Calories are a measure of the energy your body uses. The more active you are, the more calories you burn. When it comes to burning calories, some activities are more effective than others. If your goal is to burn a high number of calories in a short amount of time, knowing which activities burn the most calories per hour can help you maximize your workout. In this article, we will look at which activities and exercises burn the most calories per hour and provide tips on how to burn the maximum number of calories.
What Factors Determine How Many Calories Are Burned?
Several key factors determine how many calories you burn in an hour of exercise:
- Your body weight – Heavier people burn more calories for the same exercise.
- Exercise intensity – More intense exercise burns more calories in less time.
- Type of exercise – Some exercises like running burn more calories than others like walking.
- Fitness level – People who are more fit burn calories more efficiently.
In general, high intensity cardio and strength training exercises tend to burn the most calories per hour. Athletes and very fit individuals will burn more calories than less active people doing the same activities.
High Calorie Burning Cardio Exercises
Here are some of the top cardio exercises that burn the most calories per hour:
Running
Running is one of the most effective total body calorie-burning exercises. Here are the approximate calories burned by running for one hour based on your weight:
| Weight | Calories Burned |
|---|---|
| 120 lbs | 584 calories |
| 150 lbs | 728 calories |
| 180 lbs | 873 calories |
To burn the most calories running, maintain a moderate to fast pace that keeps your heart rate elevated. Running uphill and including sprints can further increase the calories burned.
Jumping Rope
Jumping rope is a high intensity exercise that burns a high amount of calories in a short time. Here are the approximate calories burned jumping rope for one hour based on your weight:
| Weight | Calories Burned |
|---|---|
| 120 lbs | 806 calories |
| 150 lbs | 1,007 calories |
| 180 lbs | 1,207 calories |
To maximize calories burned, maintain a quick and consistent jump and minimize rest time between intervals. Advanced jumpers can try more difficult tricks and double unders.
Stair Climbing Machine
Working out on a stair climber machine is an intense lower body exercise that also gets your heart pumping. Here are the approximate calories burned using a stair climber for one hour based on your weight:
| Weight | Calories Burned |
|---|---|
| 120 lbs | 570 calories |
| 150 lbs | 712 calories |
| 180 lbs | 854 calories |
For maximum burn, maintain a high steps per minute pace and use the arm handles to incorporate your upper body.
Rowing Machine
The rowing machine works your arms, legs, core, and cardiovascular system for an intense full-body workout. Here are the approximate calories burned rowing for one hour based on your weight:
| Weight | Calories Burned |
|---|---|
| 120 lbs | 610 calories |
| 150 lbs | 762 calories |
| 180 lbs | 913 calories |
Focus on form and keeping your strokes per minute up to maximize calories burned rowing.
Swimming Laps
Vigorous swimming works your whole body and gets your heart rate up. Here are the approximate calories burned swimming freestyle laps for one hour based on your weight:
| Weight | Calories Burned |
|---|---|
| 120 lbs | 612 calories |
| 150 lbs | 765 calories |
| 180 lbs | 917 calories |
Focus on keeping a fast and consistent pace with minimal rest between laps. You can burn even more swimming all four strokes (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly) compared to just freestyle.
Jogging or Running Outside
Hitting the pavement for some outdoor jogging or running is a sure way to torch calories. Here are the approximate calories burned jogging outside at a moderate pace for one hour based on your weight:
| Weight | Calories Burned |
|---|---|
| 120 lbs | 492 calories |
| 150 lbs | 614 calories |
| 180 lbs | 735 calories |
Pick up the pace for intervals or run hills to burn even more calories. Outdoor running has the added calorie-burning benefits of fresh air, varied terrain, and using different muscle groups.
Stationary Cycling (Spin Class)
Cycling on a stationary bike is low impact while torching calories and fat. Spin classes take cycling to the next level for maximum burn. Here are the approximate calories burned during one hour of vigorous spinning based on your weight:
| Weight | Calories Burned |
|---|---|
| 120 lbs | 426 calories |
| 150 lbs | 532 calories |
| 180 lbs | 637 calories |
Increase resistance, maintain a fast RPM, and stand frequently to maximize calorie burn during spinning classes.
HIIT Workouts
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) alternates short bursts of intense activity with recovery periods. HIIT can be done with cardio exercises like sprinting or with full body exercises like burpees. Here is an estimate of calories burned during a HIIT workout for one hour based on your weight:
| Weight | Calories Burned |
|---|---|
| 120 lbs | 480-600 calories |
| 150 lbs | 600-750 calories |
| 180 lbs | 720-900 calories |
HIIT workouts burn calories efficiently due to the increase in metabolism that continues after you finish your workout.
