We asked 17,000 ACE-certified Fitness Professionals to name the one exercise they couldn't do without.

The overwhelming winner was the multi-purpose squat, which strengthens all of the major muscles of the lower body, including the gluteals, hamstrings, quadriceps and calves.

Here are the rest of the top choices, which can be used together to create a challenging and effective fitness program:

01 - Squats
02 - Running
03 - Abdominal exercises
04 - Lunges
05 - Walking
06 - Push-ups
07 - Yoga