Aerobic exercise energy consumption ranking

First, let me give you the hard results that you are most concerned about - the following is the ranking of energy consumption per hour calculated based on the regular training status of a 60kg adult at moderate intensity (maximum heart rate 60%-70%), the unit is kilocalories:

1. Fast swimming (butterfly/freestyle full force swimming): 800-950

2. Cross-country running (including complex terrain with a slope of 10%-20%): 700-850

3. High-speed rope skipping (more than 140 times per minute): 650-800

4. High-intensity aerobics (including burpees, high leg raises, lunges and other combined movements): 600-750

5. Road racing (speed above 25km/h, no long gentle slopes): 550-700

6. Fast walking uphill (speed above 6.5km/h, with 10% gradient): 450-600

7. Regular jogging (pace 7-8 minutes/km, flat road): 400-550

8. Slow leisure breaststroke: 350-500

9. Low resistance elliptical machine (no intervals): 300-450

10. Daily activities at home (walking slowly, mopping the floor, cleaning up housework): 200-300

First of all, let me say that this is just a general reference value. The actual consumption can fluctuate to more than 30%, which is related to your weight, muscle mass, movement standard, and even the body temperature of the day. There is no absolute "fat burning king".

The fitness circle has actually been arguing about this ranking for many years. One group says that swimming is the undisputed ceiling, while the other group says that swimming is "the slowest aerobic method to lose weight." I have been teaching students for so long, and I have seen both situations. Last time, there was a 180-pound male student who used to be on the swimming team of a sports school. He swam butterfly for one hour continuously and his consumption measured by his watch reached 1,100 kilocalories. During the same period, a 90-pound girl padded slowly the whole time for fear of choking. She only had 210 kilocalories in one hour, which was lower than her consumption of an afternoon of shopping. Who do you think you can talk to?

Many people just start to lose weight and stick to the top three exercises. It is really unnecessary. There was a student who weighed 190 kilograms before. He read the rope skipping fat burning guide on the Internet and jumped 3,000 times a day. After half a month, he complained of knee pain and went to the hospital to check for effusion in the meniscus. Later, he switched to brisk walking on an incline. The speed was reduced to 5 kilometers per hour and the incline was adjusted to 12%. He could consume 550 kcal in one hour, which was not much less than skipping. It did not hurt his joints. He also lost 7 kilograms in one month. The effect was not bad at all.

To be honest, the current exercise physiology community does not regard "consumption ranking" as a golden rule. Some scholars think that excess oxygen consumption (EPOC, also known as the afterburn effect) should be included. For example, cross-country running and other aerobic activities that require core stability and constant adjustment of movements, within 12 hours after the end of exercise, basically Metabolism will be 5%-10% higher than usual. If this part is included, the actual total consumption is about 100 kcal higher than the estimated value. However, some scholars believe that the exercise intensity of ordinary enthusiasts is simply not enough to make a significant difference in the afterburn effect. If it is included, it is a gimmick. It is better to directly look at the real-time consumption. Both statements are supported by data, and ordinary people don’t need to worry about this.

I usually make plans for students, and I never forcefully recommend the top-ranked exercises. After all, no matter how high the consumption is, it’s useless if you can’t persist. Let’s just talk about butterfly swimming. If an ordinary person can swim continuously for 15 minutes, it is considered very good. If we really calculate the consumption according to one hour, very few people can reach the standard. On the contrary, although jogging ranks lower, most people can run it in 40 minutes a day, 5 times a week, and the total consumption is much higher than if you grit your teeth and swim butterfly once a week.

If you are too lazy to go to the gym after get off work, don’t despise the last at-home activity. I once had a student who was a mother who had no time to go out for exercise. She mopped the floor twice a day, put away toys for half an hour, and climbed the stairs to the 10th floor five times. In one day, she could consume more than 400 calories and lost 12 pounds in 3 months. Don’t underestimate these fragmentary activities.

To put it bluntly, this ranking is just for everyone's reference. If you have good joints, are young, and want to brush fat in a short time, you can try the high-intensity programs in the front. If you have a large base and have old joint injuries, it is no problem to choose the low-impact programs in the back. After all, the exercise that makes you willing to persist for a long time is truly your "number one fat burning".