What do you think the most effective exercise is?

fteale
fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
edited September 27 in Fitness and Exercise
I was always told running and swimming were the most effective forms of exercise for burning calories, as they both use almost every muscle in the body.

I find running far more tiring than rowing, but I am prepared to believe it burns less.

So what do you find the most effective form of exercise to be?
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Replies

  • Mayor_West
    Mayor_West Posts: 246 Member
    Without question, squats. It's not called the King Of All Exercises for nothing. They work every muscle in your legs, as well as your abs, lower back and posterior chain- in fact it hits over 200 muscles in the body at once. This causes a greater increase in overall muscle development, which will in turn boost your metabolism and burn more fat.
  • Barelmy
    Barelmy Posts: 590 Member
    The one you can keep doing and not give up on.:)

    I like krav maga, personally.
  • heathersmilez
    heathersmilez Posts: 2,579 Member
    If I were to pick just one it would be swimming b/c not only does it use more of your muscles (your upper body isn't being worked very much during running) it is NO resistance while running is the WORST or hardest on your body.

    I am seriously looking into buying that portable swim system to put into my in-laws pool soon to really have fun https://www.aquaveeonline.com/store/index.php?cPath=1 . I swam 7 days a week my last semester in University and loved it but since gradating (6 yrs ago) community pools ALL suck b/c everyone is sllllllllooooowwwwwwwwww! Even is designated fast lanes it's slow and lame and full of usually older people. 50 is not old age people, stop floating!!!! Ugh!
  • AdGalicia
    AdGalicia Posts: 84 Member
    I definately think anything cardio is the way to go, for example spinning or step aerobics
  • heathersmilez
    heathersmilez Posts: 2,579 Member
    Without question, squats. It's not called the King Of All Exercises for nothing. They work every muscle in your legs, as well as your abs, lower back and posterior chain- in fact it hits over 200 muscles in the body at once. This causes a greater increase in overall muscle development, which will in turn boost your metabolism and burn more fat.

    Doing 30+ minutes of squats however would be boring as heck though and therefore most people would lose interest.

    Good to know though, I didn't so thanks for the info.

    If I start doing squats while waiting for the train in the morning for 10+ minutes will I look like a total freak? HA!
  • gatorflyer
    gatorflyer Posts: 536 Member
    I think that's personal choice, but I would say its something you enjoy doing most (or hate least LOL) and can commit to doing regularly. That being said, you should probably do more than one thing to not get bored. For me, I find that swimming works every muscle and makes me feel like I got a good workout, however I also use an elliptical, a stationary bike, a rowing machine, and walking.
  • MELOZZA
    MELOZZA Posts: 4 Member
    Running is by far the best calorie burner per hour, it also tones the whole body. steady running is best for burning fat if you go to fast you just use up the glycogen in the muscles so aim for time not speed.swimming is good if you have an injury but time wise it will take a lot longer to burn the same calories as running, as you use smaller muscle groups. so put on your trainers open the front door and go for a run??
  • jen0105
    jen0105 Posts: 5
    I actually prefer running, especially outside! There is nothing like running with the wind hitting your face and surround by nature. But its not for everyone. Do what you find is fun and not so much an exercise. Something that you look forward to doing not dreading.
  • End6ame
    End6ame Posts: 903
    Heavy squats... absolutely no question about it. You work every muscle in your body (if you hit parallel or below.)
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    Running is by far the best calorie burner per hour, it also tones the whole body. steady running is best for burning fat if you go to fast you just use up the glycogen in the muscles so aim for time not speed.swimming is good if you have an injury but time wise it will take a lot longer to burn the same calories as running, as you use smaller muscle groups. so put on your trainers open the front door and go for a run??

    Running is my exercise of choice at the moment, I hate hate hate hate swimming, so that's not going to happen. I burn about 800 cals an hour running.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    Heavy squats... absolutely no question about it. You work every muscle in your body (if you hit parallel or below.)

    I do a lot of squats in my circuits classes, but I have to ask, how do they exercise your arms? Or do you mean squats with weights? We do them straight, without weights. I don't find them that effective.
  • hroush
    hroush Posts: 2,073 Member
    Without question, squats. It's not called the King Of All Exercises for nothing. They work every muscle in your legs, as well as your abs, lower back and posterior chain- in fact it hits over 200 muscles in the body at once. This causes a greater increase in overall muscle development, which will in turn boost your metabolism and burn more fat.

