The 15 Best Fat-Loss Exercises for Women
There is an incredible female movement going on at DSC!
It is allowing women to step out of their comfort zone and into a world of better confidence, strength, fitness, and health.
That movement is our 30-Day Jumpstart Program for Women.
Our Jumpstart Program for Women is specifically designed to help women get their health and fitness routine started with the support and guidance of our coaches, program, and incredible community.
A major piece of the success of our members and program lies in the exercises we complete during our workouts.
Not all exercises are created equal and not all exercises are right for all levels.
The key to longterm fitness success is starting with the exercises that work for your level, ability, and injury history. Here at DSC we choose exercises that allow women to be immediately successful. They are low impact, perfect for beginners, but deliver incredible long-term results.
Today we're covering the best fat-loss exercises for women. The best part about these exercises is that they don't involve 30+ minutes of boring cardio. They are fun, results-driven, and improve a variety of fitness areas well-beyond just fat-loss.
Not only that, but they are incredibly efficient so you can maximize your time and results.
The best fat-burning exercises:
Are scaled to your fitness level and injury history
Involve multiple body-parts and muscle groups (they work your entire body, not a single body part)
Elevate your heart-rate and burn calories
Build strength, tone, and better overall fitness
These 4 make-up the ultimate fat-loss exercise that allows you to burn calories during your workouts, after your workouts, and make progress each week. Say good-bye to endless boring cardio and hello to results!
To get you started, we are covering our 15 favorite fat-burning exercises for women along with full descriptions on how to complete each exercise.
What we love most about these exercises is that they are joint-friendly/low impact and GREAT for all levels! Enjoy!
1| The Sled Push
The sled push is a crowd favorite among our members here at DSC.
It builds tremendous amounts of lower-body strength and really gets your heart-rate up, making this our #1 exercise for fat-loss!
You're going to feel those legs working big time!
Key Points:
Keep arms straight and a straight line from head to back foot
Keep body leaning at 45 degree angle
March forward one step at a time keeping head and upper body still
Start with 3-5 reps of 15-25yd march with :30-1:00 rest between reps
New to the sled march? Start with 45-90lbs of weight on the sled.
2| Medicine Ball Slams
One of our favorite pieces of equipment at DSC is the med ball. It's one of the world's best fat-loss tools.
Med balls work well with all of our members, especially members who come to us with some kind of joint pain. We like these especially for our members with lower-body and/or low-back issues.
Get some aggression out and get ready to sweat!
Make sure to use the big, soft med balls shown in the image above. The hard rubber med balls bounce back high and quickly and can be dangerous.
Key Points:
Get as tall as possible and reach ball high overhead without leaning back
Slam ball right in front of feet
Finish slam in low squat position
Exhale as you slam
Catch and repeat as fast as possible
Start with :20 of work followed by :40 of rest for 6-10 rounds.
New to the med ball slam? Start with a 4-8lb med ball.
3| Skierg
One of our member's favorite newer toys at Dynamic are the Skiergs.
These are a fantastic low-impact exercise that work your abs, lats, legs and triceps, while getting your heart-rate way up, making them awesome for fat-loss.
Key Points:
Start tall with hands overhead
Initiate movement by simultaneously pulling handles back and down and sitting into squat
Keep abs tight throughout
Finish low with handles behind your hips
Exhale as you pull down
Start with 5-10 sets of :20 of work followed by :40 of rest
4| The Kettlebell Head-Cutter
The head-cutter is one our favorite total-body fat-loss exercises.
It taxes your shoulders, legs, and abs, while burning some serious calories and getting your heart-rate sky high.
You will LOVE these!
Key Points:
Start feet shoulder width apart with kettlebell (KB) between feet
Keeping chest tall, push hips back into deadlift position
Drive through heels to lift KB
As the KB comes up, pop it up and catch it at chest level
Drop into squat by sitting back and pushing knees out
As you come out of squat, press KB overheard
Exhale as you press KB
Start with 10 reps followed by 1:00 of rest for 5-8 rounds
New to the KB head-cutter? Start with an 6-8kg (12-16lb) kettlebell.
5| The Rower
Looking for a fantastic total-body fat-loss and cardio exercise? Enter the rowing machine.
These are great for burning fat as they work your entire body from your legs to your shoulders and burn a ton of calories.
Don't let the seated position fool you.. these will make your leg muscles WORK!
Key Points:
Start in seated position with knees bent and arms extended
Initiate movement by pushing through your feet and driving your body back
Finish movement with legs extended and arm handle pulled into chest
Think "legs push, arms pull" and keep it one smooth motion
Exhale as you pull
Return to starting position by extending arms and bending knees
Start with :30 of rowing followed by :30 of rest for 6-10 rounds
6| Burpees (advanced, intermediate, beginner versions)
The burpee is one of the most popular fat-burning, cardio drills on the planet and rightfully so -- they are tough and tax the entire body.
The tough thing about burpees is that they require a great deal of mobility.
For many, getting down to the floor can be a problem and can cause pain. For our members who do not have the ability to complete the full burpee, we simply shorten the range-of-motion by having them complete the movement off a bench rather than all the way to the floor.
Win, win!
Key Points:
Start tall with feet under hips
Bend from the waist and bring hands to floor
Keeping weight in hands, kick feet back to plank position
Add push-up if possible
Do not let hips sag when kicking legs out
Bring feet back in, stand up, jump and reach
Start with :15 of work followed by :45 of rest for 6-10 rounds
7| The Kettlebell Swing
Kettlebell (KB) swings are a staple for many of our members.
The dynamic, fast paced motion makes the swing a great exercise for getting your heart-rate up and burning calories.
The majority of the work comes from your hips, hamstrings and glutes, making the swing a great choice for individuals with bad knees, feet and ankles.
