The No-Nonsense Fat-Burning Exercises You Can't Skip, Trainer Says

When you're trying to burn fat, you should prioritize strength training over cardio. It may sound counter-intuitive, but strength training is better than aerobic exercise for fat loss because it burns more calories, helps you build muscle mass, and elevates your metabolism. However, with resistance training, selecting the right exercises is key. That's where we come in with these no-nonsense fat-burning exercises you shouldn't skip. But before we get into them, here's a bit more background.

What you don't want to do is a combination of fancy-looking moves that don't really get the job done. Getting into great shape means focusing on compound exercises that utilize various muscle groups at the same time. Your body has certain fundamental movement patterns: squat, hinge, push, pull, lunge, gait, and rotation. Your workouts should incorporate an exercise with at least one of these movements. They're the most bang for your buck and help you achieve the results you want.

If you don't know which exercises to choose from each movement pattern, don't worry, because I have you covered with the best fat-burning exercises you won't want to skip out on. Check out these no-nonsense exercises below, and next, be sure to read The 6 Best Exercises for Strong and Toned Arms in 2022, Trainer Says.

Dumbbell Goblet Squat

trainer doing goblet squat exercise — Tim Liu, C.S.C.S.

Start this exercise by holding one dumbbell in a vertical fashion in front of your chest. Keep your core tight, push your hips back, and squat down until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Drive through your heels and hips to stand back up, flexing your quads and glutes to finish. Perform 3 sets of 10 reps.

Deadlift (Kettlebell or Barbell)

Stand in front of the kettlebell (or barbell) with your feet outside shoulder-width. Push your hips back, and squat down low enough to grab the weight. Make sure your shoulders are in line with the handle and your torso is straight. Keep your core tight and shoulders down, and pick up the kettlebell by pushing through your heels and hips. Stand tall, and flex your glutes at the top. Reverse the motion to put the weight down before performing another rep. Complete 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps.

Dumbbell Push Press

Hold a pair of dumbbells at shoulder height. Keep your core tight, and dip into a quarter squat. Explode up, and use the momentum to press the weight up over your head. Lower under control back into the starting position before performing another rep. Do 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps.

Dumbbell Row

Position yourself parallel to a bench so that one hand and knee are firmly pressed into the bench. Grip a dumbbell with the opposite arm, and begin the motion by pulling the dumbbell towards your hip, squeezing your lats and upper back at the very end of the movement. Straighten your arm afterward, and get a nice stretch at the bottom before performing the next rep. Complete 3 sets of 10 reps on each arm.