Full-body strength-training exercises are key for fat loss — which is why we've gathered these 12 trainer-recommended moves to choose from — but why are these exercises so critical? "A lot of people think that the best way to shed fat is by doing lots of steady cardio. You can lose fat that way, but it's not the optimal type of training for fat loss," said Julia Buckley, a REPs Level 3-certified trainer in the UK. "Intense fast-paced cardio, power moves, and weightlifting sessions are much better. By adding muscle to your body, you will burn more fat all of the time."
That's because muscle mass actually boosts your metabolism, which helps you burn calories even when you're not working out. Targeting multiple muscle groups in one move, as you do with full-body exercises, burns more calories (and thus more fat) and does it efficiently, maximising your time at the gym, said Eric Bowling, an NASM-certified trainer at Ultimate Performance Los Angeles.
However, you won't burn fat just by doing these exercises alone. For the best results, you need a consistent and effective workout routine that includes both cardio and strength training. Coupling those workouts with a healthy diet is also key. To lose body fat, you should avoid highly processed foods and products with lots of sugar and refined carbs while loading up on veggies, protein, and fibre. Once you have that foundation of healthy diet and consistent exercise in place, plug these 12 moves into your routine to optimise fat-burning potential. Grab some weights, and let's get started. (Not sure how heavy to go? Here's a guide on choosing the right weight.)
Dumbbell Split Squat
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"For targeting lower body, dumbbell split squats are phenomenal," Eric told POPSUGAR. He recommends using dumbbells over a barbell for safety reasons and to get the most out of the move's muscle-building, fat-burning potential.
Stand with both feet together. Hold medium dumbbells at your sides.
Take a step forward like you're going into a lunge, allowing the heel of your back foot to come off the ground.
Lower until your back knee almost hits the ground. Keep your torso straight and core engaged.
Drive through your feet to push back up to standing. This completes one rep.
This is primarily a glute move, and "the glutes are a big muscle," Eric explained. "When done properly, you will be recruiting a lot of muscle for stabilising other joints as you try to target the glutes."
Sitting on the floor with your legs extended, rest your back against a stable bench.
Place a towel or shoulder cushion on the bar for comfort (optional). Roll the barbell over your thighs until the bar is directly above your hip joints.
Brace your core. As you drive your heels into the ground, squeeze your glutes, lifting your hips up to full extension, meaning your hips are even with your knees.
With control, lower back down to the ground.
This is one rep.
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Push-Up
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This total-body bodyweight move uses just your body as resistance to hit the the muscles in your upper body and core. "Beginners can do these against a wall, or with their knees down," Julia told POPSUGAR.
Start in a plank position with your arms and legs straight, shoulders above your wrists.
Take a breath in, and as you exhale, bend your elbows out to the sides and lower your chest toward the ground. Stop as soon as your shoulders are in line with your elbows. Inhale to straighten your arms. This counts as one rep.
If this is too difficult, do this exercise with your knees on the floor.
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Squat to Overhead Press
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"The squat is pretty much the king of exercises, in my opinion," said Shayna Schmidt, NASM-certified personal trainer and cofounder of Livekick. The squat to overhead press is an even more challenging variation. Adding a press increases your upper-body strength and core stability, and combining it with a squat allows you to lift even heavier weights, Shayna explained. "The fact that you're getting underneath the weight means that you can use your lower body, the strongest muscles we have, to help you get that weight above your head." The heavier you can lift safely, the more fat you'll burn.
Stand with your legs just slightly wider than hip-distance apart, arms raised to shoulder height with elbows bent, holding weights by your ears.
Bend your knees as if you were sitting in a chair, keeping weight on your heels.
Press the dumbbells overhead as you straighten your knees to return to standing.
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Kettlebell Swings
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"The kettlebell is sometimes fondly referred to as 'iron cardio,'" Shayna said, because it's a move that requires you to be in motion at all times, which pushes your heart rate up. This explosive, full-body move "sculpts your glutes, activates your hamstrings, and strengthens your lower back all at the same time."
Hold a kettlebell with both hands by the flat, top handle. Let your arms rest so the kettlebell hangs down between your legs.
Place your legs slightly wider than hip-width apart. Your toes should point slightly outward.
To begin, keep your back flat and brace your core. Bend at your knees and push your glutes back.
While keeping your arms straight, press your weight down into your feet and squeeze your quads and glutes as you push the kettlebell up.
Extend your hips and legs to stand. This motion will drive the kettlebell up to just above shoulder height.
Control the momentum while lowering the kettlebell as it returns to starting position. Then begin the next repetition.
