We all want that one magic supplement or that all-conquering exercise that will deliver immediate fat-loss and weight-loss benefits, but the reality is that there are no shortcuts to success.

What we do have at our disposal is a handful of exercises that deliver better results than others. This means that if they’re not part of your fat-loss repertoire, then you’re missing out on the potential to boost the effectiveness of your training.

To help you get the most from your time in the gym, here are 3 essential exercises for optimal fat and weight loss.

#1. The squat

When it comes to weight-based exercise there is one movement that stands head and shoulders above all the others for its ability to burn calories, build shapely muscle, improve strength, and enhance mobility, and that’s the squat.

Why is works: Often referred to as ‘the king of exercises’, the movement is fundamental and essential to everything we do in life. If you sit down in a chair and get up again, you’ve performed a squat.

In a nutshell, the squat includes the basic ability to raise and lower your centre of mass. Couple that with its ability to boost strength and flexibility and you have an incredibly functional and intense movement.

The benefits of squatting include:

  • It helps increase bone density,
  • It strengthens core muscles,
  • It allows you to move large loads quickly which has a massive metabolic effect,
  • It prompts a strong neuroendocrine response that releases powerful hormones essential to muscle growth, enhanced strength and accelerated fat loss. This is where squatting delivers its greatest fat-burning effect.

Variations

  • Back squat
  • Jump squat
  • Front squat
  • Overhead squat
  • Sumo or plié squat
  • Goblet squat
  • Hack squat
  • Dumbbell squat
  • Single leg/pistol squat

#2. The kettlebell swing

Traditional gym-based weight training often aims to isolate specific muscles to help shape them and add definition. Kettlebells, on the other hand, work all muscles together, and no exercise does so as effectively as the kettlebell swing.

Why it works: The kettlebell swing is a highly effective exercise for anyone who wants to achieve functional strength and fitness as the movement teaches you to generate power from the core outward, generating force from the hips, legs, back and core stabilisers. It also works to improve mobility, and delivers a full-body workout.

More importantly though, it has the potential to significantly boost calorie expenditure.

Research conducted by scientists at the University of Wisconsin, and funded by the American Council on Exercise (ACE), found that the kettlebell’s ability to burn calories is “off the charts”. After only a 20-minute kettlebell workout research subjects burned an average of 272 calories. Researchers stated this was “equivalent to running a 6-minute mile (1.6km) pace”.

And, in another ACE study, researchers determined that participants were burning at least 20.2 calories per minute, which works out to a staggering 1,200 calories per hour. This makes it one of the most effective exercises, minute for minute, when it comes to burning calories. This response was attributed to the fact that kettlebell training incorporates multiple muscle groups in every exercise.

Variations

  • American-style kettlebell overhead swing
  • Traditional Russian (one-handed) swing

#3. Running

The last exercise that we’re confident in suggesting will deliver the fat-loss results you’re after is running, in all its various forms. That’s because it is the one movement the human body was specifically designed to do.

Why it works: Today, running is the biggest mass participation sport in the world, largely due to the low barriers to entry and the fact that almost everybody can do it.  It is the most effective way to improve general fitness, including your heart and lung function. It reduces stress, improves your mood, and can make you more efficient at almost everything you do.

 It is also one of the most efficient and effective forms of cardiovascular exercise there is in terms of calories burnt per hour.

Running at an average pace of just under 5min/km can burn up to 900 calories in one hour, depending on your weight, the type of route you are running and other environmental factors. When it is performed at the right intensity, for the right duration, and in ideal conditions, it also has the power to incinerate body fat.

Variations

  • The treadmill: Treadmills allow you to walk or run, with the ability to control your speed and incline to vary the intensity. As all aspects of the workout can be controlled by the user which means you can be precise with your pacing and the intensity and duration of your sessions.
  • The road: The conditions you experience out on the road are hard to replicate in a controlled environment. The topography of the surrounding area means there may be regular changes in elevation, while environmental conditions such as heat, humidity and wind also increase workload, or impact performance. It is the most suitable place to train due to the varied challenges you will face.
  • The track: The track serves up the same environmental challenges as training out on the road, but the flat nature and exact distances that have been measured and marked allow athletes to perform more structured training sessions such as intervals, while mitigating the influence that hills have on a session.
  • The trail: Trail running is extremely popular and enjoyable, but it is also the most challenging form of running due to the terrain and technical nature of the routes. It engages more stabiliser muscles as runners routinely change direction or vary their cadence and foot strike pattern to accommodate rocks or other obstacles. The steepness of the climbs and descents also take more of a toll on core stabilisers, quads and glutes, so it is best to progress to trail running once you are a stronger runner and proficient in your technique.