If you’re going to devote a substantial part of your day to fitness, you want to make sure it’s going to pay off. Some claim that cardiovascular exercise is the most effective way to burn calories. In contrast, others insist that weight training is superior.
To clear the air, it is true that we burn more calories during activities like running than lifting weights. Workouts emphasizing resistance training or anaerobic activity prolong the time our bodies continue to burn calories after exercise.
Because your muscles need more oxygen after an intense weight training session, you’ll continue to burn calories for hours afterward. You can maximize your long-term results by focusing on activities that increase the afterburn impact. Since muscle is our body’s most metabolically active component, increasing our muscle mass is one of the best ways to improve our calorie expenditure throughout the day.
Which physical activities, then, are the most efficient fat burners?
The 14 activities listed below are among the most efficient in burning calories.
Note: Please consider that the projected calorie burn is based on the weights of a 125-pound and 185-pound person, as the American College of Sports Medicine recommended. Although there is a general correlation between body mass and calorie expenditure, many other variables come into play, making this an inexact science.
Weight Training
The number of calories burned every hour ranges from 341 to 504.
Pushing your muscles to fatigue in each set, rather than stopping at an artificial rep limit like 10 or 12, can improve your afterburn. In addition, you should prioritize complex motions, which involve several joints and many muscle groups. By switching from bicep curls to squats and crunches to cleans, you can significantly increase your EPOC.
Running
The burn is between 566 and 839 calories per hour (ten minutes per mile).
Additional calories are burned throughout the day due to running at a consistent pace. We recommend including brief periods of sprinting throughout your run to burn more calories during and after your workout. To maximize afterburn, we suggest maintaining a work-to-rest ratio of 2:1. If you’re going to sprint for 60 seconds, walk for 30.
Stationary Bicycle
The number of calories burned every hour ranges from 498 to 738. (at a high pace)
To maximize your calorie expenditure after exercising, bike rapidly for 10 seconds (at least 100 revolutions per minute) before resting for 50. Afterward, increase the time spent sprinting to 15 seconds, the time spent resting to 45 seconds, and finally, increase the time spent sprinting to 20 seconds and the time spent resting to 40 seconds. As you improve, it’s crucial to increase the level of resistance.
Circuit Training for Metabolic Resistance
340–505 calories per hour are burned due to this activity.
In a typical workout circuit, you would work up a sweat for each set before taking a lengthy break. On the other hand, Metabolic resistance training calls for a high (but sub-maximal) effort throughout the workout with minimal rest between sets. According to the studies, you can achieve a greater excess postexercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) by decreasing the rest interval.
Try cutting your rest time in half by executing a circuit of five weight routines for thirty seconds of work and 20 seconds of recovery.
Kickboxing
The number of calories burned every hour ranges from 582 to 864.
Whether you’re sparring alone or with classmates, minimize the breaks between rounds. Sparring sessions should last 90 seconds and be followed by a 30-second rest.
Stairs
You’ll melt away 452-670 calories every hour (at a pace of 77 steps per minute).
Stair climbing is an excellent cardiovascular and muscular-strengthening workout, whether on a stationary machine like the Stair Master or outdoors like Rocky. Holding a pair of dumbbells ranging in weight from one to five pounds in each hand is a great way to increase the intensity and work your upper body, too.
Hill sprints/Interval Training
The number of calories burned every hour ranges from 639 to 946.
The bonus burn consists of a high-intensity 20-second sprint up a flight of stairs or a hill, immediately followed by a slower, longer recovery run at 50% effort. The increase in EPOC is proportional to the intensity with which the sprints are performed.
Performing a Kettlebell Workout
The number of calories burned every hour ranges from 554 to 822.
The afterburn effects of a high-intensity interval training circuit with kettlebells can last up to 36 hours. To maximize your gains, perform the rotation without pausing for rest. We suggest alternating upper- and lower-body exercises to keep working out for longer. Do some kettlebell swings, squats, and push presses. Take a 15- to 20-second break when you’ve finished all three.
Battle Ropes
With this activity, you’ll burn anywhere from 285 to 421 calories an hour.
Weighted rope workouts will burn many extra calories, whether done as part of a routine or on their own.
Three sets of 30-second combat ropes burn more calories than three sets of 10 squats with a modest load. Perform five sets of 30-second overhead slams; aim to increase your rep count by one with each set.
Repeated Cycling Intervals
The number of calories burned every hour ranges from 568 to 841.
The EPOC you get from cycling at a consistently high intensity is higher than the EPOC you get from a sustained state ride at a moderate level. The afterburn you get from training with high-intensity intervals is even higher.
Elliptical
The number of calories burned every hour ranges from 322-478. (at a resistance mark of 8)
If you want to get the most out of your elliptical workout, mix up your speed. Change the resistance and the incline to make your activities more challenging and fun.
Rowing Machine
The number of calories burned every hour ranges from 481 to 713. (make sure to set it to 150 watts)
To maximize calorie expenditure, perform one-minute bursts of high-intensity rowing (150 watts) followed by active rest periods of 30 to 60 seconds of squats, pushups, and planks, rotating between the three.
Focused Yoga
The calorie burn rate is 226-335/hour.
Get the most out of your workout by signing up for a power vinyasa flow class, which offers an additional burn. The greatest aftereffects would be in strength-based activities emphasizing synchronizing breathing with motion.
Rope jumping
At a rate of 120 skips per minute, you should expect to burn between 667 and 910 calories every hour.
As an added benefit, it has been shown that this tiny rope is a highly effective fat burner. If you want to work your shoulders and arms even more, you might try to use a weighted jump rope.
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