High Calorie Burning Strength Training
In addition to cardio, strength training is an important part of burning calories. Lifting weights builds metabolically active muscle mass. Here are some of the top strength training exercises that burn the most calories per hour based on a 150 lb person:
| Exercise | Calories Burned Per Hour |
|---|---|
| Weighted Squats | 281 calories |
| Bench Press | 242 calories |
| Deadlifts | 232 calories |
| Shoulder Press | 200 calories |
| Bicep Curls | 153 calories |
To maximize calorie burn with strength training:
- Focus on large multi-joint exercises
- Keep rest periods short with circuits or supersets
- Use heavier weights to engage more muscle fibers
- Maintain proper form and control
Sports and Activities
Playing recreational sports and doing vigorous activities is another excellent way to burn calories. Here are some top sports based on calories burned in one hour for a 150 lb person:
| Sport/Activity | Calories Burned |
|---|---|
| Boxing (sparring) | 832 calories |
| Football | 588 calories |
| Basketball | 548 calories |
| Hockey | 544 calories |
| Soccer | 548 calories |
| Tennis | 544 calories |
The stop-and-go nature, sprinting, direction changes, and endurance required in sports results in lots of calories burned. Play recreatively with friends or join an intramural team to burn the most calories.
Calisthenics and Bodyweight Exercises
Calisthenics are bodyweight exercises designed to use your own weight as resistance to burn calories and build muscle. Some effective calisthenics for maximum calorie burn per hour include:
- Burpees – 480 calories/hour
- Jumping jacks – 300 calories/hour
- Mountain climbers – 288 calories/hour
- Pushups – 240 calories/hour
- Squats – 240 calories/hour
- Lunges – 210 calories/hour
Circuit training by performing these continuously with minimal rest maximizes calories burned. Advanced moves like one-arm pushups and pistol squats burn even more.
Everyday Activities
In addition to formal exercise, simple everyday activities can significantly boost how many calories you burn in a day. Here are some vigorous daily activities and the approximate calories they burn per hour for a 150 lb person:
| Activity | Calories Burned |
|---|---|
| Mowing lawn with push mower | 341 calories |
| Shoveling snow | 341 calories |
| Scrubbing floors | 204 calories |
| Heavy gardening | 232 calories |
| Moving boxes | 363 calories |
Look for opportunities to increase your non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT calories) throughout the day with activities like taking the stairs and walking more.
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
HIIT is one of the most efficient ways to burn calories fast. HIIT alternates bursts of high intensity exercise with recovery periods. This guides your body to tap into fat stores and elevate metabolism.
Some examples of effective HIIT workouts include:
- Sprinting intervals – Sprint for 30 seconds then walk for 60-90 seconds. Repeat for 15-20 minutes.
- Jumping rope intervals – Jump rope fast for 45 seconds then rest for 15 seconds. Repeat for 10-15 minutes.
- Bodyweight circuits – Do exercises like squats, mountain climbers, pushups for 30-45 seconds followed by 15 seconds rest. Repeat circuit 2-3 times.
HIIT can burn around 400-600 calories in 30 minutes for a 150 pound person. It spikes metabolism leading to more calories burned after the workout is over.
Mix Up Your Workouts
For maximum fat burning and calorie burn, mix up your workouts to include both cardio and strength training. This will work your muscles in different ways while keeping your body guessing. Try these suggestions:
- Combine cardio machines like treadmill and stair climber and vary intensity
- Take cardio classes like spinning, kickboxing, dance cardio
- Include HIIT workouts 1-2 times a week
- Lift weights using different rep ranges from high to low
- Try new equipment like kettlebells, battle ropes, sled pushes
Changing up your workouts will shock your body, maximize calorie burn, and prevent plateaus.
Sample High Calorie Burning 1 Hour Workout
Here is a sample hour-long workout combining calorie burning strength training and cardio:
- Warmup: 5 minutes moderate stationary cycling
- Strength: Circuit of dumbbell thrusters, lunges, pushups, and squats (10 reps each). Repeat circuit 3 times.
- Cardio: 10 minutes rowing machine
- Strength: Circuit of jumping jacks, mountain climbers, squat jumps, and burpees (20 reps each). Repeat circuit twice.
- Cardio: 10 minutes stair climbing machine
- Core: 2 minutes plank hold
- Cooldown: 5 minutes light stationary cycling
This total body circuit training workout mixes strength and cardio for maximum calories burned of around 800 calories for a 150 pound person.
Nutrition for Maximum Calorie Burn
Nutrition plays a key role in effective fat burning and getting the most out of your workouts. Here are some tips:
- Eat a snack that is high in protein and complex carbs 1-2 hours before exercising for fuel.
- Stay hydrated by drinking water before, during, and after exercise.
- Consume 20-40g of protein within 30 minutes after exercise to rebuild muscle.
- Eat clean foods and avoid excess sugar and refined carbs to prevent fat storage.
- Consider caffeine before exercise for increased calorie burn.
Proper nutrition habits will help you maximize calorie and fat burn as well as improve energy levels.
Conclusion
When trying to burn the maximum calories in one hour, high intensity cardio exercises like running, jumping rope, and stair climbing are most effective. Mixing in strength training, HIIT workouts, sports, and calisthenics can further boost calories burned. For best results, mix up your workouts, include both weights and cardio, and focus on nutrition. With consistency, it is possible to burn around 600-800 calories or more in an hour long workout session.