The hamstrings and glutes are two of the most important stabilizers of the knee, so strengthening these two muscles is a must for improving knee pain.
Key Points:
Before trying the KB swing, be sure to master the Kettlebell Deadlift first
Make sure all the work is done through your hips
Keep posture strong and tall throughout
Start by softening your knees and swing the bell behind you while keeping posture proud and shoulders back
Keep the back of your wrists as high as possible toward your butt
Keeping your arms loose, aggressively stand up, straighten knees, and squeeze your butt
This will get the bell moving to about stomach/chest height
Exhale and finish tall
Start with 8-10 swings followed by :30-:45 of rest for 6-10 rounds
New to the KB Swing? Start with an 8-10kg (16-20lb) kettlebell.
8| Kettlebell or Dumbbell Thrusters
When it comes to fat-loss, total body exercises are the name of the game. This is why we love the thruster. It works every part of your body, burning some serious calories and building some serious strength. These are tough!
Key Points:
Start feet shoulder width, toes slightly pointed out
Have two KBs in racked position or DB held above shoulders
Staying tall, lower into squat position
Keep abs braced and weight in heels
Drive out of squat as your press weights overhead
Finish arms inline with ears
Lower weights to shoulders and repeat
Start with :15 of work followed by :45 of rest for 6-10 rounds
9| Versaclimber
We've nicknamed the Versaclimbers our "Unicorns" because they are so rare.
These are also a favorite here at DSC.
They are another joint-friendly piece of cardio equipment that are awesome for your legs.
The great thing about the Versaclimber is their versatility!
You can lower the resistance, allowing you to sprint and really get your heart-rate up.
You can also crank the resistance up, making these one heck of a leg workout.
Key Points:
For more of a sprint workout, keep resistance low
For more a of strength workout, keep resistance high
Step into foot pedal straps and grab handles
Alternate pushing down with one foot to get climber moving
Keep motion small and sharp and core tight
Start with :30 of work followed by :30 of rest for 6-10 rounds
10| Curved Treadmill Walk, Run, or Sprint
One the best equipment investments we have made has been our curved, self-propelled treadmills.
They actually do not have a motor, therefore similar to running on the road, you have to be the one to move the belt.
The difference between our treadmills and traditional running or treadmill running is the curve feature in the front of the treadmill where your foot strikes.
This actually dampens the impact forces, making these much more joint friendly for our members with bad feet, ankles and knees. We have even had people run on our treadmills who have not run in years because of pain.
They are also great for those with elbow or shoulder issues. The low impact allows our members to do one of the world's greatest cardio exercises -- SPRINTING!
Key Points:
Stay tall throughout
Try to stay to front of treadmill
Keep hands on railings if needed
Focus on getting knees up
Start with :15 sprint, jog or fast paced walk followed by :45 walk for 6-10 rounds.
11| Wall Ball
Think of wall ball as the reverse med ball slam.
These are a bit tougher as you are forced to use your lower body, core and arms to catch the ball, squat, and get the ball as high as possible.
Key Points:
Start feet shoulder width apart, medicine ball at chest
Drop into squat, keeping chest tall
Use your legs to drive up out of squat
In one motion, throw ball as high as possible
Ball should touch wall
Catch and repeat as fast as possible
Start with :20 of work followed by :40 of rest for 6-10 rounds
12| Landmine Squat to Press
The landmine squat to press is the ultimate fat-loss exercise. It challenges the strength of your lower body, the stability of your abs, the strength of your upper-body and your cardio. For more of strength emphasis, keep the reps on the lower end and the weights heavier. To improve your cardio, keep the reps high and the weight light.
Key Points:
Start with feet shoulder width, toes slightly pointed out
Bring bar to chest and keep abs braced
Initiate movement by sitting back and down into squat
As you come up press bar overhead – this is all one motion
Finish tall with arms straight
Start with 3 sets of 8 reps
13| Mountain Climber + Push-Up Combo (Advanced or beginner)
Mountain climbers are another great exercise that can be done just about anywhere. They are great for challenging your cardio as well as your core and shoulder stability. If you are new to mountain climber, start with your hands on an elevated bench or chair rather than the floor.
Key Points:
Maintain a stable upper-body plank position throughout
Keep hands placed directly under shoulders
Quickly bring one knee forward at a time, while keeping the back leg straight
Complete 10 total mountain climbers and then 2 push-ups
Complete your push-up from your toes or drop down to your knees to make it easier
Once you complete your 2 push-ups, go right back to your mountain climbers
Repeat this sequence until time runs out
Start with :15 of work followed by :45 of rest for 6-10 rounds
14| High-Rep Double Kettlebell Deadlift
The double kettlebell deadlift is the ultimate fat-loss tool. It checks all the fat-loss boxes as it involves multiple joints and muscle groups, allows you to use weights, builds strength, and get your heart-rate way up. The high reps makes this an awesome challenge and fat burner!
Key Points:
Start your feet shoulder width with your toes pointed our slightly
Start KB between the arches of your feet
Push hips back into deadlift position, drive chest tall, and grab KBs
Push through your feet stand
Finish tall with shoulders back and glutes squeezed
Return to starting position
Start with 3-4 sets of 12-20 reps
15| Airdyne Bike Sprints
Bike sprints are the ultimate joint-friendly fat-loss exercise.
They allow our members with aches and pains to train at a very high intensity, while keeping the stress off their injuries.
They are great for bad backs, shoulders and knees.
Sprints are also more fun and burn more calories than traditional low intensity, long duration bike rides. These are tough!
Key Points:
Set seat height of bike so there is a minimal knee bend when pedal is all the way down
Keep bike resistance minimal if on spin bike
Start with a 5 minute warm-up at medium intensity
Complete 6-10 rounds of :15 sprint followed by :45 rest