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Burpee
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"If I was limited to doing only one move for the rest of my life, honestly, I think this would be my pick!" Shayna told POPSUGAR. "This often-dreaded move is a true full-body exercise, working most major muscle groups while also improving your cardiovascular fitness and testing your balance and coordination." If you can't stand burpees, Shayna recommended slowing down and focusing on mastering every individual part of the move. You can also work up to the full exercise with these variations.
Lower into a crouching squat with your hands on the floor.
Do a squat thrust by jumping your feet back into a plank position.
Do one basic push-up, bending your elbows and then straightening back to plank.
Jump your feet forward to your hands, and come into a squat.
Do an explosive jump straight up, getting as much height as you can.
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Up-Down Plank
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This simple bodyweight move is great for fat loss, explained NASM-certified trainer Leon Turetsky, founder of Back Intelligence. "It challenges many upper-body muscles like chest, shoulders, and also works the core muscles," he told POPSUGAR.
Begin in a full plank. Lower your right elbow to the mat and then your left, coming into an elbow plank.
Put your right hand on the mat, and straighten your right elbow. Do the same on the left to return to a full plank.
The farmer's carry is a deceptively simple move. It's great for fat loss because it requires carrying weights for a distance and is self-limiting: "there becomes a point when you get tired and you can't do it anymore," said ACE-certified trainer Shane McLean. The farmer's carry works more muscles and requires more effort from your whole body, which means it burns more calories, he explained.
Start standing with a 4 or 5 kilogram dumbbell in each hand; if this is too heavy or too light, feel free to adjust the weight. Make sure your bodyweight is evenly distributed on each foot, your spine is in a neutral position, and your shoulders are back and open.
With your arms extended, hold the dumbbells about 10 centimetres away from your legs; this will activate your abdominal muscles. Begin to walk forward, maintaining a neutral spine and keeping your shoulders up and open.
Walk 10 steps forward, then turn around and walk for 10 more steps.
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Curtsy Lunge With Bicep Curl
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"The curtsy lunge targets your inner thighs as well as your glute medius, a smaller butt muscle that helps stabilise hips to help improve your posture," said trainer Kathy Glabicky, ACE, founder of Tread Tabata. Combining it with bicep curls, which work muscles up and down your arms, ramps up the fat-burning potential of this move.
Start from standing, holding weights at your sides.
Step your right leg diagonally behind you and to the left so your thighs cross, bending both knees as if you were curtsying. Make sure your front knee is aligned with your front ankle.
As you lower into the lunge, lift the weights to your shoulders in a bicep curl.
Return to standing and lower the weights to your sides.
Switch sides to complete one rep.
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Goblet Squat
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Strength and mobility coach Matt Pippin recommended simple full-body movements, like the goblet squat. Reducing the complexity, he told POPSUGAR, lets you keep up the pace of the movement and target as many muscles as possible, therefore increasing fat burn, but without risking injury.
Stand with your feet wider than shoulder width with toes pointed slightly out. Hold your dumbbell at chest level with both hands. Keeping your back flat, push your hips back, bend your knees, and lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor and your elbows touch your knees.
With your weight focussed in your heels, push yourself up to the starting position. This is one rep.
Matt recommended the dumbbell bench press as another solid, simple move that's great for fat loss. You'll engage your core, back, shoulders, and arm muscles to get the most out of this muscle-building move.
Grab a set of dumbbells (4 or 5 kilograms is a great starting place), and sit on a flat workout bench.
With one dumbbell in each hand resting on your thighs, lie back onto the bench.
Hold the dumbbells above your chest, shoulder-width apart, creating a 90-degree angle between your upper arm and forearm. Palms should be facing forward.
Exhale, as you push the dumbbells up, fully extending your arms. Hold for one second.
Inhale, and lower the dumbbells to the sides of your chest with control.
This counts as one rep.
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Deadlift
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Deadlifts are a classic exercise for burning fat and working major muscle groups. Equinox trainer Sylvia Nasser describes this move as "dynamic and explosive," requiring core stability and coordination to engage muscles in your back, core, hamstrings, and glutes.
Stand holding a pair of medium-weight dumbbells in each hand, arms at your sides, with your knees slightly bent.
Keeping your arms straight and knees slightly bent, slowly bend at your hip joint, not your waist, and lower the weights as far as possible without rounding your back, which should remain straight. Looking forward, not at the ground, will help you avoid rounding your back. Keep the weights close to, almost touching, your legs.
Squeeze your glutes to slowly pull yourself up. Don't use your back or round your spine.
