10 Exercises that Burn More Calories than Running

7. “Cindy”

This CrossFit Workout of the Day (WOD) burns an average 13 calories per minute, according to scientists at Kennesaw State University. It’s effective because it pairs three exercises—5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, and 15 air squats—that work different major muscle groups, and you do as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes.

Cindy

So if you’re in amazing condition, you can go all-out for each one, without slowing down or stopping to recover in between. If you’re somewhat less than amazing (read: like most people), you simply rest when needed. For example, you don’t move on to the push-up until you’ve completed 5 reps of the pull-up, even if you have to stop and start. Any routine that takes you from standing, down to the ground, and back up to standing again is an amazing calorie burner, because it really spikes the heart rate.

8. Cross-Country Skiing

skiing

Zipping along on skis delivers a better heart-pounding workout compared to running at about the same pace, thanks to the fact that the sport requires you to push with your lower-body and pull with your upper.

In fact, a good cross-country ski session can burn more than 12 calories a minute, according to the Compendium of Physical Activities. That explains why Nordic Skiers consistently collapse in exhaustion at the finish line of Olympic races. No fresh snow? Look for the new Concept2 SkiErg machine at your gym.

4 of 5
Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse

Web Analytics
Scroll to Top