To build lean muscle effectively, your body needs a caloric surplus, to absorb more energy per day than it burns. To lose fat, your body needs a caloric deficit, to burn more energy per day than it consumes.
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However, the best exercises to build muscle with a caloric surplus are also the best exercises to lose fat, explains Anna Swisher, director of sports science and education for weightlifting coaches in the United States.
This is because, in a nutshell, multiple and major muscle groups work. That allows them to help you build the most muscle (as long as you have a caloric surplus) or burn the most calories to lose fat (if you have a deficit). "Why do five exercises when you could do one and get the same performance for your money?" Asks Swisher.
So what are these best exercises to gain muscle, lose fat or even distribute again? Any high-intensity exercise that works a lot, if not all, of your body at once. Here, experts share four of the many favorites: Squats, Deadlifts, Weighing plates and Push presses.