your arms, back, chest, core, glutes, etc. This is a great exercise for building women’s and men’s lean body.
Start by standing straight with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Jump and extend your hands above your head.
Land on the floor and do a full squat as you place your palms on the floor.
Hop on your legs and extend them back to get into a plank position.
Hop and bring your legs back.
Total reps and sets: 3 sets of 10 reps
Total time: 3 seconds
Overhead press
One of the best lean body exercises, this exercise builds lean muscles and working on shoulders, triceps, abdominal muscles, etc.
Stand straight and hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip at shoulder height.
Raise the weights above the head and pause for a few seconds.
Return the dumbbells to the shoulders.
Total reps and sets: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Total time: 3 seconds
What are the health benefits of having a lean body?
Having lean body weight has tremendous mental and physiological benefits for us like:
A lean body burns more calories because it has more muscles that have a direct impact on our metabolism even when we are at rest.
A lean body weight is less, which in turn helps in reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, kidney issues, etc.
A person with a lean body has more strength and enjoys better mobility.
Lean body mass keeps your bones healthy and strong, which is especially important in old age.
Lean body muscle mass improves the balance and coordination of the body that in turn helps in reducing the risk of falls and injuries.
With a lean body females can conceive without many difficulties.
A lean male body as well as that of a woman looks toned and aesthetic, which has a great impact on our self-confidence.
A lean male body and that of a female heals better and faster after injuries or surgeries. This is because in a lean body protein is in adequate amounts to meet its immediate needs of healing and repairing.
With a lean body, the risk of stress and anxiety reduces and you sleep better. This helps in enhancing your productivity and creativity.