10 Best Home Workouts That Burn The Most Calories

As it turns out, you don’t always need a gym membership to be able to get that sweat in.

Sure, gyms are great. But if for some reason or the other you can’t go to one, there are still lots of amazing workouts you can do from the comfort of your home.

But as we all know, not all exercises are created the same. If your goal is weight loss, or to burn fat, there are certain types of exercises you want to be getting in on.

If you’ve ever wondered what exercises can help you burn the most calories, then you’re in the right place.

Here, we’ll explain the best types of exercises you can do to burn fat quickly, and from the comfort of your home too.

Most of these workouts can also be done with no equipment required, or with simple things you can probably find laying around.

Alright. Let’s get right into it.

Figuring Out The Best Exercise

Before we continue, it is important to note that if weight loss is your goal, following a proper and healthy diet is probably the best place to start.

But when it comes to burning calories during a workout, some exercises will no doubt do a better job than others.

Even at that, the answer to “what’s the best exercise to burn calories” is not that simple. And here’s why.

I can’t tell you for a fact, that you’ll burn, let’s say X calories for example, running for 30 minutes. This is because there are a couple of factors involved.

3 main factors that determine how many calories you can burn during workout include;

1) Weight

As a general rule of thumb, the more you weigh, the more calories you’re likely to burn during a workout. This is because more energy is needed to move a larger weight, than a smaller one.

People who weigh more, tend to burn more calories than people who weigh less than them, even if they’re both doing the exact same workout.

This isn’t necessarily a disadvantage if you’re lighter. It’s just something to keep in mind when trying to estimate the energy spent doing a certain thing.

One way people can use this to their advantage is artificially increasing their weight during a workout via the use of a weighted vest, or other weighted equipment.

2) Type And Intensity Of The Workout

Like I said earlier, not all exercises are created equal. Some are better at burning fat/calories than others. But the type of exercise being performed isn’t the only thing that matters. Intensity also plays an important role here.

Performing certain exercises at a faster pace raises your heart rate, which leads to a greater energy expenditure overall.

This is one of the reasons why HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is so good when it comes to burning calories. Because they involve multiple workouts at a fast pace with minimal rest between them.

Plus, working out at a higher intensity can leave you with a higher metabolism for hours even after you’re done with your sweat sesh.

3) Body Composition  

A person’s body composition can also affect how much they burn during an activity. It all boils down to muscles vs fat.

You may or may not have heard the statement that muscles are more metabolically active than fat. What this means is that muscle requires more energy to sustain itself than fat does.

So having more muscle raises your metabolic rate, and therefore the amount of energy/calories you burn.

It’s also the reason why a lot of experts recommend strength training as part of any good exercise routine.

The growth and repair of muscles as you exercise all require energy. This can contribute to long term energy expenditure, which is good news if you’re trying to burn fat.

10 Best Home Workouts To Burn Calories

So now that we understand these basic factors involved, let’s take a look at some of the best workouts that has been shown to burn the most calories.

1) Running

If you’ve got a treadmill at home, then you’re in luck. Aerobic exercises like running are pretty effective when it comes to burning calories.

According to Calories Burned HQ, someone weighing 160 pounds can burn as much as 373 calories in just 30 minutes, running at a 10-minute mile pace. That’s nearly 750 calories per hour.

You can kick things up a notch by raising the incline or increasing the speed if you like. If you don’t have a treadmill, you can always go for a good jog around the neighborhood.

As with all other workouts, proper stretching before and after is very helpful in preventing injuries. 

2) Mountain Climbers

Mountain climbers (A.K.A running planks) are an amazing full body workout you can do from the comfort of your home. And with no equipment required.  

In terms of energy expenditure, a 160-pound person can expect to burn about 600 calories per hour. Although this can vary depending on the intensity.

To do the mountain climber;

a) Assume a plank position, making sure your hands are about shoulder width apart and parallel to each other.

b) With your palms on the floor, raise your body till your arms form a straight line to the ground, and with your shoulders being in line with your wrist.

c) Bring one leg in towards your torso as far as you can, and repeat the same for the other leg, while alternating between them

d) Repeat process (C) as fast as possible as you switch between legs.

Here’s a video representation to show you how it works.

3) Burpees

Burpees are another amazing full body workout that are sure to leave you out of breath afterwards. And that’s a good thing.

While estimates may vary, a 160 pound person could expect to torch somewhere around 600 calories per hour doing them. Again, frequency and intensity come into play here as well.

