Last Updated on November 14, 2024
When it comes to getting the most out of a workout, calorie burn is often top of mind. Whether you’re looking to maximize weight loss, boost your energy or lean muscle, or simply get the most bang for your buck at the gym, knowing which exercises burn the most calories can make all the difference.
In this guide, we’ll dive into some of the best calorie-burning exercises and workouts, so you find the right activities to get the most results in the least time, meet your fitness goals faster, and stay motivated along the way.
From high-intensity cardio and popular aerobics classes to weight training exercises and calorie-torching sports, each of these workouts offers unique benefits for body and mind.
I recommend using these calorie burning exercises and workouts to rev up results, break through plateaus, and grow physically and mentally, too.
Let’s dig in!
What Cardio Exercises Burn the Most Calories?
Exercises that burn the most calories typically involve cardio exercise done with high-intensity, full-body movements that engage large muscle groups. The more muscles you train at the same time, the higher the calorie burn will be. The longer you move the most muscles with the most time and intensity is how you max out calorie burn.
Here are some of the most calorie-burning cardio workouts you can do:
Running – Running at a fast pace (e.g., 6 mph) can burn around 600–1000 calories per hour, depending on weight and speed. Running uphill or on trails can increase this even more.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) – HIIT workouts are short bursts of intense exercise followed by brief recovery periods. HIIT can burn up to 600–800 calories per hour and has the added benefit of increasing calorie burn even after you stop exercising, thanks to the afterburn effect (EPOC). Please note, I do not recommend doing more than 20-30 minutes of HIIT because the high intensity interval – when done right – isn’t sustainable.
Mountain Biking – Mountain biking on trails with variable terrain can burn around 500–700 calories per hour. It’s excellent for building leg strength, balance, and cardiovascular fitness.
Swimming – An hour of vigorous swimming can burn around 500–700 calories. It also provides a full-body workout with minimal joint impact.
Rowing – Using a rowing machine (at a steady state) can burn approximately 500–700 calories per hour. Rowing is a great full-body workout that builds both strength and endurance. Alternating between high and low intensity intervals on a rowing machine can maximize calorie burn, totaling about 800 calories per hour.
Jump Rope – Jumping rope can burn 600–1000 calories per hour, depending on speed and intensity. It’s also a great cardio workout that builds agility and coordination.
Stair Climbing – Whether using a stair climber or climbing actual stairs, this activity can burn around 500–700 calories per hour and works the glutes, quads, and calves intensely. Stadium running intervals burns a comparable number of calories.
Burpees – Burpees combine a squat, jump, and push-up, working the whole body. Doing burpees at a high intensity can burn around 10–15 calories per minute, making it easy to accumulate a high calorie burn in a short time.
Sprint Intervals – Short bursts of sprinting with alternating rest intervals can burn around 600–800 calories per hour. It’s an explosive, anaerobic workout that builds power and significantly boosts calorie burn.
Rowing or Canoeing (Actual Water Activity) – Paddling in a kayak or canoe, especially at high intensity, can burn around 400–600 calories per hour. It works the core, shoulders, and back.
Elliptical with High Resistance – Working out on an elliptical with higher resistance settings and intensity can burn around 400–600 calories per hour. It’s great for a low-impact cardio workout that targets both upper and lower body.
Inline Skating (Rollerblading) – Inline skating at a high speed can burn around 400–600 calories per hour and works the legs, glutes, and core for stability.
Circuit Training – Combining strength and cardio in circuit training can burn around 500–700 calories per hour, depending on intensity. Circuits typically involve rotating through exercises targeting different muscle groups, with minimal rest in between.
I build circuit training strategies along with other metabolism maximizing strategy into all of my workout programs so you can get the number on the scale to drop & see definition pop quickly.
Take my Program Style Quiz to find the Workout Program that’s perfect for you.
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What Aerobic Workout Classes Burn the Most Calories?
Aerobics classes are an excellent choice for high calorie burn because they combine continuous movement with high intensity, which keeps your heart rate elevated throughout the workout. These classes often involve full-body exercises that engage multiple muscle groups, maximizing energy expenditure.
