How to Burn More Calories in Less Time

The secret to incredible calorie burn while sculpting lean, functional muscle? You have to be ready to leave your old sets and reps routine in the dust. This fat-fighting workout from Cari Shoemate, creator of the popular Bombshell Bootcamp in Houston, TX, incorporates intervals that are split 50/50 between dynamic strength moves and brief treadmill sprints, and is designed to keep your muscles screaming for the exit. “This workout incorporates moves both for girls who love to lift and those who love cardio,” says Shoemate. “It keeps things moving at such a fast pace that you’ll be done before you know it, while torching a ton of calories.” 

Active-recovery strength moves balance out body parts so you’re firing up one area while another recovers. To make things harder, use a heavier weight or increase your running speed or reduce rest between sets. The entire workout—modeled by IFBB Bikini Pro Tawna Eubanks—will take about an hour to hit every major muscle while clearing out your cardio for the day. 

SEE ALSO: Kick Up Your Fat Burn with This Workout

Warm up for 5–10 minutes with a brisk walk or jog on the treadmill, then do the following seven sets in order:

Set 1

•  Weighted plyo lunge with twist: 1 min. 
•  Treadmill sprint: 15% incline, 1 min.   

Do this twice. 

Active recovery: Chest press: 1 set, 10–15 reps

Set 2

•  Weighted jump squat with shoulder press: 90 sec.  
•  Treadmill run: medium/fast pace at 10% incline, 90 sec.  

Do this twice. 

Active recovery: Chest flye: 1 set, 10–15 reps 

Set 3

•  One-arm kettlebell swing*: 1 min.     
•  Treadmill sprint: 5% incline, 1 min.  

Do this twice.

*Switch arms with second set.

Active recovery: Forearm plank: 1 min. 

Set 4

•  Double burpee: 90 sec.  
•  Treadmill sprint: 7% incline, 90 sec. 

Do this twice. 

Active recovery: Overhead triceps extension: 1 set, 10–15 reps 

Set 5

• Squat jack with lat pulldown: 60 sec.   
•  Treadmill run: medium/fast pace at 15% incline, 1 min. 

Do this twice.

Active recovery: Triceps pushup with plank row: 1 set, 10–15 reps

Set 6

•  Spider pushup: 1 min.    
•  Treadmill sprint: 10% incline, 1 min. 

Do this twice.

Active recovery: Weighted V-up: 1 set, 10–15 reps

Set 7

•  Narrow squat walk with hammer curl: 2 min. 
•  Treadmill run: medium/fast pace at 12% incline, 2 min. 

Do this twice. 

Active recovery: Biceps curl: 1 set, 10–15 reps

•  Hold a medicine ball or dumbbell with both hands. Step left leg back into a reverse lunge, bringing medicine ball near the outside of right leg.
•  Explosively jump up, bringing ball overhead, and switch legs midair so your left foot lands in front. Lower ball to the outside of left leg. Repeat, switching legs. Continue, alternating sides for a total of one minute.

•  Hold an 8- to 10-lb dumbbell parallel to the floor with both hands, arms straight. Starting from hips, lower into a squat, bringing dumbbell just inches above the floor, keeping chest up and shoulders back. 
•  Explosively return to standing, bringing weight to chest with arms bent.
•  Jump up, and press weight overhead. 
•  Bend your knees to land softly and immediately lower into the next squat. Do this as one swift movement, moving weight down to chest and then up overhead (1–2–3). Repeat for 90 seconds.

• Stand tall holding a kettlebell with an overhand grip in front of you in right hand, arm straight at waist height, and feet slightly wider than shoulder-width. Squat down, swinging kettlebell between legs.
•  Keeping arm straight, thrust hips forward, straighten knees, and swing kettlebell up to shoulder height as you rise to a standing position. Repeat for one minute; switch arms on second set.   

• Stand tall with arms at sides. Squat down, placing hands on floor.
•  Jump feet back, landing in a full pushup position. Do 2 pushups.
•  Jump feet back into a squat, then jump up 2 times, slapping knees with hands each time. 
•  Continue immediately into next double burpee; repeat for 90 seconds.  

• Stand holding a weight or medicine ball in both hands in front of legs, arms extended, elbows slightly bent.
•  Quickly jump feet out like in a jumping jack; landing in a soft squat with toes pointed forward; at the same time, lift weight overhead, keeping biceps near ears.
•  As you jump feet back in, lower the weight down in front of you to hip-height, keeping arms slightly bent. Return to starting position and repeat quickly for one minute. 

•  Begin in a full pushup position, hands on the floor under shoulders, and legs extended behind you, abs tight.  
•  Bend elbows to lower chest toward floor, jumping both feet out wide to side as you come down. Push off to floor to return to starting position, jumping feet back together. Continue for one minute. 

Tip: Push off the floor explosively as you jump legs together and apart to maximize your power. 

• Stand with feet a few inches apart holding weights in both hands with arms at sides. Squat down, bringing weights toward shoulders while keeping arms close to body.
•  Staying in squat, step right foot out to right side, lowering both weights. Then step right foot back to center, curling weights toward shoulder (hammer curl).
•  Repeat on opposite side, stepping out to left side and back to center while doing a hammer curl. Repeat for two minutes. If arms start to fatigue, just hold the weights and do a squat walk.