What cardio machines burn the most calories?

Quick Links: Cardio vs Weights | Treadmill | Skill Mill | Assault Bike | Punch Bag | Rowing Machine | Spin Bike | Best For Flat Stomach

TLDR: We take a look at what cardio machines burn the most calories. Some of this kit you can find in all commercial gyms, while other equipment might be a little more niche. I take my experience as a spin instructor and personal trainer to share insights into the cardio machine for the best calorie-burning machine. 

Highlights:

• WINNER: The assault bike is the winning calorie burner
• There are lots of machines to choose from, some require more skill and experience than others
• The amount of calories you burn will depend on factors such as weight, gender, fitness level and more. 

When you’re looking to drop body fat, it’s likely you’ll be thinking about what cardio machines burn the most calories and the best equipment for weight loss. While it’s tough to out-train a bad diet, you can eat well and use cardio to push you into a calorie deficit — helping you drop weight on the scales. Research suggests that a combination of diet and physical activity results in greater weight loss than diet alone and helps increase fat mass loss and preserves lean muscle mass. 

Whether you’re spinning your legs on a stationary bike, climbing off the calories on a stair climber, or pushing the resistance level high on an elliptical trainer, we’ve got your answers on what gym equipment burns the most calories.

How we establish calorie burn per cardio machine

Your everyman cardio machines that you’ll find at your local gym will likely use your weight and age to work out how many calories you are burning. However, there are other factors that can be taken into account to make it more accurate, such as:

• Height
• Body weight
• Gender
• Body fat percentage
• Fitness level
• Heart rate (You can wear a heart rate monitor, or some machines have them built-in)
• Metabolic rate
• Intensity level

When all these factors are used on a cardio machine, you’ll get the most accurate reading. 

What can affect calories burned from Cardio machines?

If you plod along slowly on a treadmill or cycle on a low-impact machine you’ll burn fewer calories than if you increased to a moderate pace and increased the gradient. Any adaptions that are going to get your heart pumping harder, will help you burn more calories on a cardio machine.

If you’re looking for weight loss, then you will want to be burning more calories per workout. There are lots of ways to do this on cardio equipment. Here are some ideas:

• Increase the resistance
• Increase the gradient
• Speed up (Treadmill, stair master)
• Intervals on a spin bike
• Stay on for a longer period of time

Type of exercise (Multi-joint)

Research writes that multi-joint exercises are great for working your entire body, increasing strength and metabolic stress, activating multiple muscles, and mimicking daily tasks and movement patterns. While you might be thinking multi-joint would be lunges, squats and limited to weights, it’s not. Indoor exercise machines can be multi-joint too. 

• Rowing — Rowing is a great multi-joint exercise and works the posterior chain 
• Cross trainer — On this you’ll be pushing and pulling, a great cardio workout that also has resistance behind it
• Ski-erg — This machine will see you pulling and squatting. A great workout for your leg muscles, back and arms

Resistance

Turn up the resistance on a multi-joint machine and you can emulate being outside and pushing against wind resistance or hills. Increasing the resistance will make the workout harder, helping increase calorie burn. 

User Weight

User weight will impact the amount of calories burned on a cardio machine for a full-body workout. A 185-pound person will burn more calories per minute than a 155-pound person, or a 110-pound person, doing the same workout. This is because those with a higher weight use more energy to move their bodies. A 20 lb weight difference can be over 10 per cent increase in calorie burn.

Intensity

If you want to burn more calories, you can up the intensity. You can do this with resistance and also speed. Pick up the pace on the treadmill workout, sprint on the indoor bikes, go faster on the stair stepper. Moving from an easy to moderate pace will crank your calorie burn up a gear.

Time

The more time you spend on your workout, the more calories you will burn. That being said, a 30 minute intense workout will likely burn the same or more calories than a low-intensity 60-minute workout. If you are just starting out on your fitness journey then you might be better off spending longer and going slower, just until you get your fitness levels up. 

Cardio Workout vs Weights For Calorie Burn

Cardio is an aerobic exercise which increases breathing rate and burns calories quickly. Weight training is anaerobic, using fuel from energy sources within the muscle. 

Often, you’ll be able to push yourself harder in a cardio workout and exert more energy, than when lifting weights. If you were lifting for 1 hour with breaks and for shorter intense periods, you would generally burn fewer calories than you would in a 1 hour run.

If you love lifting weights but want to burn more calories you can add a cardio finisher, try circuit training or lift heavier or for more reps to increase the intensity. Check out our brutal crossfit workout guide or our quad workout guide for mass for two versions of this.

How Many Calories Do Cardio Machines Burn?

There are many different cardio machines. You might choose one over the other depending on preference, the piece of equipment available, and whether you want low impact workouts or not. Here are some of the cardio machines commonly seen in gyms and how many calories they burn. 

#1 Treadmill

Calories Burned Sprint Interval 20 Minutes

You know now that lots of factors go into the exact number, but as a rough estimate, a 150 lb person can burn approximately 250-350 calories during a 20-minute sprint interval workout.

