15 workouts that burn the most calories, according to science

Running is one of the simplest athletic endeavours humans can do, mainly because no equipment is needed – technically not even shoes (though our 21st-century living environment calls for them). Running at 12.8kph burns 1074 calories (4296 kilojoules) per hour for a 90-kilo person, according to fitness expert Chris Ryan. Because it requires a serious amount of energy to move fast and places a lot of demand on your cardiovascular system, most of us can’t sprint or run too fast for too long.

“The best way to incorporate this exercise is to do 10- to 20- second sprints (or 100-200 metres, if you’re on a track) and then jog or walk for 60 seconds,” says Dr Roger E. Adams, a dietitian and nutritionist and founder of eatrightfitness.com. “Keep repeating these intervals until you’ve had enough, or until your sprints look like jogs.” Hoping to maximise your workout even more? Add a weighted vest to your sprints. This will drive up your calorie burn and is much safer than holding dumbbells or using ankle weights.

There’s a reason some of the world’s greatest boxers have relied on the benefits of skipping rope to train their footwork and increase their heart rate. “Jumping rope can burn upwards of 1074 calories (4296 kilojoules) per hour and is an excellent workout for the whole body,” says Ryan. “Even just a few minutes of jumping rope can get your lungs burning and heart racing.”

One of the best parts of this calorie-torching exercise? You can do it almost anywhere, anytime, though few of us can handle it for more than a few minutes straight. Just like running, “the best way to incorporate jumping rope into your exercise regimen is to do intervals,” says Dr Adams. “Jump rope for a specified number of reps, say 100, then walk around or in place for 60 seconds. Then repeat this interval until you’re too tired to jump effectively.” If you can skip for several minutes straight, go for it! Otherwise, use the interval approach for maximum results.

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When it comes to martial arts exercises that burn mega calories, Taekwondo takes the black belt, burning about 937 calories (3748 kilojoules) per hour for a 90-kilo individual. Similar to wrestling or boxing, Taekwondo is a self-defence exercise that originated in Korea and has been around for about 2000 years. Typically, you’d perform the exercise by competing against another person across from you. This person tries to weaken your technique and cause you to let your guard down. “The exercise emphasises speed, power, concentration, reaction force, and breath control among its guiding principles, truly taking on an otherworldly athletic mindset and transforming mind and body to one powerful weapon,” says Ryan. However, many people rest quite a bit between movements, so in order to keep this mode of exercise at the top of the calorie-burning spectrum, minimise rest periods and go directly into each of your movements.

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You’ve probably heard that swimming, though low-impact and relatively accessible for nearly all individuals regardless of age or injury, burns serious calories – and that’s no lie. Vigorous, or high-intensity, swimming can burn upwards of 892 calories (3568 kilojoules) an hour for a 90-kilo person. In addition to its therapeutic benefits and fine balance between strength and cardio, one of swimming’s ancillary benefits is simply being in water. “Your body normally runs at 37 degrees, but the average pool temperature is usually around 26 degrees – so your body burns calories just by trying to keep you warm and make up for the 11-degree difference,” explains Ryan.

Nothing quite puts the hussle in a hard-earned workout like running up a set of stairs. Not only is it great for muscle-building and improving your cardiovascular fitness level, but it’s also a serious calorie-scorcher. Running stairs can burn upwards of 819 calories (3276 kilojoules) per hour for a 90-kilo person.

“Stair running essentially elevates the heart rate while the heart and lungs pump more blood and oxygen, resulting in a higher caloric burn than doing the same distance on flat ground,” explains Ryan. Your speed, number of steps, and the height of the steps will all factor in to determine your overall calorie burn. “Keeping a faster pace up the stairs and walking down is the safest approach,” says Samantha Clayton, vice president of sports performance and fitness at Herbalife. “You can vary your upward speed to increase the intensity level or if you have the coordination, taking two steps at a time will make your muscles work harder and therefore increase your calorie burn. The more steps you climb overall, the harder your body is working.”

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Even at a relatively easy pace like 8 kilometres an hour, which is just above walking speed for most people, jogging is an excellent way to burn a high amount of calories. In fact, a 90-kilo person can burn 755 calories (3020 kilojoules) per hour when running at this relaxed speed. Because it’s a full-body movement, running works many muscles at the same time and challenges your cardiovascular system. It’s also a fairly easy exercise to fit into people’s schedules because, most of the time, all it requires is some running shoes and pavement. “If you’re looking to add a little more caloric burn during your workout, try upping the incline a few percentages for short bouts of hills during your workout,” says Ryan. “This helps increase the intensity of the workout, but also shifts the position of the foot strike to mimic an undulating path or trail, which becomes a much more functional way to attack a workout.”

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Considered by many to be the ultimate form of “athletic chess,” tennis is an excellent way to burn serious calories. This is mainly because of the amount of fast-paced spurts of running and body movement required in a match. “What makes tennis so challenging is the rapid deceleration and acceleration that’s required for you to be good at the sport,” explains fitness gym owner Ben Boudro. “The ball movement is very unpredictable and when you have unpredictable requirements, you challenge your brain and muscles to contract as fast as possible to move your body and get in position.”

Playing tennis for just five minutes will put a serious tax on your body, and doing it for an hour could burn upwards of 728 calories (2912 kilojoules) for a 90-kilo person. (You’ll burn less if you’re playing a doubles match.) “If you’re looking to get even more caloric burn from tennis, consider adding in lightweight compression shorts or a weighted vest,” suggests Ryan. “Working out with just 2.2-4.5 kilograms of added weight can enhance your workout significantly.”

Because it’s a common pickup game that most people play recreationally, it’s easy to forget how great of a workout touch football can be. In fact, it can burn 728 or more calories (2912 or more kilojoules) an hour for a 90-kilo person! The field may be shorter than regular football, but with fewer players in the game (and less hitting) most people run even more. “Coupled with a change of direction and hand-eye coordination, touch football truly combines a great way to have fun with friends during a whole-body workout,” says Ryan.

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If you want to be good at basketball, you better be able to move – and move often. The sport consists mainly of players running, with short bouts of sprints and all-out jumps from one side of the court to the other for an hour or longer, and with minimal breaks. “These all-out movements seriously tax your body and force you to use energy systems that are used in everyday activities,” explains Boudro. “Couple those movements with competition and a hot gym and you’re definitely going to be burning a ton of calories within minutes.”

Basketball is known to burn upwards of 728 calories (4296 kilojoules) an hour for a 90-kilo person. Start off by playing for 15 minutes and build up your tolerance from there, Boudro suggests. Be careful with this one though, as too many injuries happen in the sport, often because individuals aren’t prepared for that kind of impact on their body. Start slow and work your way up, he says.

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Rollerblading combines a healthy balance of cardio and strength training, without placing too much impact on the joints. Similar to skating, rollerblading involves the use of quite a few muscles at once. “The data for a 90-kilo person indicates that 683 calories (2732 kilojoules) per hour are burned at moderate intensity,” says Ryan. “But to engage the upper body even more, consider adding in some dry land ski poles, which in essence transforms this into a summer version of cross-country skiing.” Also, adding in several short bursts of sprints for 10 to 20 seconds at a time are not only fun, but a great way to jack up your heart rate for an even higher calorie burn. It could be time for you to switch up your workout and try rollerblading!

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