There’s a wealth of different ways to work up a sweat. Some workouts burn maximum calories in a short space of time, others build strength and lean muscle, which helps you to sustainably burn calories for longer periods. Not all calories are burned equally, and different types of training will stimulate different hormonal and different physiological changes, even when the calorie burn is the same.
But still, calorie burn is something many exercisers like to keep track of.
With this in mind, kinesiologist and specialist in biomechanics and neurophysiology, Dr. Jinger Gottschall recently evaluated calorie burn totals from 477 different people across 12,000 LES MILLS™ workouts to find the typical calorie burn range for different LES MILLS programs. These numbers serve as a helpful guide, but it’s important to note that everyone is different. If you’re prepared to unleash your inner beast you never know how much you can burn – apparently Les Mills Program Director Glen Ostergaard has recorded up to 850 calories burned during BODYPUMP™!
BODYPUMP
During a BODYPUMP workout you'll raise your heart rate and increase calorie burn, but more importantly, you'll strengthen, shape and tone your entire body, and also improve bone density. While you can expect to burn an average of 400 calories during a 55-minute BODYPUMP workout, it’s the building of lean muscle mass that provides the long-term benefits. By building lean muscle mass you increase your body’s ability to effectively burn calories in the long term, as the extra muscle will raise your metabolism. Learn more about the long-term calorie-burning effects and all you need to know about BODYPUMP.
Find a BODYPUMP class near you or try BODYPUMP On Demand.
BODYCOMBAT
This mixed martial arts workout is a great way to build cardio fitness and burn calories while you shape and tone your entire body. People burn an average of 570 calories during a 55-minute BODYCOMBAT™ workout. BODYCOMBAT is also shown to provide phenomenal core training, with one BODYCOMBAT workout providing the equivalent of 1700 crunches. Find out all you need to know about BODYCOMBAT here.
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BODYBALANCE/BODYFLOW
BODYBALANCE™/BODYFLOW® will improve your flexibility and strength, while helping to reduce stress. During BODYBALANCE/BODYFLOW the focus is on improving functional core strength, enhancing joint mobility and creating a sense of wellbeing and calm. Calorie burn isn’t a goal here. Find out all you need to know about BODYBALANCE/BODYFLOW here.
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LES MILLS GRIT
When it comes to calorie burn, LES MILLS GRIT™ is king! This type of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is designed to rapidly improve your fitness and take calorie burn through the roof. During a 30-minute LES MILLS GRIT workout you can burn an average of 320 calories, and that's just the beginning of the benefits. This scientifically-designed program has been shown to create rapid changes in aerobic fitness and body composition in just six weeks. Find out all you need to know about LES MILLS GRIT here.
Find a LES MILLS GRIT workout near you or try LES MILLS GRIT On Demand.
LES MILLS CORE
LES MILLS CORE™ is designed to increase core strength, tone your abs, butt, and legs and improve your posture. While the calories burned during a 30-minute workout are relatively low, there are some long-term calorie burn benefits. LES MILLS CORE builds lean muscle mass in your core, so it increases your body's ability to burn calories during power, strength and high-intensity exercise. Research shows LES MILLS CORE can also help you run faster and more efficiently.
Find a LES MILLS CORE class near you or try LES MILLS CORE On Demand.
RPM
If you’re after a no-impact way to improve aerobic fitness and lose body fat, RPM™ is ideal. With just 45-minutes of cardio peak cycling, you can expect to burn an average of 500 calories. It will also trim your waistline and tone your legs. Find out all you need to know about RPM here.
Find a RPM class near you or try RPM On Demand.
LES MILLS SPRINT
LES MILLS SPRINT™ is a calorie killing workout that can rapidly improve your fitness. During this 30-minute high-intensity interval cycling challenge you can expect to burn an average of 290 calories. As you pedal through high-intensity intervals it delivers significant increases in fitness and reduces body fat, with no impact on the joints. Find out all you need to know about LES MILLS SPRINT here.
Find a LES MILLS SPRINT workout near you or try LES MILLS SPRINT On Demand.
BODYATTACK
BODYATTACK™ is a great way to rapidly build cardio fitness and burn calories while you shape and tone your entire body. You can expect to burn an average of 555 calories in a 55-minute BODYATTACK workout, while also building athleticism, stamina, and agility. By improving your overall athleticism, you increase your body's ability to effectively burn calories when you do any form of exercise.
Find a BODYATTACK class near you or try BODYATTACK On Demand.
BODYSTEP
The cardio peak training you get with a BODYSTEP™ workout will push your fat burning systems into high gear. You can expect to burn an average of 540 calories in a 55-minute BODYSTEP workout. In addition to raising your heart rate and increasing cardio fitness, BODYSTEP is great for building athletic agility while toning your butt and legs.
Find a BODYSTEP class near you or try BODYSTEP On Demand.
BODYJAM and SH’BAM
If you’re counting calories during BODYJAM™ or SH’BAM™ you’re doing it wrong! The idea is to let loose and simply dance your butt off. Chances are you’ll be having too much fun to notice how hard you’re working. But rest assured, you’ll be getting a killer workout and burning a surprising amount of calories while you’re at it. You can expect to burn an average of 480 calories in a 55-minute BODYJAM class and 410 calories with 45-minutes of SH’BAM.
Find a BODYJAM or SH’BAM class near you or try SH’BAM On Demand.
THE TRIP
Combining multi-peak cycling with a journey through digitally-created worlds, this immersive workout is so much fun you don’t notice the burn. In a 40-minute THE TRIP™ workout you can burn an average of 470 calories. Research shows that immersive technology helps you work out harder than you think you are. You hit heart rate zones and get fitter faster without the discomfort of intensity.
Try THE TRIP On Demand.
LES MILLS TONE
This mix of cardio, resistance and core training is great for building fitness and strength and can drive serious calorie burn. You can expect to burn an average of 450 calories in a 45-minute LES MILLS TONE™ class. You will also improve energy levels, flexibility, and balance and increase agility and core strength.
Find a LES MILLS TONE class near you.
The average calorie burn is based on data collected from 12,000 workouts done by 477 participants. These 477 participants were aged between 18 and 62 years (the average age was 36 years) and were regular participants in LES MILLS workouts. The testing was conducted on releases between January 2018 and January 2020.
Jinger S. Gottschall, Ph.D. earned her doctorate degree in integrative physiology from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She furthered her academic career as a postdoctoral fellow in neurophysiology at the Emory School of Medicine and as an Associate Professor in kinesiology at The Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Gottschall is currently an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Biobehavioral Science at Columbia University.
