What Cardio Machine Burns the Most Calories?
- Doug Joachim
- Dec 13, 2012
- 5 min read
Updated: Oct 6
Weight loss is a multi-factorial process that is not fully understood. That being said, science concludes 7 major factors affect weight loss.
Key Factors Influencing Weight Loss
7- Environment
Obviously, you cannot do much about genetics; that boat sailed long ago; blame your parents. The rest of these items are on the table. As I am sure you know, all of these factors are interrelated, some more than others. I want to focus on diet, exercise and activities of daily living because they are the major factors in energy conversion. A goal of weight loss is to use more energy than you take in. Balancing bodily energy is a lot more complicated than calories in (the food we eat) and calories out (exercise and activities of daily living). Calories eaten and subsequently used during voluntary movements are only two small parts of the energy equation and insignificant by themselves. Your total energy expenditure fluctuates daily and is quite difficult to measure accurately. Most of your calories are spent on metabolic processes:
calories are burned during all involuntary movements (breathing, heartbeat, etc.)
heating the body due to environmental temperatures
calories are used in bone and soft-tissue growth
the largest caloric drain on the body comes from brain functions
metabolism of food
calories used on an everyday basis to combat infections
tissue restoration
Everyone burns calories at a different rate. Furthermore, many people are better adapted for certain exercises/movements and burn less energy when performing those tasks. If Micheal Moore challenged Lance Armstrong to a bike race, not only would Mr. Moore lose the race, he’d probably burn a lot more calories too. Mr. Armstrong’s body has specifically adapted to biking. It has become extremely efficient in that movement pattern (and his VO2 max, resting heart rate, recovery heart rate, lactic acid threshold, body weight, muscle mass, etc. are all much better than Moore’s – this is just a guess) thus using less energy.
There is no one best form of aerobic exercise or machine that burns the most calories. According to Kravitz and Robergs:
“based on the fundamental principles of indirect calorimetry, to burn more calories during exercise, you need to increase oxygen consumption. The issue of exercise and caloric expenditure is as simple as that.”
Maximizing Calorie Burn Through Exercise
Research shows the greatest impact on caloric expenditure during exercise comes from the contraction of skeletal muscles, which therefore increases oxygen uptake. The more oxygen you need during exercise, the more calories you burn. Listed below are the other factors during exercise that play a role in calorie burn:
the number of muscle fibers being used
the complexity of the movement
prior experience with the exercise
weight-bearing exercise vs. non-weight bearing
balance and proprioception requirements
resistance and incline of the machine
your total body weight (the heavier you are, the more calories you burn)
the amount of lean muscle mass you have
speed and intensity level
duration of the exercise
the temperature of the room (colder rooms will induce higher energy demands)
These rankings are based on research measuring calorie burn at equivalent levels of effort (RPE). Actual numbers will vary depending on personal effort, fitness level, and machine resistance:
Treadmill (running/incline): Highly demanding.
Stepmill / Stair-climber: Extremely effective for lower-body engagement.
Jump Rope: A non-machine option that burns massive calories quickly.
Cross-Country Skiing (or ski erg): Full-body cardio with high calorie demand.
Elliptical with Arms: Low impact but still high energy expenditure.
Rowing Machine: Excellent full-body workout.
Upright Bike: Effective, especially at higher resistance or intensity.
Recumbent Bike / Recumbent Stepper: More comfortable but less demanding.
Arm Ergometer: Upper-body focused, the lowest calorie burner in comparable conditions.
SURPRISING FINDING: Rowing feels brutally hard because it taxes your heart, lungs, and muscles all at once. But in studies where effort was held constant across machines, rowers burned fewer calories simply because the movement is seated, slower in cadence, and less weight-bearing.
NOTE: The assault bike (also called air bike or fan bike) deserves special attention as one of the most effective Kcal burning machines available. This machine engages both upper and lower body simultaneously, creating massive oxygen demand. Studies suggest that assault bikes can burn significantly more calories than traditional stationary bikes, with some estimates showing calorie burns of 20-30 calories per minute. However, direct comparisons of energy expenditure between Assault Bikes and other indoor cardio machines are limited (I couldn't find any). Additionally, much of the research on the Assault Bike has been conducted within the context of HIIT rather than as a standalone or comparative exercise.
NOTE: Jump rope deserves its spot near the top of the list because it delivers one of the highest calorie burns per unit of time. Studies show that just 10 minutes of rope skipping can equal the cardiovascular and caloric impact of a 30-minute run, thanks to its full-body muscle recruitment and high oxygen demand. In fact, estimates put jump rope at 667–990 kcals per hour at a moderate pace, making it more efficient than jogging, swimming, or cycling over short durations. But, let's be real, hardly anyone jumps rope for an hour. Beyond raw calorie burn, it also improves coordination, balance, and agility skills that carry over into nearly every sport and activity.
Most people benefit from changing up their cardio routine about every 8 weeks. That’s roughly how long it takes to adapt to a new movement pattern. Once your body gets efficient at a specific exercise, you burn fewer calories because of neuromuscular efficiency. Rotating machines also helps protect your joints by avoiding repetitive wear, especially on fixed-foot platforms like the bike or elliptical. Every couple of months, consider mixing in something fresh—hiking, jump rope, kickboxing, trail running, swimming, whatever sparks your interest. And no matter which option you choose, don’t be afraid to adjust speed, incline, or resistance to keep your workouts challenging and aligned with your goals.
Want more evidence-based fitness content? Follow along as we separate science from marketing in the world of health and fitness.
Sources:
1. McARDLE, W.D. et al. (2000) Energy expenditure at rest and during physical activity. In: McARDLE, W.D. et al., 2nd ed. Essentials of Exercise Physiology, USA: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
2. DAVIS, B. et al. (2000) Physical Education and the Study of Sport. UK: Harcourt Publishers Ltd.
3. MayoClinic.com; Exercise for Weight Loss; 2009 4. Borg G.A.V. Psycholphysical bases of perceived exertion. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 14:377-381, 1982.
5. Toner, M.M., Glickman, E.L., & McArdle, W.D. Cardiovascular adjustments to exercise distributed between the upper and lower body. Med. Sci. Sports. Exerc. 22:773-778, 1990.
Doug Joachim – NYC www.JoachimsTraining.com
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