What exercise will burn the most calories if executed non-stop for 10 minutes?

IF YOU’RE all about counting calories and focusing on an energy expenditure workout that burns as many kilojoules as possible, which exercise is best?

IF YOU’RE all about counting calories and focusing on a high energy expenditure workout that burns as many kilojoules as possible, the exercise options are endless.

Burpees to boxing, cycling versus crunches — if you’re giving yourself just 10 minutes, what is likely to burn the most calories when executed with high intensity?

Fitness First Manager Michael Cunico, who has been in the fitness industry for more than 15 years, says there are many variables to be put in place, but five exercises stood out for high energy expenditure.

1. Running:

“If someone wants to burn as much energy as possible, running at a pace that they can maintain is the best bet,” Mr Cunico told news.com.au

According to Bupa’s Energy Burned tool, if you’re a 60kg woman, and you set to a pace of 12km/h, you could burn around 115 calories/481kj in just 10 minutes. That’s about one and half slices of white bread.

“Although it’s an exercise that can be done anywhere, running can be hard for people as it can provide joint issues, therefore cycling would be the next best thing,” he said.

Running can burn around 115 calories every 10 minutes if done at a 12km/h pace. Picture: iStock.

2. Cycling

If you spin for 10 minutes at a high intensity class, you’re looking at 75 calories/314kj, or one large egg.

“This is great for people who don’t want to be putting pressure on joints, or for those who have more weight to lose and want to avoid pressure on their knees,” Mr Cunico said.

“As you get better at something, you will have to work harder at that movement to get similar results than when you first started. This happens a lot with people who start cycle or RPM classes — they find it really hard at first, then they get more efficient as the body adapts and gets used to it.

“When that happens, they may need to work at a much higher intensity,” he added.

Get spinning, you could burn an entire egg every 10 minutes. Picture: iStock.

3. High Intensity Interval Training

“What’s great about this form of training is that it’s engaging,” he said.

“If I am working through a variety of movements, it keeps me interested and engaged, and I have an instructor who is motivating.

“If it’s more likely to get you back, it’s better than say skipping, which some would consider quite boring, but that doesn’t mean it’s not an effective exercise!”

A class that combines various exercises is engaging, and more likely to get people back in the future. Picture: iStock.

4. Skipping

“You should try and incorporate something like skipping with boxing and other variables to keep you interested,” Mr Cunico said.

Jumping on the spot will actually burn around 123 calories in just 10 minutes, but good luck sustaining that movement for a long period of time!

“Skipping on the spot can be a little boring,” Mr Cunico added.

“Effectively, the longer you work at a higher intensity the more you burn, but doing something like skipping for 10 minutes straight, or 30 minutes straight, most people won’t be able to do that.”

Similar to burpees, your triceps will start to give way, and the ability to do that for 30 minutes is difficult, and quite boring.

“I would argue your arms would prevent you from doing a burpee with good technique for the average person for a long period of time,” Mr Cunico said.

“But incorporating that with boxing, and other variables it will have an impact.”

Skipping burns big calories, but it’s hard to sustain for 30 minutes.

5. Martial arts and boxing:

“The most effective thing about martial arts and boxing is that you generally combine the use of your upper and lower body,” he said.

“You are sending blood to opposite ends of the body, so that puts a fair bit of stress on you.

For 10 minutes of work, you are burning around 55 calories, or 230kj.

“One thing that people do wrong is think that more is better. The answer is; better is better,” Mr Cunico said.

“If you’re in a situation where intensity is high, it can be hard to maintain good body position. After a short while, people who are training might go heavier with their weights, but if they try to execute it better instead, they will be more likely to hit the target muscles.”

Shake up your routine with a session of mixed martial arts or boxing. Picture: iStock.

MORE: HOW TO USE THE CALORIE BURN CALCULATOR

But there is more to a workout than simply burning calories.

“If people are training for fat loss, doing something over and over isn’t the best way. You have to change your variables,” he said.

“There is a mentality is that if the body is sore, the training is working, and if it’s not in pain, it’s not working.

“You can make progress, and if you’re not sore it means your starting to adapt which is what you want.

“When you can’t go forward with one type of training, that’s when the body says they have stalled on its progress, and the body should look at a different stimulus.”