Calories Burned Steady State 60 Mins

As a rough estimate, a 150 lb person could burn around 500-800 calories during a 60-minute run.

Pros

• Following a sprint session can help you feel motivated
• Release of endorphins after a sprint sesh can give you a mood boost 
• Very efficient workout
• Can change the miles per hour to suit your fitness level 

Cons

• Not ideal for people with knee or hip pain
• Can feel hard and uncomfortable for the new exerciser 

#2 Exercise Bike (upright bike)

Calories Burned Sprint Interval 20 Minutes

As a rough estimate, a 150 lb person could burn around 200-300 calories for a 20 minute sprint interval on the bike. 

Calories Burned Steady State 60 Mins

A 150 lb person could burn between 450 and 750 calories in a steady-state bike ride in one hour.

Pros

• Low intensity, great for people with knee, hip and back issues
• Can take it as hard or as easy as you like by using the resistance 
• Easy to set up with levels of resistance

Cons

• Can be hard to do stand-up intervals as a beginner
• Seat can be uncomfortable at first 

#3 Spinning Bike

Calories Burned Sprint Interval 20 Minutes

As a spin instructor, I coach sprint intervals on an indoor cycling bike. I see people of all weights, heights and genders burning between 150 and 400 calories in a 20 minute sprint session. 

Calories Burned Steady State 60 Mins

Cycling at a steady pace on a spin bike is great for fat burning. You could see yourself burn around 300-1000 calories during a steady state effort level 6 for 60 minutes. 

Pros

• Great if you have hip, knee or back issues
• Easy to set up 
• Fun! 

Cons

• Seat can be uncomfortable at first (it gets better — promise!)

#4 Crosstrainer/Elliptical

Calories Burned Sprint Interval 20 Minutes

The cross trainer is multi-joint exercise and when used for sprint intervals you can expect to burn a sweaty 150-350 calories, depending on a range of factors. 

Calories Burned Steady State 60 Mins

A slow burner on the cross trainer can see you burn around 400-700 calories an hour, depending on various factors. 

Pros

• Rythmic exercise
• Multi-joint and wide range of motion
• Easy to set up

Cons

• 60 minutes can get repetitive and boring 

#5 Arc Trainer

Calories Burned Sprint Interval 20 Minutes

Of course, this is going to depend on weight, height, fitness level and other factors, but a 150 lb person may burn around 300 calories on the arc trainer in a 20-minute interval session.

Calories Burned Steady State 60 Mins

You might burn around 600 calories as a 150 lb person on an arc trainer for one hour, depending on factors. With such a high-calorie burn this could be a good machine for weight loss when combined with healthy eating. 

Pros

• Ideal for those with joint pain as it’s gentler

Cons

• Hour could be boring 

#6 Skillmill

Calories Burned Sprint Interval 20 Minutes

The ski mill is a pretty intense bit of kit. Running and doing sprint intervals on this machine can see you burn 200-400 calories in 20 minutes — depending on a variety of factors. 

Calories Burned Steady State 60 Mins

Fancy gentle jog on the ski mill? Expect your heart rate to climb! Here you could burn around 600-800 calories depending on various factors. 

Pros

• Efficient workout 
• Easy to use 

Cons

• More demand on the body than a treadmill so possibly not for the beginner 

#7 VersaClimber

Calories Burned Sprint Interval 20 Minutes

The versa climber is going to increase your strength in your legs, arms and back while giving an excellent cardio workout. Go at this for an intense 20 minutes and you could burn around 150-300 calories. 

Calories Burned Steady State 60 Mins

In a steady-state climb on this machine, you could burn around 500-800 calories but of course, this depends on various factors. 

Pros

• Different, fun exercise
• Multi-joint

Cons

• Requires a little coordination 

#8 Stepper/Stairmaster

Calories Burned Sprint Interval 20 Minutes

The stepper mimics walking up a flight of stairs for extended periods. Try this with sprint intervals and you could burn 200-400 calories. 

Calories Burned Steady State 60 Mins

Enjoy a leisurely walk up the stairs and you’ll soon feel your heart pumping as you burn your way through calories. Slow and steady you could burn 300-400 calories. 

Pros

• Easy to set up 
• Mimics everyday life 
• Workout stats to see how you improve 

Cons

• Can feel quite high up 

#9 Jacob’s Ladder

Calories Burned Sprint Interval 20 Minutes

Jacob’s Ladder is a cardio machine that is going to be working your upper back, legs and core. Picking up the speed on this innovative machine can burn around 200-400 — depending on the various factors we’ve discussed. 

Calories Burned Steady State 60 Mins

Going at a steady effort level 6 or 7 a 150 lb person can burn about 7-9 calories a minute, or 42-540 calories per hour.

Pros

• Self-paced 
• Multi-joint

Cons

• Requires a little skill and coordination 
• Not always available at commercial gyms

#10 Rowing Machine

Calories Burned Sprint Interval 20 Minutes

The rowing machine is a solid bit of kit, great for intervals and circuits. A 150 lb person could burn 10-12 calories per minute or 200-240 calories at a moderate rowing pace.

