As we age, health and fitness often fall by the wayside. But with the right fat-burning exercises for men, you can make the pounds melt away and improve your overall health for years to come!
No matter what weight you are at now, it is never too late to start on the path to a fitter and healthier you.
You may have already done some internet searches trying to find some great fat-burning exercises, only to find that many of them are more geared toward women.
Below, we break down 10 great fat-burning exercises tailored more toward men!
Let me first start off by saying it's not just about shedding fat from the body.
The most important aspect of burning fat isn't about losing. It’s about gaining.
Yes, you heard me right. By gaining muscle and lean body mass, you will set yourself up for increasing your metabolic rate and burning fat consistently, even when you are not working out.
Of course, you will be burning calories during your workout and shortly thereafter, especially when challenging yourself at a high intensity.
By also adding pounds of lean muscle to your frame, your body will naturally burn calories even at rest.
Ready to get started with the right fat-burning exercises for men?
Here are eight more great fat-burning exercises for men over 40!
10 Great Fat Burning Exercises for Men Over 40
Exercises that combine both strength building and resistance work along with cardio to increase the heart rate are essential in burning calories, gaining muscle, and losing fat.
By working large muscle groups, such as the glutes, quads, hamstrings, pectorals, and lats, you will be burning more calories with each movement.
It’s also important to include some variety so that the workouts keep you engaged and challenged throughout.
Here are 10 great fat burning exercises for men:
Kettlebell Swings
This exercise is great for the glutes, hamstrings, upper, mid, and lower back muscles, as well as your core.
Not only will it work these large muscle groups, but it will also get your heart pumping and increase your cardiovascular fitness.
Start at a low weight and work your way up to avoid injury.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and grip the kettlebell handle.
- Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, bringing the kettlebell between your legs.
- Drive-up through your hips bringing the kettlebell parallel to the floor at about chest level.
- Repeat.
Squat to Overhead Press
This is a great compound move that will target your glutes, quads, hamstrings, arms, and shoulders.
- Start with feet shoulder-width apart with a dumbbell in each hand.
- Squat until your hamstrings are parallel to the ground with the weights at shoulder height.
- Straighten your legs and stand up while pressing the dumbbells above your head.
- Bring the weights back down to shoulder height and repeat.
Goblet Squat
Squats are great for fat burning, and for those just getting back into working out, the goblet squat is great for easing your way back into things before progressing to barbell squats.
- Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart with toes pointing outward and hold a dumbbell at chest height.
- Slowly bend your knees and squat down until your hamstrings are parallel to the ground.
- Push up through your heels and stand back up and repeat.
Battle Rope Waves
Battle ropes are an amazing fat-burning exercise for men that also targets your shoulders, glutes, quads, hamstring, and core.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width, or slightly wider, apart.
- Grab both ropes and sit back in about a quarter squat with your core engaged.
- Alternate moving your right and left arms up and down, forming waves along the floor with the ropes.
- Start slow; even just 10 seconds at a time with a thirty-second rest is a great start, and you can progressively increase your interval time as your fitness improves.
Bent Over Rows to Curls
With this compound move, you will be working the large back muscles along with the biceps.
Working multiple muscle groups will have you building lean muscle mass that will burn fat and calories, not just during the workout, but even after you leave the gym.
- Stand with a weighted barbell, or two dumbbells, and slightly hinge at the waist with the weights hanging down in an overhand grip.
- Pull up towards your chest and then lower back to the starting position.
- Then stand up and curl the bar or dumbbells up and lower down again.
- Hinge back down to the original position and repeat.
Mountain Climbers
This is another great fat-burning exercise for men that requires you to engage your shoulders, triceps, and core.
In addition, you will get a great cardio workout as well.
- Get into a push-up position, with your hands directly below your shoulders, core engaged.
- Keep your back straight and avoid dipping or curving the lower back.
- Alternate bringing your right knee to your right elbow and back, then left knee to left elbow and back.
- Repeat as quickly as possible for 30 seconds.
- Slowly increase your time as you gain strength.
Walking Lunges
Again, working the large leg muscle groups will give you some serious fat-burning bang for your buck.
You will need a clear pathway for this exercise. If you do not have a large area for walking, you can do these lunges in place by alternating sides.
- Begin standing with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- You can hold dumbbells down by your sides, or you can just use your body weight to start out.
- Step forward with your right leg, flexing the knees to drop your hips.
- Lower down until your left knee behind you nearly touches the ground.
- Your posture should remain upright, and your front knee should stay above the front foot.
- Drive through the heel of your right foot and extend both knees to raise yourself back up.
- Step forward with your left back foot now, repeating the lunge on the opposite leg.
