What Exercises Burn the Most Calories? Top 12 Proven Options

Everybody seems to be worried about how many calories they are burning these days. For this reason, a lot of people are always looking for the exercises that burn the most calories.

On top of that, many people want their workout to be as quick as possible. This is understandable, too, because we all have busy lives.

A lot of us look at the fat loss results we earn as a direct result of how many calories we burn. We think of it in terms of cause and effect. However, this isn't really the case. It is why a lot of people wonder which exercise burns the most calories, though.

So, what exercise burns the most calories? Well, it really depends.

It depends on the effort that you put in. It depends on the length of your workout. It depends on a whole lot more than those two factors as well!

For you to get the full picture, let's start with how your body burns calories as a whole. Because if you want to look and feel your best, it’s not about how many calories you can burn. Instead, it’s about burning enough calories to put yourself at a sustainable calorie deficit. I’ll explain this in depth later, so you know exactly what I mean!

How Our Bodies Burn Calories

Our bodies actually burn a lot of calories every day. I know it might not feel like it, but it’s true. 

Between all of the different things we do on a daily basis, the calories we burn add up quickly. Really, there are three main ways that the body burns calories. So let’s take a look at these now! 

1. Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR)

This is something that might also be talked about as your basal metabolic rate (BMR). Some people will also refer to this as your resting metabolism. Just know that these are all referring to the same thing.

For most of us, our RMR is responsible for most of the calories we burn every day. Typically, this ends up being about 60% of the calories a normal person burns every day (1).

But, what the heck is your RMR? Well, it's referring to the calories that you burn naturally. If you were to sit on the couch all day, you would still be burning calories. I’m talking about just lying there, not even moving a muscle.

This happens because every tissue in the body burns calories at rest. Some burn more than others, but this is why we burn calories at rest.

2. Thermic Effect of Food (TEF)

The thermic effect of food also plays a role in the calories we burn every day. This is the total number of calories that we burn while eating.

As an added bit of knowledge, protein has the highest TEF. It takes at least 2-3x more calories to digest and utilize protein than it does for carbs and fats (2)!

Now, with that being said, TEF is only responsible for an average 10% of the calories a normal person burns every day (1).

3. Exercise Activity

Exercise activity is something that can be broken up into two different categories. Those are intentional exercise and non-exercise activity thermogenesis. 

Intentional exercise is the planned activity that you have—like resistance training, walking, or running—especially when it’s structured as exercise for fat loss. The idea is that you are doing these activities with the intention of exercising your body.

Non-exercise activity thermogenesis, or NEAT, is your daily movement.

Your exercise activity as a whole tends to account for about 30% of your total calories burned (1). But again, this is on average. These ranges can vary from person to person.

Now that you know all about the main ways that you burn calories, let’s get back to your original question. What exercise burns the most calories?

What Exercise Burns The Most Calories?

A lot of people ask if cardio or strength training is better for weight loss. The answer is probably both! While there is a lot that goes into which exercise burns the most calories, there's a lot of data that suggests high-intensity interval training (HIIT) burns the most (3).

What is HIIT, though?

HIIT is a type of training that includes short intervals of high-intensity exercise with rest or lower-intensity intervals. These rest intervals allow for enough recovery to repeat these high-intensity intervals.

The idea is for your body to adapt to the high intensity, and it can help you begin to recover quicker over time (13). The high intensity also allows you to burn a lot of calories in a shorter amount of time.

There’s even data to support that you can burn as many as 461 calories in a 44-minute HIIT workout (4)!

You can do HIIT with many different exercise types, too, because it’s a style of training rather than an exercise. So you can do HIIT with weights, running, swimming, biking, and more.

However, I’m not saying that HIIT will actually help you burn the most calories. There are a number of factors that can impact how many calories you burn through exercise.

Things such as workout intensity, duration, and the specific exercises you choose in the workout all play a role.

For this reason, you'll get a wide variety of different answers. So for whatever exercises you choose, how hard you push yourself will make the biggest difference.

When it comes to intense exercises, there are quite a few. If you’re still wondering what burns the most calories, these workouts are some of the top calorie-burning options...

• Swimming
• Jumping Rope
• Long Distance Running
• Kickboxing
• High Impact Aerobics
• Cycling
• Circuit Training
• Playing Sports
• Rowing Machine
• Stair Climbing
• Elliptical Trainer
• Sled Pushes or Battle Ropes

1. Swimming 

Swimming is an exercise that I don’t believe gets enough credit. The workout that it can put your body through is like nothing else!

In my experience, it’s a fantastic way to burn calories. But in addition to that, it’s a way to get a workout that is easier on your body! Compared to running, for example, swimming has much less of an impact on your joints.

Swimming has been shown to burn as many as 500 calories in a one-hour session (5).

