The amount of stored energy you burn is heavily dependent on various factors including the type, frequency and intensity of workouts you do. Before we go to the various types of exercises, let us first examine the different factors that influence weight loss through exercise.

1. The amount of calories expended on one exercise depends on the length of the activity.

2. More energy is spent on faster activities and high intensity exercises.

3. The number of calories lost through exercise depends on how heavy an individual is, the heavier a person, the more calories are used up. It also depends on how much muscle mass an individual has.

4. The amount of energy used in an activity depends on one’s fitness level.

Having said that, it is important to know which types of exercises are best in losing weight and how much net calorie loss they really yield. Please look at our examples below. Note that energy expenditure computations are based on 30-minute workout duration of a 170 lbs individual.

Gym activities

This individual can spend 190 cal on low impact aerobics and an additional of 80 at high impact aerobics. Stationary vigorous bicycling can burn around 150 cal, moderate intensity calisthenics at 135 cal and 309 cal for high intensity calisthenics. For stationary rowing at moderate intensity, 270 calories could be spent and 328 at vigorous intensity. And for light weight lifting, around 115 calories are burned while 231 calories are spent on heavy weight lifting.

Common sports

30 minutes of bowling can spend 115 cal and so does playing Frisbee. 170 cal are spent on ballroom dancing, 230 cal for fencing, skiing, boxing using the punching bag, 250 cal for race walking, 270 cal for racquetball, scuba diving, soccer, tennis, and swimming, 300 cal for rock climbing or rappelling, 386 cal for most types of martial arts and working out using the jump rope, 460 cal for handball, playing basketball and moderate bicycling can expend 309 calories, 460 cal for very fast bicycling and playing squash, and running can consume anywhere from 340 cal to 600 cal.