Great Calorie-burning Exercises

Exercise of any kind will burn some calories, but some types of exercise--more vigorous exercises--burn many more calories than others. These can be activities you may think of as traditional exercise, but often they can be pastimes you participate in simply because you enjoy them. You should work up to this level of exercise slowly if you are not in shape, and check with your doctor first if you have any medical conditions that may cause concern.

Racquetball

Playing racquetball can burn anywhere from 640 to 822 calories an hour, depending on the intensity of play, according to the U.S. Racquetball Association. A 20-minute racquetball game can include running the equivalent of a half-mile and can keep your heart rate elevated to 75 to 85 percent of maximum during play. This pastime provides a workout that is both aerobic and muscle-building, with its sustained increased heart rate and required bursts of energy throughout the game.

Jogging

Run or jog at a rate of 5 mph and a 154-lb. person will burn nearly 600 calories in 60 minutes, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service. If you weigh less, you will burn fewer calories, and if you weigh more, you will burn more calories. To sustain health, American adults can opt for at least 75 minutes a week of vigorous activity, such as jogging. For even greater health benefits, step your efforts up to 150 minutes per week, and add a few days of muscle-strengthening exercise.

Swimming

Swimming is a popular sport, coming in third in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An hour of swimming can burn more than 600 calories. For people with chronic diseases, such as arthritis, swimming is an alternative vigorous exercise that is also low impact. For example, in addition to burning calories, swimming can have a positive impact on joints without worsening symptoms.

Tennis

Tennis is also a pastime that can burn about 550 calories in an hour in a 150-lb. person and provides several other health benefits. Researchers in the Netherlands reviewed 24 studies to examine the role of tennis in health and disease prevention. B.M. Pluim and other researchers reported in a November 2007 issue of the "British Journal of Sports Medicine" that tennis players had a lower body fat percentage, improved aerobic fitness, better bone health and less risk for cardiovascular disease.

Strength Training

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service suggests a vigorous workout with weights can burn 440 calories an hour. Adding strength, or resistance, training to a program of aerobic exercise, such as jogging or swimming, will help increase and maintain muscle mass and metabolic rate. Exercise physiologist Michael L. Pollock and Dr. Kevin R. Vincent, of the University of Florida, concluded in their paper "Resistance Training for Health," that resistance training contributes to weight loss and controlling weight with age.