    Doing 30+ minutes of squats however would be boring as heck though and therefore most people would lose interest.

    Good to know though, I didn't so thanks for the info.

    If I start doing squats while waiting for the train in the morning for 10+ minutes will I look like a total freak? HA!

    But the great thing about squats is that you don't need (or want) to do 30+ minutes of squats. 5 sets of 5 plus two warm up sets 3 times a week is all you need. One work out can be done in about 7-8 minutes, depending on how long your rest is between each set.
  • hroush
    hroush Posts: 2,073 Member
    Heavy squats... absolutely no question about it. You work every muscle in your body (if you hit parallel or below.)

    I do a lot of squats in my circuits classes, but I have to ask, how do they exercise your arms? Or do you mean squats with weights? We do them straight, without weights. I don't find them that effective.

    We are talking about with weight. Add weight, you'll find them very effective.
  • End6ame
    End6ame Posts: 903
    Without question, squats. It's not called the King Of All Exercises for nothing. They work every muscle in your legs, as well as your abs, lower back and posterior chain- in fact it hits over 200 muscles in the body at once. This causes a greater increase in overall muscle development, which will in turn boost your metabolism and burn more fat.

    Doing 30+ minutes of squats however would be boring as heck though and therefore most people would lose interest.

    Good to know though, I didn't so thanks for the info.

    If I start doing squats while waiting for the train in the morning for 10+ minutes will I look like a total freak? HA!

    5 sets of 5 reps of heavy squats will take you every bit of 15 minutes (incl. rest between sets.) and you will be doing more work (physics definition) than 30 minutes of running/swimming etc...
  • jesser80
    jesser80 Posts: 4
    The calories burnt will be determined by the effort you expend at each.
    Running works the best for me but I can concede that perhaps with more practice at swimming, I'd do just as well there once I didn't have to take a short rest every few laps.

    Here's a great article from LiveStrong about this topic: http://www.livestrong.com/article/421905-which-exercise-burns-the-most-calories-running-swimming-or-walking/
  • Mayor_West
    Mayor_West Posts: 246 Member
    Heavy squats... absolutely no question about it. You work every muscle in your body (if you hit parallel or below.)

    I do a lot of squats in my circuits classes, but I have to ask, how do they exercise your arms? Or do you mean squats with weights? We do them straight, without weights. I don't find them that effective.

    Squats don't "work" your arms, per se. But one effect of them is that they promote the secretion of more growth hormone, which results in an increase in overall muscular development. So, even if you spend little to no time doing arm exercises, the increased growth hormone will affect their overall size, although this effect will not be as great if you are doing arm exercises.

    I don't like bodyweight squats because there simply isn't enough resistance to promote growth. They're more of a aerobic or muscular endurance exercise as opposed to a pure strength training one.
  • poptastic
    poptastic Posts: 151 Member
    I agree with the squats camp, if you do them with (heavy) weights you will really feel it.

    I also like high intensity interval training, because I get bored being in the gym for too long. A quick weights workout followed by HIIT and I'm ready collapse - and can do that in my lunchbreak :-)
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    No one has yet expanded on rowing. It is cardio and heavy weight at the same time, and exercises your upper and lower body, and abs.
  • End6ame
    End6ame Posts: 903
    Heavy squats... absolutely no question about it. You work every muscle in your body (if you hit parallel or below.)

    I do a lot of squats in my circuits classes, but I have to ask, how do they exercise your arms? Or do you mean squats with weights? We do them straight, without weights. I don't find them that effective.

    Put the bar low, below the bone at the top of your shoulder-blades and on your back muscles – NOT on your spine. Your arms stabilize the bar (biceps, triceps, forearms) and contract isometricly, but do not take all of the weight. Your pecs are extended. Your upper back supports the weight, your lower back stabilizes your torso from the rear and your abs stabilize your torso from the front. Your quads do the heavy lifting over the top 75% of the lift, in the lower portion (parallel and below) your hams and gluts take over. Your calves contract isometricly through the entire lift and your adductors/abductors keep your knees in position during the lift.
  • snowflakelaia
    snowflakelaia Posts: 214
    Running, planks and squats for me.

    Although I do LOVE stretches!!! they make me feel extremely good, as a great finish to my workout, doing something without too much effort at which I am quite good.

    ^_^
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
    The most effective exercise is the one which is specific to your goal and achieves that goal with maximum efficiency.