The rhythmic, repetitive nature of many aerobic moves—such as spinning, dance, or step routine—boosts cardiovascular fitness, increases metabolism, and burns a significant number of calories during the session compared to weight training exercises. Cardio exercise is almost more sustainable than weight training moves.
Aerobic classes also offer variety, which helps prevent boredom and keeps participants engaged, making it easier to stick with the routine. Whether you’re doing Zumba, step aerobics, or kickboxing, these workouts provide a fun and dynamic way to burn calories, improve endurance, and boost overall fitness.
Here are the aerobics classes that tend to burn the most calories:
Cycling/Spin Class – Riding a bike at a high intensity or doing a spin class can burn about 500–900 calories per hour. Uphill cycling and sprinting on a bike significantly increase this number.
Step Aerobics – This classic cardio workout involves stepping up and down on an elevated platform in sync with the beat of the music. It engages the legs, glutes, and core while providing a great cardiovascular workout. A high-intensity step class can burn around 400–600 calories per hour.
Kickboxing – Kickboxing combines boxing moves, such as punches and jabs, with kicks and footwork, providing a full-body workout. The high-intensity intervals between punches, kicks, and blocks elevate your heart rate, burning about 500–800 calories per hour. It’s also a great way to build strength, speed, and coordination while torching calories.
Zumba or Dance Cardio – An intense dance cardio workout or Zumba class can burn around 400–600 calories per hour, making it a fun, full-body workout that feels more like a party.
Hot/Power Yoga – While traditional yoga burns fewer calories, hot yoga (like Bikram) can burn about 400–600 calories per hour due to the elevated temperature, which increases heart rate and sweating. Power yoga, which is more dynamic than traditional yoga, can burn around 300–500 calories per hour. It involves more flowing movements and engages the muscles for strength and endurance.
High Intensity Pilates – In an hour of Pilates, calorie burn can range widely depending on the intensity level. Adding equipment, faster pacing, or integrating Pilates with cardio can increase the calorie burn even further.:
- Beginner/Basic Pilates: Around 170–250 calories per hour.
- Intermediate Pilates: Around 250–350 calories per hour.
- Advanced/Intense Pilates (including reformer work): Approximately 350–450 calories per hour.
What Weight Training Exercises Burn the Most Calories?
Weight training can also be effective for calorie burning, especially when exercises target large muscle groups and are done with minimal rest between sets.
Here are some of the most calorie-burning weight training exercises that target the body’s largest muscle groups… maximizing calorie burn in the process:
- Deadlifts – Deadlifts engage multiple muscle groups, including glutes, hamstrings, core, and back. This exercise can burn around 250–400 calories per hour, depending on intensity and weight lifted.
- Squats (Back Squat, Front Squat, or Goblet Squat) – Squats target the entire lower body and core. A high-intensity squat workout can burn 250–350 calories per hour and helps build strong legs and glutes.
- Lunges (Walking Lunges, Reverse Lunges, or Jumping Lunges) – Lunges are excellent for lower body strength and stability, burning about 250–350 calories per hour. They work the glutes, quads, and hamstrings and can be intensified by adding weights.
- Clean and Press – This full-body movement combines a deadlift, a squat, and an overhead press, burning about 300–500 calories per hour. It’s highly effective for building strength and power in multiple muscle groups.
- Kettlebell Swings – Kettlebell swings are a powerful full-body movement that can burn around 300–500 calories per hour. They engage the core, glutes, shoulders, and cardiovascular system, making them a great addition to any routine.
- Thrusters (Squat-to-Press) – Thrusters combine a squat and an overhead press, burning around 300–450 calories per hour. This full-body exercise works the legs, glutes, shoulders, and core.
- Dumbbell Snatch – This explosive, full-body move works the legs, core, shoulders, and arms. It can burn around 300–500 calories per hour, depending on intensity.
- Weighted Step-Ups – Step-ups work the quads, glutes, and calves and can burn around 250–350 calories per hour. Using a barbell or dumbbells intensifies the exercise.