2. Jumping Rope

Jumping rope always brings me back to my childhood. Can you say the same? Well, not only is it nostalgic, but it can also be an excellent workout!

It helps to tie in coordination, using multiple muscle groups, and a lot more. You can burn nearly 450 calories in about 45 minutes of jump roping (6)!

3. Long Distance Running

Distance running can be another exercise that can burn quite a few calories. The total calories burned will be largely dependent on a number of things. This includes how fast you run, how long you run for, and the distance that you run.

When we’re talking about marathons, it’s said that the average person burns nearly 2,800 calories (7)!

4. Kickboxing

We've all had times when we could let out a little frustration. Either that, or maybe I'm just a little intense! Regardless, kickboxing is a great chance to blow off some steam and burn calories.

You can get in a great workout by throwing punches, kicking, and more!

Depending on the intensity of your training, it’s said that you can burn between 500 and 1000 calories in just an hour (8).

5. High Impact Aerobics 

A number of different things can fall into this category. I’d even say that these are some of the more creative ways to get your workouts in! 

This can include dance classes, plyometric movements, and even aerobics classes. Oftentimes, these exercises are done with a group of others. The community and atmosphere alone can be a great way to stay consistent.

Depending on the style and intensity, an aerobic dance class can help burn as many as 700 calories an hour (9).

6. Cycling

Cycling has become a very popular option when it comes to getting a good workout. The cool thing about cycling is how versatile it can be. For example, you can do it indoors, outdoors, over a long distance, in intervals, and in a number of other ways.

No matter how you choose to cycle, it's an exercise that can burn quite a few calories. Like anything else, the number of calories burned looks different for everybody. A 45-minute ride at 50-75% intensity has been shown to burn nearly 600 calories (10)!

7. Circuit Training 

Circuit training is where you alternate between multiple exercises in a row. For example, you might have four exercises that you go through in order for three sets total.

This is a form of exercise that has gotten more popular as time has gone on. With circuit training, you can burn just over 200 calories for every 24 minutes (11). This can also vary from person to person.

8. Playing Sports

There are quite a few different sports that can be great for burning calories. This is especially true if the sport is one that keeps you moving. At the same time, though, how many calories you can burn will vary quite a bit.

Sports like tennis, pickleball, basketball, soccer, and many more can be great options. Even just one hour of pick-up basketball can burn as many as 750 calories (12). As an ex-athlete, I'll personally choose sports over other cardiovascular exercises any day!

9. Rowing Machine

Rowing is one of the best full-body cardio machines and can burn around 600+ calories per hour, depending on intensity. Virtually every gym has a rower, too.

10. Stair Climbing

Stair workouts are extremely effective because they combine cardio with lower-body strength.

11. Elliptical Trainer

The elliptical provides a low-impact way to burn calories while engaging both the upper and lower body.

12. Sled Pushes or Battle Ropes

These intense conditioning movements are great calorie burners and are often used in HIIT-style training.

Which Cardio Machines Burn the Most Calories?

If you prefer gym equipment, these machines are some of the best calorie burners:

• Treadmill (Running): One of the highest calorie burns per hour
• Rowing Machine: Full-body and highly efficient
• Ski-Erg: An intense, full-body workout
• Stair Climber: Great for intensity and leg endurance
• Stationary Bike: Excellent for intervals and endurance

The machine that burns the most calories is the one on which you can push yourself the hardest consistently. It's all about the effort you're putting in.

Burning More Calories Doesn't Mean Better Results

Remember what I mentioned earlier? Burning more calories isn't always going to mean better results. Plus, it all depends on what kind of results you're looking for.

If you're trying to build muscle, you actually don't want to burn more calories per-say. You have to be eating more calories than you're burning. At least, you'll need to eat enough calories and protein to help your body build new muscle.

On the other hand, for fat loss, you don't want to burn too many calories. I say this because your body can lose weight from both muscle and body fat. But, if you're trying to achieve a lean and "toned" look, you want to preserve as much muscle as you can.

Remember when I said that all tissue in the body burns calories at rest? Well, muscle tissue burns more calories at rest than body fat. This can make it easier to stay lean long term. Not only that, but muscle is what gives the body more shape.

How To Burn The Most Calories In Your Workout

If you want to burn more calories in your workouts, then you have to work harder. This could be...

• Lifting heavier weights
• Hitting more sets or reps
• Extending your workout duration
• Taking fewer or shorter rest periods

There are truly an endless number of ways that you can burn more calories. However, it’s also important that you know why burning calories is so important to you. 

Do you want to burn calories to lose weight? Do you want to burn calories to lose body fat? Or do you want to burn calories for another reason? Whatever the case may be, the plan of attack can be different.

Earning the best results is a combination of several variables. As I said, burning more calories isn't always the answer. You need to have a solid game plan put together when it comes to your workouts and nutrition.

