20 Cardio Workouts That'll Blast Fat and Build Endurance

For plenty of people, running is an exercise in monotony, even if it can burn serious calories. “In general, you burn more calories by doing high-intensity weight training than you do running,” says Harold Gibbons, a trainer at Mark Fisher Fitness in New York City, and the New York State Director of the National Strength and Conditioning Association.Not everyone realizes, this, though, which is why so many people assume that miles upon miles of running is the only effective way to fry fat. Which suggests that a fast-paced circuit workout burns as many calories as running at a 6-minute per mile pace.The bottom line: There are far more options in the cardio universe than mere running. You'll burn a ton of calories with the short bursts of speed, balance, and coordination it takes to finish a full agility ladder circuit—especially if you run through the drills continuously with limited rest.But your brain might get the best benefit from this type of cardio exercise. A 185-pound guy can burn 377 calories during 30 minutes of vigorous rowing, or about 12.5 calorie per minute, reports a Harvard University study.And because you need to utilize the muscles in your arms, legs, and back for efficient strokes, it's a great total-body trainer.Want to row like an Olympian and burn even more calories on the rower? Performing just 10 reps at a fast pace can rev your metabolism as much as a 30-second, all-out bike sprint, according to a study presented at the American College of Sports Medicine annual meeting, and that makes the burpee a killer cardio exercise.It sounds downright crazy, but Gym Jones manager Rob MacDonald proved that it's possible to blast 87 calories in one minute on this stationary bike that increases its resistance as you pedal harder. Bring the high-level stationary workout home with this bike from Schwinn.Moderate-intensity rope jumping—about 100 to 120 skips per minute—burns about 13 calories a minute, according to the Compendium of Physical Activities.This cardio exercise uses more muscle groups than jogging, and challenges your balance and coordination—especially if you practice drills that require extra hand and foot skills.Get your own high-quality skipper so you're not stuck with a toy made for kids.This CrossFit Workout of the Day (WOD) burns an average 13 calories per minute, according to scientists at Kennesaw State University.It’s effective because it pairs three exercises—5 pullups, 10 pushups, and 15 air squats—that work different major muscle groups, and you do as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes.So if you’re in amazing condition, you can go all-out for each one, without slowing down or stopping to recover in between.If you’re somewhat less than amazing (read: like most people), you simply rest when needed. You won't move as fast as you might if you were running, but you'll still burn plenty of calories. Zipping along on skis delivers a better cardio workout compared to running at about the same pace, thanks to the fact that the sport requires you to push with your lower-body and pull with your upper.In fact, a good cross-country ski session can burn more than 12 calories a minute, according to the Compendium of Physical Activities.That explains why Nordic Skiers consistently collapse in exhaustion at the finish line of Olympic races. In an Auburn University at Montgomery study, participants who did eight rounds of all-out jump squats—20 seconds of hard work, separated by 10 seconds of rest—burned 13.4 calories per minute and doubled their post-exercise metabolic rate for at least 30 minutes.To try it yourself, check out The Unbelievable 4-Minute Cardio Workout.In a recent College of New Jersey study comparing various workout styles, battle-rope exercises came in first in terms of total oxygen consumption and an average calorie burn of 10.3 calories per minute.Take the battle to your garage with this set of ropes from Onnit.Flowing is a relatively new brand of fitness that has you chaining together a sequence of exercises, doing one move, then seamlessly shifting to the next and then the next after that.