- Weighted Burpees – Adding weights to burpees can take calorie burn to around 400–600 calories per hour, making it a super effective full-body movement that combines strength and cardio.
- Turkish Get-Ups – This complex movement burns around 300–400 calories per hour. It’s a slow, controlled exercise that works almost every muscle, particularly the shoulders, core, and legs.
Please note, I’d never suggest doing any of these weight training exercises for an hour. They’re best done in sets with the appropriate amount of reps and weight.
In weight training, the calorie burn isn’t just during the workout but also afterward, as muscle recovery increases metabolism (the afterburn effect). This means you’ll continue to burn calories after your workout is over.
I combine high calorie burning exercises into all of my workout programs along with other exercises and training strategies that maximize fat burn, lean muscle, and metabolism so you can burn fat and get healthy quickly – without bulking up.
Take my Program Style Quiz to find the Workout Program that’s perfect for you.
What Sports Burn the Most Calories?
Basketball (Competitive) – Playing a competitive game of basketball can burn around 400–600 calories per hour. It’s high-intensity cardio with agility work and engages the entire body.
Tennis – An hour of singles tennis can burn 500–700 calories. The constant sprinting, side-to-side movements, and strength needed for hitting help with overall calorie burn.
Soccer – Soccer players can burn 600–900 calories per hour in a competitive game. It’s a full-body workout with constant sprinting, running, and kicking, improving both cardiovascular and muscular endurance.
Racquetball or Squash – These fast-paced court sports can burn around 600–800 calories per hour, with constant lateral movement and quick sprints engaging various muscle groups.
Volleyball (Competitive) – Playing volleyball, especially beach volleyball, can burn about 400–500 calories per hour. It requires agility, speed, and hand-eye coordination.
Boxing or Martial Arts – Boxing or kickboxing can burn 600–800 calories per hour. These sports work the whole body, improve coordination, and help build strength.
Skiing or Snowboarding – An hour on the slopes can burn 400–600 calories, depending on skill level and terrain. These activities require lower body strength, coordination, and endurance.
Cross-Country Skiing – This is one of the highest calorie-burning activities, with potential to burn around 600–900 calories per hour. It requires full-body engagement and intense cardiovascular effort.
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CALCULATING CALORIE BURN FROM EXERCISE
The calorie burn rates for all exercises are based on general estimates and several factors, including:
- Body Weight – Heavier individuals burn more calories than lighter individuals. Most estimates (including mine listed above) are based on a person weighing 150–160 pounds, with adjustments needed for those significantly above or below this weight range.
- Exercise Intensity – Higher intensity or faster-paced versions of an exercise (e.g., sprinting vs. jogging, or advanced Pilates vs. beginner) burn more calories. Exercises involving large muscle groups (like legs and back) or high-intensity intervals (HIIT) yield higher burn rates.
- Exercise Duration – Longer sessions generally lead to higher calorie burn, but intensity may decrease over time, so estimates for a continuous hour may vary.
- Individual Factors – Fitness level, age, muscle mass, and metabolism also impact calorie burn. Those with more muscle mass and higher fitness levels generally burn more calories during exercise.
- Post-Exercise Calorie Burn (EPOC) – Certain high-intensity exercises, like HIIT, weight training, and sprinting, increase the afterburn effect, causing the body to burn calories at an elevated rate even after the workout.
These factors are combined to provide a general calorie burn range for each activity. For precise calorie burn measurements, wearable devices or metabolic testing can offer personalized insights.
I don’t recommend using high intensity, long during workouts to lose weight. High intensity exercise isn’t sustainable long-term and can imbalance hormones, release cortisol, cause inflammation, nutrient deficiency and can ultimately lower metabolism, making it difficult to lose weight and be healthy.
High intensity, high calorie burn exercises are best done occasionally or strategically to break through plateaus.
To get fit, lean, burn fat – and keep it off – I recommend lower impact, low intensity workouts that use the right combinations of exercises and training strategy. This way you can lose weight, feel great, and get toned – without bulk. HINT: This is what all of my workout programs do and why they work so well.
Take my Program Style Quiz to learn which workout program will work best for you.
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