13 Exercises That Are Better Than Burpees For Fat Loss

This will likely be unpopular... but here goes....

Exercise has LOTS of great benefits. It does, from Mental well being to Self-Image, to Strength and Endurance training....

It does not really help Weight Loss though. It just doesn't. It's the opposite side of the Fitness Coin. If you want to lose weight, fix your nutrition (what you eat). "You can't outrun a bad diet."

Unfortunately, we (the military) recruit people on the upward climb of their physical development who are able to "consume anything" with little detrimental effect... until they age out (25~) where calorie consumption (energy for activity) is not longer the goal and Nutrition is. On top of that, the majority of the military's focus is on Cardiovascular Health (as defined by DODI) which makes Heart Rate 4-5 exercises Subjectively more important than Heart Rate 2-3 exercises. The problem is that the majority of activity based weight loss (specifically Body Fat %) is going to occur at lower thresholds.

The article opens with "You’ll burn a lot of calories and your heart rate will go sky high." which goes against actual science in this matter. You want to keep that HR lower (180 minus age is rule of thumb) to burn more fat. That said, the exercises the article mentions are great for that if done well.

Thank you for the interesting share COL Flemming.