- Continue walking forward, alternating lunges for 6 reps on each side, then turn around and return to where you started.
Weighted Crunches
Make sure you are doing this move slowly and really engaging the abdominal muscles throughout the exercise.
- Lie on your back on a mat with your feet flat on the ground.
- Hold a weight extended above your torso.
- Exhale and slowly begin to roll your shoulders off the floor.
- Your shoulders should come up off the floor about 4-6 inches while your lower back remains on the floor.
- At the top of the movement, engage your abdominal muscles and pause.
- Inhale and slowly lower yourself back down to the mat.
- Repeat.
Push-Ups
Sure it’s a simple exercise, but you don’t always need equipment and crazy moves to burn fat and build muscle.
The standard push-up, when done with the correct form, will work your chest, triceps, shoulders, and core.
Make sure there is no dip in your back and go as far down to the floor as possible before pushing your body back up.
See how many reps you can do in a row, and slowly try to increase this number as your body adapts.
Burpees
Last, but certainly not least, the ultimate fat-burning exercise.
You are working multiple muscle groups while working up a sweat and improving cardiovascular fitness.
There are many variations to the burpee, but you should begin with the standard move.
- Start in the standing position.
- Bend your knees and bring your hands to the floor.
- Kick your legs out behind you to bring yourself into a plank position.
- Then quickly bend your knees back into your chest and jump (or stand) back up.
- Repeat as many as you can in 30 seconds.
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What Makes a Good Fat Burning Workout?
There are many more out there, and how you put your work out together will also determine how many calories you will be burning.
As I mentioned previously, a combination of resistance training and muscle building along with cardio will provide the most efficient way to burn fat.
The exercises above combine many of these aspects, but you can also put together your own workout by combining exercises from the categories below.
Strength/Resistance Training
- Push-ups
- Pull-ups
- Barbell Bench Press
- Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
- Deadlifts
- Barbell Squats
- Seated Rows
Cardio/Interval Training
Aim for the highest number of reps you can complete in 30 seconds, with a short 15-second rest between each exercise.
After completing the list, rest for one minute and repeat.
It may not seem like a lot, but trust me, you will feel the burn!
- Butt Kickers
- High Knees
- Jump Rope
- Jumping Jack
- Squat Jumps
- Jump Lunges
- Burpees with Push-ups
You may have days where you solely work from the strength category or from the interval training category. Other days, you can combine workouts.
The main thing is to make sure you include both strength training and interval or cardiovascular training throughout the week.
This will allow you to increase lean body mass and burn fat at a more efficient rate.
By incorporating these exercises into your workout regime, you will be burning fat and calories and building muscle.
But remember, fat burning doesn't just happen at the gym.
There are plenty of everyday activities that can be done to continue to burn fat even on days when you aren't working out.
Ways to Burn Fat Away From the Gym
Wash Your Car
Instead of sitting in your car as it’s pulled through an automated car wash, grab some buckets and rags and get to work!
The scrubbing and back and forth motions will give your shoulders and back an excellent workout while burning calories.
Do Some Yardwork
Save money and instead of hiring a landscaper, do the yard work yourself!
Mowing the lawn, mulching, gardening, and raking leaves are excellent ways to get the heart pumping and to work the legs, glutes, arms, back, and shoulders.
Take the Stairs
Many buildings have elevators or escalators, but using the stairs is a great leg and cardio workout.
Clean Out the Garage
You always say you’ll get to it, right? Well here’s an opportunity to get organized and get a free workout in the process.
By lifting boxes and yard equipment, sweeping, and moving at a constant pace, you will quickly burn fat and calories.
Paint a Room
Looking to change the look of your home? Instead of hiring painters, you can do the work yourself.
Rolling on paint is a great upper body workout that will work your muscles at multiple different angles.
Have Some Fun!
It isn't always about all work and no play!
Taking your kids to the park, playing sports with friends and family, or even walking the dog are small ways to add to your fat burn while away from the gym.
Even learning a new hobby or sport that you've always wanted to try is a fun way to become more physically active.
You could join a swim league, take tennis lessons, or even try a new fitness or boot camp class.
It is so important to make sure that you are doing things that you enjoy.
That way, working out doesn't seem like a chore, but is actually something that you look forward to every day.
By taking small steps today, you will gradually increase the number of reps and sets you are doing in the gym, and the number of days you are working out weekly.
Before you know it, you will be seeing changes in your body from burning fat and building muscle, and will be well on your way to a healthier and fitter you!
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*Please know that weight loss results and health changes/improvements vary from individual to individual; you may not achieve similar results. Always consult with your doctor before making health decisions. This is not medical advice – simply very well-researched info on fat-burning exercises for men.
