What Exercises Burn the Most Calories?

Burning calories through exercise is a surefire way to shed pounds. Any sort of physical activity moves the needle — but if you’re going to work out, why not get the most out of every drop of sweat, right?

With that in mind, exercise physiologist Ben Kuharik shares the workouts that torch the most calories, plus what you can expect to burn doing other common activities.

What determines calorie burn?

No matter what you’re doing at any given moment, your body burns calories for energy, says Kuharik. That flame is always lit. Just the act of breathing requires the smoldering of a few calories.

But when you exercise, your calorie burn can quickly turn into a raging inferno. That’s because the amount of calories burned is based on your level of exertion, or metabolic equivalence (MET). A higher MET means more calories burned.

“Your body burns what it needs to meet your energy demands,” explains Kuharik. “It’s a simple formula, really: The more active you are and the longer you go, the more calories you're going to burn.”

In general, though, certain activities treat calories like kindling by demanding more from your body. Here’s where you get the biggest burn.

NOTE: All calories-burned-per-hour (CBPH) estimates that follow are from the American Council on Exercise Physical Activity Calorie Counter. The numbers reflect calories burned by a 150-pound person doing the activity for an hour. Calorie burn increases with weight.

Cardio exercises

Cardio (or aerobic) exercise can take your breath away — and we mean that quite literally. These are activities that can get your heart thumping and leave you breathing hard and fast, says Kuharik.

The loads of energy required for many forms of cardio often equals a higher calorie burn. “If your goal is to burn as many calories as you can exercising, cardio is usually the answer,” notes Kuharik.

That could mean activities such as:

Running

476 calories burned per hour (CBPH) for a basic jog

544 CBPH while running 5 mph

680 CBPH while running 6 mph

782 CBPH while running 8 mph

1,088 CBPH while running 10 mph

Think about all the muscles that go to work as you run. Your quadriceps, hamstrings and other leg muscles carry the heaviest load, of course, as they propel you forward stride after stride after stride.

But your upper body muscles also get involved as your arms pump back and forth to drive you forward. Ditto for your core muscles, which keep your body stable as you chew up miles and navigate the terrain.

“Muscles throughout your entire body get used when you run, whether it’s to propel you forward or stabilize you to keep you upright,” says Kuharik. “That requires a lot of energy output, which is why the calorie burn is increased.”

The faster you run, the more calories you burn. Running up an incline increases that burn, too. (Want to start a running program? Follow these tips to learn how to make it part of your fitness routine.)

Walking, by the way, burns far fewer calories than running given that it’s a more moderate-intensity activity. The CBPH for walking is 224 at 3 mph (20-minute miles) or 340 at 4 mph (15-minute miles).

But don’t discount the value of a walking regimen just because it’s “not running.” Setting a daily step goal or targeting a certain amount of time per week is a nice way to increase your overall calorie expenditure.

“Walking may not burn as many calories per minute as running, but it’s an easy way to form the habit of an exercise regimen,” says Kuharik.

Swimming

476 CBPH for casual swimming

680 CBPH for vigorous swimming

If you’re looking for a full-body cardio workout that puts less wear and tear on your joints, swimming is the answer. That’s because the buoyancy of water reduces the strain your weight places on your body.

Water also offers resistance to every movement, which brings additional muscle-building benefits compared to other cardio exercises.

“Swimming can strengthen your joints without the impact that comes with many land-based activities,” says Kuharik. “And you can burn ample calories whether you’re water walking, swimming leisurely or trying to push yourself with specific strokes.”

Cycling

272 CBPH for a leisurely ride at 5.5 mph

544 CBPH for a ride at 12-13 mph

816 CBPH for a ride at 16-19 mph

Calorie burning goes quickly when you’re zipping along on two wheels. The energy your leg muscles demand while cycling to spin those bike pedals ‘round and ‘round consumes calories at a rapid pace.

Better yet, the exercise is considered low-impact and gentler on your joints given that your weight is largely supported by the bike.

“This is one of my favorite ways to get cardio in,” says Kuharik. “Once you’re comfortable on the seat, it’s easy to zone out and burn calories without adding a ton of fatigue on your joints compared to other activities.”

And if you’re cycling outside, the scenery can be delightful.

Rowing

476 CBPH at a moderate pace

714 CBPH at an extreme level

Want to get in a good cardio workout while sitting down? Then give rowing a try.

A session on a rowing machine (or on-the-water shell) works your whole body through a basic four-motion process. The activity offers cardio and strength-training benefits while also being low-impact.

“Rowing is a great way to increase calorie expenditure while also strengthening your back, arms and legs,” says Kuharik. “Show me someone who is an avid rower and I’ll show you someone with great muscle definition.”

Jumping rope

544 CBPH at a slow pace

816 CBPH at a fast pace

Odds are you jumped rope as a kid. It might be time to consider doing it as an adult.

Jumping rope absolutely incinerates calories. The exercise can quickly turn into a form of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) as you jump-jump-jump. “If you’re short on time or want an all-out way to finish a workout, jumping rope is going to be one of your best bets,” says Kuharik.

Strength training

When it comes to calorie burn during an activity, strength training (or anaerobic exercise) falls far short of cardio. As an example, consider weight training.

Using our formula from above, a basic weight training session can burn 204 calories per hour — or less than walking or cycling miles at a leisurely pace. Intense weight training comes in at 408 CBPH.

But weightlifting and other strength training activities also offer what’s known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). This after-burner effect means your body continues using calories even after you’re done working out.

Additionally, adding muscle through strength training increases your calorie burn when you’re just sitting around doing nothing. That’s because muscle burns more calories than other body tissue even when you’re at rest.

“Strength training for 30 minutes twice a week can stimulate your muscles enough to help you burn a few extra calories throughout the day and improve your muscle tone and physique,” explains Kuharik.

Exercise recommendations

So what’s the best calorie-burning exercise for you? The answer comes down to preference.

“The key to burning calories through exercise is actually doing the exercise,” says Kuharik. “Find and focus on what you enjoy. You’ll work out more often if you look forward to doing it. Don’t just get stuck in the mindset of what’s ‘more bang for your buck’ when picking an exercise.”

An ideal exercise plan includes both cardio and strength training, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. It’s recommended that adults set weekly goals to get in:

• 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio exercise or 60 minutes of vigorous cardio exercise (The activities can be spread throughout the week.)
• Two days of strength-training activities

“The important thing is to stay active,” says Kuharik. “How you do that is up to you.”