There is no such thing as a standard workout. Some people hit the gym because they want to pile on as much muscle as possible, others just want to maintain a decent level of cardiovascular fitness. You might exercise to help you succeed at a sport, or even just as a social activity. However, for some people the main objective of their exercise is weight loss, and they will want to burn as many calories as possible each session.
While there are plenty of different exercise plans for weight loss, ultimately the objective will be to create a ‘caloric deficit’ by using more energy each day than you consume. While this can be done by eating less, it is healthier to combine a balanced diet with burning calories through exercise.
We’re about to share some exercise plans for maximum calorie burning, but it’s important you approach these safely. Make sure you have eaten enough to get you through each workout, and drink plenty of water throughout the day. If you feel yourself getting faint or lightheaded, stop exercising immediately and hydrate!
If you can keep these safety rules in mind, these two workouts are a great way of maximising your calorie burning, and will also improve your overall strength and conditioning. So grab your gym bag and let’s get started!
Running
While running isn’t a specific workout, there are a number of ways you can use this activity for maximum calorie burning. Moving your entire body at high speeds burns a lot of energy, and unlike cycling or swimming – although there’s nothing wrong with these exercises – there is nothing to assist you with the movement.
The faster you go, the more calories you’ll burn, so consistent speed should be your overall aim if you just want to go for a daily jog. Choose a route you can run without major issues; you should aim to be exhausted by the end, but able to complete the whole thing without stopping or walking, and the whole thing should take you about half an hour at first.
Time yourself going round this route, and keep using it every time you go for a run. Your aim should be to improve your time by five minutes, so if it took you half an hour at first, your target is to get that down to 25 minutes.
Once you achieve this, increase the length of the route by about ten per cent; so if you ran five km at first, add another half a km onto it. Repeat this process as long as you’re exercising, increasing the length of the route by ten per cent as soon as you cut your time down by five minutes.
Kettlebells
Most gyms have a good set of kettlebells, and if not you can buy some for use at home. However, it’s a good idea to go to the gym to get a bit of help with the following exercises, as the movements involved will probably be unfamiliar to you and they can be dangerous. If you’re not sure, look them up online and practice with a very light weight before attempting them properly.
The key with kettlebell workouts is to tax your muscles with repetition rather than heavy lifting. Therefore you shouldn’t choose a weight that you struggle to lift; instead, opt for one you can comfortably lift over your head with one hand. Once you’re used to this workout, you can change the weight for something more tailored to your strength level.
You can do the following workout holding one kettlebell in both hands, or with one in each hand so you’re using two at the same time. Start out with a single kettlebell, only switching to two when you’re confident in the exercises.
Kettlebell workout
- 15 x kettlebell swings, 20-second rest
- 10 x goblet squats (two-handed) or front squats (one-handed), 20-second rest
- 10 x shoulder press, 20-second rest
- 15 x kettlebell deadlifts, 20 second rest
- 10 x kettlebell push-ups, 30-second rest
Repeat this sequence three times, remembering the slightly longer rest after each time through. If you feel like you can do more, you can always repeat it four or five times the next time you go through it.
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