They say an amazing body is built during winter. If you’re dedicating valuable time in your day to a sweat session in the gym, go for fitness routines that are actually worth your time. Below are 8 workout routine that can are ‘The’ ultimate calorie-burner.
WHICH EXERCISES BURN THE MOST CALORIES?
These 8 moves are some of the best burners out there — ranked in order of effectiveness. (FYI: Calorie burn is estimated for a 125-pound person and a 185-pound person, according to guidelines from the American College of Sports Medicine. The more you weigh, the more calories you tend to burn on any particular task — but a lot of other factors come into play, too, so this isn’t an exact science.)
Opt for the “bonus burn” — tips from Miranda and New York City-based trainer Noam Tamir, C.S.C.S., owner of TS Fitness — to ramp up that after-burn effect even further.
1. Skipping
The burn: 667-990 calories/hour (if you’re jumping at 120 skips per minute)
The bonus burn: As it turns out, this little rope is actually a big-time fat burner.
Try using a weighted jump rope to engage your arms and shoulders even more.
2. Kettlebell circuit
The burn: 554-822 calories/hour
The bonus burn: Tamir says that a HIIT circuit using kettlebells can keep the after-burn going for 36 hours after you leave the gym. To get the best results, make sure you’re doing a fluid circuit and not stopping to rest between each move. Tamir recommends switching between upper- and lower-body movements so you can keep exercising for a longer period of time. Try doing a set of kettlebell swings, kettlebell squats, and kettlebell push presses. Then, rest for 15 to 20 seconds after completing the three moves.
(Or pick and choose some other moves from the best kettlebell exercises.)
3. Stationary bike
The burn: 498-738 calories/hour (at a vigorous pace)
The bonus burn: To get the most after-burn, Tamir says to start with 10 seconds of intense peddling (100 RPMs or more) and 50 seconds of rest. Then, move to 15 seconds of sprints and 45 seconds of rest, and do 20 seconds of sprints 40 seconds of rest after that. Don’t forget to turn up the resistance as you progress.
4. Rowing machine
The burn: 481-713 calories/hour (at 150 watts, which you can check on the machine)
The bonus burn: To get maximum torching power, row in super-fast one-minute intervals (150 watts), and take 30- to 60-second active rest periods by alternating between squats, pushups, and planks.
5. Stairs
The burn: 452-670 calories/hour (when going 77 steps/minute)
The bonus burn: Stair climbing provides a good mix of aerobic and anaerobic exercise. To up the ante, hold a one- to five-pound dumbbell in each hand to get your upper body fired up, too.
6. Strength training
The burn: 341-504 calories/hour
The bonus burn: You’ll increase your after-burn by working your muscles to exhaustion each set instead of stopping at an arbitrary rep range like 10 or 12, says Miranda. And focus on compound movements that employ more muscle groups over more joints. “You’ll skyrocket your EPOC by swapping out exercises like bicep curls for squats, and crunches for cleans,” she says.
7. Elliptical
The burn: 322-478 calories/hour (at a resistance level of 8)
The bonus burn: If you’re after a better burn, don’t keep the same pace the entire time you’re on the elliptical. Vary the incline and levels of resistance to keep things interesting (read: challenging).
8. Battle ropes
The burn: 285-421 calories/hour
The bonus burn: As part of a circuit or on their own, weighted rope exercises will torch tons of calories, says Miranda.
“One study showed that doing 3 sets of 30 seconds of battle ropes produced greater acute energy expenditure (during the workout) than 3 sets of 10 squats with a moderate load,” she says. For even more of a burn, do five rounds of overhead slams for 30 seconds; during each round, try to do more reps than in the previous round.
So there you have it. Before summer gets here, lets all put in the work and get the body we really want. Happy fitness!