Obviously, it can be hard to know exactly what to do here. That's why we're here to help! At 1st Phorm, our mission is to help real people earn real and long-term results. For that reason, we created the ultimate all-in-one tool to help: the 1st Phorm App.

The 1st Phorm App simplifies the process of earning results so you can focus on what matters most: putting in the work to reach your goals! Inside the app, you'll get access to every tool and resource you need to be successful...

• Nutrition tracking - Log your food & water to stay on track. The 1st Phorm App is connected to a massive food database to make it easy.
• A full library of workout programs catered to help you reach your goals. Choose between at-home programs, weightlifting, cross-training, and so much more!
• Daily activity and step tracking to set goals and encourage a healthier lifestyle.
• Educational live streams 5x a week that cover a wide variety of topics from nutrition to training and supplementation. Equip yourself with the knowledge to earn and maintain your results long-term!
• Progress & body metric tools to help you measure your progress over time.

...and so much more!

With the premium version of the 1st Phorm App, you'll even get your own advisor! This is a Certified Personal Trainer & Nutrition Coach you can message 24/7. They'll help you make adjustments, answer your questions, and even hold you accountable when you need it most!

Download the 1st Phorm App now and get started today! If you have any questions in the meantime, don't hesitate to reach out. 

We have a full team of NASM Certified Personal Trainers and Nutrition Coaches right here in St. Louis, Missouri. Just give us a call at 1-800-409-9732 or send us an email at CustomerService@1stPhorm.com any day from 6 AM to 10 PM Central. We'll be more than happy to help in any way we can!

Frequently Asked Questions

What exercise burns the most calories in the shortest time?

HIIT is one of the fastest ways to burn calories because it combines intense work intervals with short rest periods.

Is strength training good for burning calories?

Yes. While cardio burns more calories during the workout, strength training helps build muscle, which increases calorie burn at rest.

What burns the most calories: cardio or weights?

Both help, but high-intensity cardio tends to burn more calories immediately, while weight training can help support long-term calorie-burning.

How can I track calorie-burning workouts easily?

Using a structured program like those inside the 1st Phorm App can help support consistency with training, nutrition, and progress.

References: 

(1) Popson, M. S., M. Dimri, and J. Borger. “Biochemistry, Heat and Calories.” StatPearls, StatPearls Publishing, updated 12 June 2023.

(2) Ravn, Anne-Marie, et al. “Thermic Effect of a Meal and Appetite in Adults: An Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis of Meal-Test Trials.” Food & Nutrition Research, vol. 57, 2013, article 19676.

(3) Falcone, P. H., et al. “Caloric Expenditure of Aerobic, Resistance, or Combined High-Intensity Interval Training Using a Hydraulic Resistance System in Healthy Men.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol. 29, no. 3, 2015, pp. 779–785.

(4) Willis, E. A., et al. “Energy Expenditure and Intensity of Group-Based High-Intensity Functional Training: A Brief Report.” Journal of Physical Activity & Health, vol. 16, no. 6, 2019, pp. 470–476.

(5) Sidebotham, Charlotte. “Viewpoint: Swimming.” British Journal of General Practice, vol. 68, no. 671, 2018, p. 278.

(6) Fountaine, C. J., and B. J. Schmidt. “Metabolic Cost of Rope Training.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol. 29, no. 4, 2015, pp. 889–893.

(7) Loftin, Mark, et al. “Energy Expenditure and Influence of Physiologic Factors During Marathon Running.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol. 21, no. 4, 2007, pp. 1188–1191.

(8) Zohdi, T. I. “On the Biomechanical Analysis of the Calories Expended in a Straight Boxing Jab.” Journal of the Royal Society Interface, vol. 14, no. 129, 2017, article 20170153.

(9) Rixon, K. P., et al. “Analysis of the Assessment of Caloric Expenditure in Four Modes of Aerobic Dance.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol. 20, no. 3, 2006, pp. 593–596.

(10) Knab, A. M., et al. “A 45-Minute Vigorous Exercise Bout Increases Metabolic Rate for 14 Hours.” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, vol. 43, no. 9, 2011, pp. 1643–1648.

(11) Wood, K. M., et al. “Dissimilar Physiological and Perceptual Responses Between Sprint Interval Training and High-Intensity Interval Training.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol. 30, no. 1, 2016, pp. 244–250.

(12) Shao, Zhigong, et al. “Individual Characteristics of Physical and Mental Development and Their Connection with Regular Physical Exercises When Playing Basketball.” Current Psychology, 2022, pp. 1–10.

(13) Atakan, M. M., et al. “Evidence-Based Effects of High-Intensity Interval Training on Exercise Capacity and Health: A Review with Historical Perspective.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 18, no. 13, 2021, article 7201.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

EDITORIAL POLICY