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So, you want to know what the best weightlifting exercises for weight loss are? Well, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will discuss how you can lose weight quickly through the use of weightlifting exercises.
Table Of Contents
The Best Weightlifting Exercises for Weight Loss
When people think about weightlifting, they typically think of someone with huge muscles who is extremely strong - however, this is not always the case. In fact, weightlifting is also extremely effective at torching calories and burning off any unwanted excess fat on the body. So what are these great weightlifting exercises that you can utilise in order to quickly shed those pounds?
Deadlifts
First of all, deadlifts are a great weightlifting exercise that will help you burn a lot of calories fast. Deadlifts are a compound exercise, meaning they engage multiple muscle groups at the same time. For deadlifts, in particular, they target the glutes, hamstrings, core, back, and trapezius muscle (traps). Due to working so many muscle groups, deadlifts can burn a tremendous amount of calories at one time.
But how many reps should you do? How much weight should you be lifting? If your main goal is to lose weight, studies say that you have 2 options: heavy weight with lower reps (6-12 reps per set) or lighter weight with a higher volume of reps (15-20 reps per set). Another study has found that doing deadlifts that are up to 50% of your 1 rep max is much better for losing weight than doing a heavy deadlift. For example, if your 1 rep max is 100lbs, then you should do anything up to 50lbs and complete the recommended amount of reps (15-20 reps).
How To Perform Deadlifts:
Stand with your mid-foot under the barbell
Bend over and grab the bar with a shoulder-width grip
Bend your knees until your shins touch the bar
Lift your chest up and straighten your lower back
Take a big breath, hold it, and stand up with the weight
Hold the weight for a second at the top before slowly lowering it back down to the floor.
Learn how to do deadlifts in more detail here.
You can also check out our other articles about deadlifts below:
Barbell Squat
Secondly, the barbell squat is an excellent weightlifting exercise for quickly burning calories and losing some weight. Similarly to deadlifts, barbell squats are a compound exercise, meaning they focus on multiple muscle groups at once. These muscle groups include the glutes, quads, hamstrings, adductors, hip flexors, calves and core muscles. Because of their ability to work so many muscle groups at once, barbell squats are an exceptional exercise for someone who is looking to lose weight fast.
If you want to lose weight with barbell squats, a study recommends that you choose a weight that is 50-60% of your 1 rep max. For example, if your 1 rep max on squats is 100lbs, then you should be doing 50-60lbs on each rep. The same study also suggests that you perform 6 sets with 5 reps per set if you want to burn as many calories as possible.
How To Perform Barbell Squats:
Set up a barbell to the appropriate height in the squat rack according to your height
While facing the barbell, step underneath the barbell and place your hands on both sides of it
Unrack the barbell, and step backwards until you’re a few inches away from the barbell rack
Keep your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart and a slight bend in your knees
Rotate your shoulders outward to engage your lats and upper back.
Engage your core and begin the downward movement by bending your hips, knees, and ankles
Lower until your legs are parallel or slightly below parallel to the floor
Pause for a second at the bottom of the movement then bring the weight back up to the starting position.
Learn how to do barbell squats in more detail here.
You can also check out our other articles about barbell squats below:
Bench Press
Thirdly, the bench press - one of the most popular gym exercises of all time - is an extraordinary exercise that will help you burn a tonne of calories rapidly. In similar fashion to the deadlift and the barbell squat, the bench press is a compound exercise, therefore working multiple muscle groups at the same time. Consequently, you'll incinerate a load of calories very fast, which will aid you in your weight loss journey.
In terms of reps and sets, studies suggest that you should aim to complete 3 sets with 10-12 reps per set if you want to see the best weight loss results. It is also recommended that you take a 3-minute break in between each set in order to allow your muscles to adequately recover so you can put in more effort on the next set, which would help you burn more calories. Personally, I would recommend that you lift 50-60% of your 1 rep max when it comes to bench pressing for weight loss. For example, if you could bench 100lbs for 1 rep, then you should bench 50-60lbs for 10-12 reps if you want to lose weight effectively.
How To Perform the Bench Press:
Lie on your back on a flat bench. Grip a barbell with hands slightly wider than shoulder width. The bar should be directly over the shoulders
Press your feet firmly into the ground and keep your hips on the bench throughout the entire movement
Keep your core engaged and maintain a neutral spine position throughout the movement. Avoid arching your back
Slowly lift the bar or dumbbells off the rack, if using. Lower the bar to the chest, about nipple level, allowing elbows to bend out to the side, about 45 degrees away from the body.