Calories Burned Steady State 60 Mins

At a more leisurely pace, you may burn about 6-8 calories a minute, or 360-480 an hour. 

Pros

• Available at most gyms
• Efficient calorie burn 
• Multi-joint
• Some rowers offer games and interactive workouts

Cons

• Requires skill and to be shown how to do it properly 

#11 SkierG

Calories Burned Sprint Interval 20 Minutes

The Skierg is a cardio machine that can burn 10-12 calories a minute during an intense 20 minute burst for a 150 lb person, or 200-240. 

Calories Burned Steady State 60 Mins

Skierging at an effort level of 6 for 60 minutes will burn approximately 6-8 calories a minute, or 360-480 an hour. Kudos if you can do a full hour on this! 

Pros

• Great for skiers
• Full body workout
• Works well in a high-intensity interval training circuit 
• Multi-joint

Cons

• Hard to keep up for an hour

#12 Assault Bike

Calories Burned Sprint Interval 20 Minutes

Sprints and a moderate pace on air bikes might leave you feeling pretty assaulted, but it’s a great calorie burner at 10-12 calories a minute or 200-240 in a 20-minute sesh. 

Calories Burned Steady State 60 Mins

If you’re enjoying a steady state on the assault bike then you can expect a 150 lb person to burn around 360-480 calories in an hour. Though, this depends on gender, age, fitness levels, and weight. 

Pros

• Very efficient calorie burner 
• Not standard in commercial gyms
• Multi-joint
• Easy to set up and use, much like a bike but working your upper body too

Cons

• It’s a tough workout! Might not be ideal for someone starting out on their fitness journey

#13 Recumbent Bike

Calories Burned Sprint Interval 20 Minutes

If you weigh around 150 lbs, you may burn about 100-150 calories in a 20-minute session — this also depends on age, gender, fitness level, metabolism and so on. 

Calories Burned Steady State 60 Mins

If a 150 lb person exercises on a recumbent bike at an easy, steady-state pace for 60 minutes, they could burn approximately 3-5 calories per minute or 180-300 in 60.

Pros

• Perfect for people with injuries
• Great machine for beginners
• Speed options

Cons

• Not as efficient as some other cardio equipment for calorie burn

#14 Punch Bag

Calories Burned Sprint Interval 20 Minutes

A 20-minute interval on the bag could see a 150 lb person burn around 10-12 calories in a minute and 200-250 in 20. 

Calories Burned Steady State 60 Mins

A steady training session on the punch bag could see a 150 lb person burn 6-8 calories in a minute or 300-360 in an hour. 

Pros

• Fun way of exercising and great fat burn workouts

Cons

• Requires coordination and skill
• Not available at all gyms

Winner – Most Calories Burned

The winner of the most calories burned has to be the assault bike/air bike/fan bike. It goes by many different names but basically, it’s just a fantastic workout for burning heaps of calories, while also working muscles. 

It takes the crown for not only most calories burned but for the best full-body, low-impact workout thanks to the cycling motion not putting too much strain on joints.

Add the assault bike to your next cardio session and see for yourself. 

Remember, if you want a really accurate calorie burn count then you should invest in a heart rate monitor chest strap, such as Myzone or Polar.

Calories Burned From Cardio FAQs

I’ve covered the bulk now, but I’m sure you’ve got questions. Here are some of the ones I was asked LOTS during my time working in a gym as a PT.

Best Cardio Machine For Flat Stomach?

This is something so many people want to know. The answer… any! As long as you are eating well and training right you can drop body fat and reveal those abs. You might want to opt for a machine that also works your core, such as the SkiErg, rower, or Jacob’s ladder so that when your abs do reveal themselves they’re pumped up and chiselled to the nines. 

What Is The Most Calories I Can Burn From Cardio Each Day?

You could spend all day in the gym on the cardio machines and burn a hell of a lot. However, if you then go home and eat a Domino’s and tub of Ben and Jerry’s you’ve just undone all that hard work. I used to know a lady who spent 6:30 am – 5 pm in the gym EVERY DAY and only went on the cross trainer for a moderate pace. She probably burnt heaps of calories, but I don’t think that was very healthy behaviour, and her body composition never changed in the two years I saw her there. 

Can Cardio Machines Increase Muscle?

There’s more to cardio than endorphin-releasing highs. They can increase muscle mass. If this is in your game plan then choose a high-resistance setting and exercise machines that have you pushing and pulling like the elliptical trainer, air bike, cross trainer, rower and ski erg. 

How often to do Cardio workouts each week?

If you could fit in 2-3 cardio workouts a week that’s great. They don’t all have to be super intense. Some can just be a steady plod on the treadmill, while others are high intensity spin classes. Both of these types of workouts have their place in helping build endurance, burn fat, and increase fitness levels. 

Summary

There you have it, our thoughts on what cardio machines burn the most calories. While the winner is the assault bike, it’s a really tough workout. If you’re new to training and looking to increase your calorie deficit by increasing your cardio burn, then you might want to start with kit more suited to beginners such as the bike and elliptical trainer. 

Time to stop reading, put on your headphones and get sweating!