    Followed by deadlifts.

    If you want a visual idea of how to perform back squats check out this vid:

    http://www.nsca-lift.org/videos/backSquat/defaultsquat.shtml

    Personally I do front squats as the mechanics suit my body better.
  • Cynthiafaron
    Cynthiafaron Posts: 114 Member
    squats - crunches and walking or running .
  • End6ame
    End6ame Posts: 903
    Personally I do front squats as the mechanics suit my body better.

    I do fronts now and then. I am now because I tweaked my shoulder a bit and back squats aggravate it. It is a good alternative, but has less muscle involvement than back squats.
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
    It is a good alternative, but has less muscle involvement than back squats.

    Yeah, true. My forms always been a bit wonky on back squats - just can't seem to master it for some reason (alternatively I maybe overly picky but as you know good form is critical.)

    Between front squats and goblet squats I have managed to do well though.
  • katyrose221
    katyrose221 Posts: 69 Member
    I do squats with a couple of hand weights (2lb or 3lb) and when I squat down, I push my arms up (weights in hand, palms out). When I stand back up in the rep, my arms come down but stay engaged (hands never go lower than ears, elbows bent). That way I work the entire body.

    It sounds like for you running is the way to go. However, like the one guy said, if you want to really lose fat weight you need to maintain a moderate heart rate, if it goes too high, you stop burning fat (weird, but true). At the higher levels you are working to increase your heart strength and metabolism, so it isn't all bad.

    Good luck! (I don't know anything about rowing, sounds like it might be a good alternative for you, though).
  • SouthPark11
    SouthPark11 Posts: 8 Member
    Running is a good exercise, but if you do it wrong, you're almost doomed to injure yourself.
    Rowing is great for the upper body, though it doesn't burn as much as running (100 cal less per hour)
    Here on my little book, it says the biggest caloric burner is cycling and squash (at 1000 kcal per hour!!! -for an overweight person)

    Though, if I may add, I wouldn't choose an exercise based on how many calories it burns, but on how much I enjoy it. Because, if you enjoy it you're more likely to stick to it.

    Also if you'd like to add more challenge to your workout why not try aerobics? It might burn less, but it accelerates your breathing rate more which means you boost your metabolism, plus you'll work everything out, not only your legs.
  • End6ame
    End6ame Posts: 903
    Running is a good exercise, but if you do it wrong, you're almost doomed to injure yourself.
    Rowing is great for the upper body, though it doesn't burn as much as running (100 cal less per hour)
    Here on my little book, it says the biggest caloric burner is cycling and squash (at 1000 kcal per hour!!! -for an overweight person)

    Though, if I may add, I wouldn't choose an exercise based on how many calories it burns, but on how much I enjoy it. Because, if you enjoy it you're more likely to stick to it.

    Also if you'd like to add more challenge to your workout why not try aerobics? It might burn less, but it accelerates your breathing rate more which means you boost your metabolism, plus you'll work everything out, not only your legs.

    This is bad advice. Do not chose an exercise based upon your likes/dislikes, choose it based upon its effectiveness. A great example is from Usain Bolt, the fastest man on earth and 3x gold medalist. He admittedly hates squats, but he does them because they are effective. If you are avoiding an exercise because you don’t like it, it is usually because you suck at it. Stick it out and get better at it.
  • jdavis193
    jdavis193 Posts: 972 Member
    No one has yet expanded on rowing. It is cardio and heavy weight at the same time, and exercises your upper and lower body, and abs.

    I like rowing!!! It does give you a good workout... I have a foot that's injured so I am doing running since I can't run. I also do the arm cycle bike....
  • whiskyzee
    whiskyzee Posts: 102 Member
    trail running for me--it actually takes concentration, so I can't zone out or get bored (unless I want to fall off the trail)

    also, I'm extrememly compretetive, so I found that after I joined some community rec. leagues, I ran harder, faster, and longer (in my solo workouts, as well as during soccer and kickball games). I need that extra motivation because there's no way in heck I would have believed I was capable of sustained sprinting before indoor soccer!
  • End6ame
    End6ame Posts: 903
    No one has yet expanded on rowing. It is cardio and heavy weight at the same time, and exercises your upper and lower body, and abs.

    Rowing is awesome! But is I had to choose between rowing and running, I would pick running because it translates better into real life. I am in more circumstances where running is appropriate vs. rowing, so I would rather be better at running.
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