10 Exercises That Burn More Fat Than Running

Running is a great cardiovascular exercise to burn fat. Depending on your fitness levels, running can be an excellent way to maintain a lean physique. However, running can also be detrimental, especially to your joints. For instance, if you’re training for a marathon, running can put dangerously high amounts of pressure on your feet, ankles and knees.

The most common mistake beginners make when trying to lose weight by running is doing too much too fast. This can lead to shin splints. And the only way to recover from this is to take time off.

That’s why sometimes, it’s a good idea to incorporate different forms of exercise. Here’s a short list of  exercises to burn fat that can be just as effective if not better than running.

1. Burpees

Very few like doing these but they’re one of the most effective fat burning exercise to ever exist. A person who weighs 155 pounds can burn 10 calories per minute assuming that you complete 10-20 burpees. (1)

2. Bike Sprints

Using the tabata protocol, bike sprints can shorten your workout time but still remain just as effective. The key here is to focus on short bursts followed by an active down time. Here’s an example of what this might look like:

1. Warm-up for 3-5 minutes.
2. Sprint at 60% effort for 20 seconds.
3. Light pedaling for 60 seconds.
4. Sprint at 70% effort for 20 seconds.
5. Light pedaling for 60 seconds.
6. Sprint at 80% effort for 20 seconds.
7. Light pedaling for 60 seconds.
8. Sprint at 80% effort for 20 seconds.
9. Light pedaling for 60 seconds.
10. Sprint at 80% effort for 20 seconds.
11. Light pedaling for 60 seconds.

Repeat this for as long as you want but make sure you do this progressively. Don’t try to do 20 minutes of this right from the start if it leaves you completely drained and dizzy.

3. Jumping Rope

Many athletes rely on this exercise to maintain good cardiovascular health while maintaining good muscle tone. You can burn up to 13 calories a minute if you’re skilled enough to do 100 skips within 60 seconds.

4. Battling Ropes

If you’ve never tried this yet, it’s time that you do. Battle ropes are one of the most intense form of exercise you can do (2). They’re also the perfect piece of equipment for home workouts. Here are some ideas on how battle ropes can be used to work your full body.