To do a burpee;

a) Start by assuming a straight standing position

b) Crouch downwards, into a squat. And with your hands on the floor, move your legs backwards till you’re in a plank position

c) Perform a push-up (optional)

d) Bring your legs inwards, and assume the crouch position again, and then stand up.

Here’s a video representation to show you how it works. 

4) Jump Rope

Working out doesn’t always have to be boring. Jumping rope is an amazing full-body cardio workout that also turns out to be fun as well.

Plus it can be done from the comfort of your living room. All you need to do it, is a good pair of shoes, and a simple rope, which can be gotten pretty easily too.

Depending on your speed and intensity, jump rope can also help you burn a lot of calories.

While results from different calculators vary, someone who weighs about 150 lbs can expect to burn somewhere between 550 – 630 calories per hour at a moderate intensity.

5) Aerobic Dancing

Speaking of fun ways to get that sweat in, aerobic dancing is another incredible home workout idea to try out. After all, who doesn’t like dancing?

The amount of calories you could burn from aerobic dancing can vary greatly, depending on the type of dance, and the intensity. Some can have you burning as much as 550 calories per hour.

When choosing your type of dance or activity, it’s important to choose something you’re comfortable with, and actually enjoy doing. That way, you won’t even notice the time fly by.

6) Stair Running/Sprints

Stairs aren’t just meant for when you miss the elevator. It turns out they can also be pretty useful when it comes to working out. And if you’re looking to torch some extra calories, then stair workouts are definitely worth the shot.

Someone weighing about 150 pounds can expect to torch somewhere around 630 calories per hour, running at a medium to fast pace. More if you could go faster.

Unlike a flat terrain, it’s easier to lose your footing on a flight of stairs and fall, which can result in an injury. So try not to overdo it if you’re just starting out.

Nonetheless, stair running/sprinting can serve as an effective calorie burning exercise for you.

7) Kickboxing

Now this isn’t exactly your regular “workout” workout in the traditional sense. But it’s still a great calorie-burning activity you can do from home.

It’s a great full body workout that can help tone your body, and also blow off some extra steam every now and then, which is much needed.

According to the American Council On Exercise (ACE) a good kickboxing workout can see something between a 500 -800 calorie burn per hour in a good session.

For those working out from the comfort of their homes, there are tons of useful kickboxing workout videos on YouTube to get you started.

8) Jumping Jacks

Jumping jacks are another amazing aerobic workout, which pretty much everyone is familiar with at this point. It’s certainly no surprise that they’d rank among the list of good calorie burners. Plus you don’t need any equipment to do them.

In terms of number of calories torched, someone weighing 150 pounds can expect to burn somewhere around 570 calories in one hour at moderate to high intensity.

They’re an amazing full body workout, since they require you to move pretty much every part of your body at the same time. To do a jumping jack;

a) Assume a proper standing position.

b) Jump, and raise your hands above your head, while landing with your feet apart

c) Jump again, bringing your arms back down, and assuming the straight standing position again. Repeat as fast as possible.

Here’s a video representation

9) High Knee Running

Regular running, either outside, or on a treadmill has shown to be a pretty effective way to burn calories. It’s certainly no wonder that doing the same on the spot would yield somewhat similar results.

High knee running puts an interesting spin on your regular outdoor/treadmill running, since it can easily be done indoors, and without any special equipment required.

Unlike regular running that deal with distance and/or incline, the point of high knee running is to run as fast as you can on the spot, while lifting your legs as high as possible and moving your arms as you run.

It’s really as simple as that. Here’s a video representation to show you how it’s done.

10) Jump Squats

Jump squats are another amazing calorie-burning workout you can do from the comfort of your home. They’re basically your average squats, taken to a whole different level.

According to Healthline, a 140 pound person can expect to burn around 133 calories doing regular squats at a high intensity in 15 minutes. This equates to about 532 calories per hour.

Add the fact that you’ll also be jumping, and that number goes up a bit higher. To do a jump squat;

1) Assume a normal standing position, with your feet apart, giving about a shoulder’s width distance between them.

2) With your hands together in front of you, perform a regular squat, and then proceed to jump from there

3) As you land back on the ground, assume the squat position, and repeat.

Here’s a video representation.

Summing It All Up

Gyms are awesome. But if for some reason you prefer working out at home, there are still lots of amazing workouts that’ll help you burn fat.

These 10 incredible home workouts are great for burning calories, and most require little to no equipment to get started.

Try mixing out different workouts, or integrating them into something like a HIIT routine get the most out of each one.  

And as with all workouts, remember to warm up properly beforehand, and also not to overdo things, as pushing yourself way too much could lead to injuries.  

Cheers, and good luck.