The 10 Best Exercises for Overall Results

January 23, 2025

If you’re looking to optimize your workouts for calorie burn, fat loss, and overall effectiveness, it’s essential to focus on exercises that deliver measurable results. After testing 50 exercises with state-of-the-art calorie-tracking technology these are the top 10 exercises that stood out based on calorie burn, intensity, and sustainability. 

Sprints

As our friends at The Art of Action here take notice, most adults do not sprint, so adding sprints to your workout can help you reach your goals quickly.

• Why they work: Sprints are a high-intensity exercise that can burn up to 15 calories per minute. They push your cardiovascular system to the max, making them a top contender for fat loss.
• Pro Tip: Include 30- 60 seconds sprint intervals in your workout for maximum calorie burn. 

Burpees

• Why they Work: Combining cardio and strength, burpees torch around 12.5 calories per minute. They are an excellent full-body workout. 
• Pro Tip: Perform burpees in sets of 10 with short breaks to maintain intensity. 
• Watch this video.. How to do a Burpee the Right Way

Mountain Climbers

• Why they work: Another high-intensity move, mountain climbers are great for core and cardio. They can burn around 10-12 calories per minute. 
• Pro Tip: Focus on form to engage your core fully and avoid injury. 

Incline walking

• Why They Work: Walking on an incline burns up to 30% more calories than flat walking. It’s sustainable and easy on the joints. 
• Pro Tip: Avoid holding onto the treadmill rails to maximize calorie burn. 
• To learn more our friends at Healthline identify the benefits of incline walking here

Boxing

• Why They Work: Boxing burns a significant number of calories (10-13 per minute) while improving coordination, endurance, and strength. 
• Pro Tip: Incorporate a mix of heavy bag work and shadow boxing for variety. 
• Don’t want to box by yourself at the gym? Check out Title Boxing and find a club in your area or want to check it out at home? They even offer a Free 7 Day Trial on demand at home

Medicine Ball Slams

• Why They Work: This Dynamic exercise engages your core, arms, and legs burning around 10-12 calories per minute
• Pro Tip: Use a ball heavy enough to challenge you without compromising form. 
• Check out this video on the best way to do a medicine ball slam

Basketball

• Why they Work: Playing basketball combines cardio and agility training, burning approximately 9-11 calories per minute.
• Pro Tip: Include quick sprints and jumps to increase intensity during games. 

Power Walking

• Why They Work: Keeping one foot on the ground at all times allows for a moderate intensity that burns calories steadily without excessive fatigue. 
• Pro Tip: Aim for a brisk pace (3.5-4 mph) and Swing your arms to engage more muscles. 

Strength training with Compound Movements 

• Why they Work: While it burns fewer calories during the session, strength training builds muscle, which increases your resting metabolic rate over time. 
• Pro Tip: Focus on squats, deadlifts, and bench presses for maximum efficiency. 
• Not sure of the compound movements of strength training? Check this out video on the movements and proper form.

Longboarding 

• Why they work: Surprisingly effective, longboarding burns 11 calories per minute while being enjoyable and low-impact
• Pro Tip: Incorporate hull rides for added intensity and calorie burn 
• So what is longboarding? 

Honorable Mentions

Assault Bike: A calorie-burning machine for those who can handle it. 

Stairmaster: Great for lower body strength and endurance. 

High-intensity exercises like sprints, burpees, and mountain climbers are calorie-torching champs, but sustainability and enjoyment are key. Low-intensity exercises like incline walking and basketball provide a significant calorie burner and are crucial for maintaining muscle mass during fat loss. 

Finding exercises you enjoy and can stick with is the ultimate strategy for long-term results. Combine high-intensity and low-intensity workouts, and don’t forget to stay active throughout the day with simple activities like walking or household chores. 

Start incorporating these exercises into your routine today to achieve the best results! And visit DEXASCAN.COM to Establish your Baseline to Better Health with a body composition scan to start and track your improvement.

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