Stop lowering when your elbows are just below the bench. Press feet into the floor as you push the bar back up to return to starting position.
Learn how to do the bench press in more detail here.
You can also check out our other articles about the bench press below:
Bent-Over Row
Not only are bent-over rows great at burning fat and torching those calories, but they're also excellent at reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease or arthritis. What makes bent-over rows so good at burning calories is, similarly to the previous 3 exercises, that it is a compound exercise, meaning they work multiple muscle groups at once. Bent-over rows target the latissimus dorsi (lats), the middle and lower trapezius muscle (traps), the rhomboids, and the posterior deltoids.
Now how many reps should you be doing when it comes to losing weight with bent-over rows? Studies recommend that you aim to complete anywhere between 6-30 reps per set if your goal is to achieve weight loss with this exercise. Experts from the PeakFitness team can add to this and suggest that you aim to do 3 sets of this exercise with a 3-minute break in between each set as this allows your muscles to fully prepare themselves for the next set, allowing you to work with more effort, therefore, burning more calories.
How To Perform Bent-Over Rows:
Grab a barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart
With your legs slightly bent, lock your core, keep your back straight and send your hips behind your heels so that your torso is almost perpendicular to the floor
Row the weight upwards in an arc shape towards your hips
Pause and squeeze the shoulder blades together for a beat whilst keeping the shoulders away from the ears
Slowly reverse the rep back to the beginning position
Learn how to do bent-over rows in more detail here.
You can also check out our other articles about bent-over rows below:
Kettlebell Swings
Kettlebell swings are a popular gym exercise, particularly in the world of CrossFit which is known for its ability to rapidly burn a tonnne of calories. Just like all of the previous weightlifting exercises mentioned, kettlebell swings are a compound exercise that works multiple muscle groups at once. They work the glutes, hamstrings, quads, core and shoulders. Due to working so many different muscles at one time, kettlebell swings are the perfect exercise for anyone who is trying to lose weight fast.
When performing kettlebell swings with the intention of losing weight, studies suggest you should aim to complete at least 50-100 reps in 10 minutes. If you really want to push yourself with this exercise, you could do anything up to 300 reps within this 10-minute time period. This would torch so many calories in your body you may even begin to notice a reduction in weight immediately!
How To Perform Kettlebell Swings:
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart while holding a kettlebell with both hands (palms facing toward you) and arms straight down
Inhale and push your hips back (hinge your hips) and slightly bend your knees to bring the kettlebell between your legs. Be sure to keep your back straight and engage your core
Exhale, contract your glutes and push your hips forward to lift your body into a standing position. Allow your arms to swing the kettlebell as far as it will naturally go. Shoulder height or parallel to the ground is your goal, although you do not want to use arm strength to raise the kettlebell. It may take a few swings to find your rhythm and maximize the lift
Inhale and lower the kettlebell between your legs by pushing your hips back and slightly bending your knees.
The Overhead Press
The overhead press, typically done for muscle gain, is an exceptional exercise that is great for losing weight. This is because, again, like every single exercise we have previously mentioned, the overhead press is a compound exercise, meaning it targets multiple muscle groups in one movement. The muscles worked during the overhead press are the chest, shoulders, triceps and traps. As a result of this exercise working so many muscle groups at once, it makes this a great workout for incinerating calories fast and aiding you in your weight loss journey.
When trying to lose weight with the overhead press, studies say you should aim to complete 3 sets, doing 10-12 reps per set. In terms of how much weight you should be using for this exercise, you should be using enough so you can only just complete the rep range of 10-12 reps. Also, it is suggested that you take a 3-4 minute rest in between each set to allow your muscle to recover properly so that you can work harder in the next set, which would result in a higher calorie burn.
How To Perform The Overhead Press:
Stand with the bar on your front shoulders. Narrow grip, straight wrists, vertical forearms. Lock your knees and hips
Raise your chest towards the ceiling by arching your upper back. Try to touch your chin with your upper chest
Take a big breath, hold it, and press the bar in a vertical line. Don’t press it in front or behind your head. Press it over your head
Stay close to the bar while you press the weight up. Shift your torso forward once the bar has passed your forehead
Hold the bar over your shoulders and mid-foot for proper balance. Lock your elbows. Shrug your shoulders to the ceiling.
Learn to do the overhead press in more detail here.
You can also check out our other articles about the overhead press below:
Summary
In this article, we have discussed what the top 6 weightlifting exercise are for rapidly shedding some pounds and losing weight. These weight loss exercises were:
I hope you have found the information in this article useful and I hope any questions you had have been answered. Thank you for reading, please come back soon.
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