This Is How Many Calories You Really Burn at Your Favorite Fitness Classes

Whether it's kickboxing or Zumba, fitness classes are fun breaks from your normal workout routine that prove just as effective. Of course, everyone’s body is different, but we do have a rough estimate of just how many calories an average person will burn during one of these workouts.

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Circuit training

Circuit training offers a great way to mix both strength and cardio exercises by making participants rotate frequently between exercises. With this fast-paced workout, you can expect to burn up to 10 calories per minute; that’s close to 600 calories per hour! If you’re new to strength training, these are the physical and emotional changes you can expect.

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Kickboxing

Kickboxing requires you to use every muscle in your body, from your legs and glutes to your shoulders and back. (Add these foods to build even more muscle!) Most people can expect to burn 350-450 calories during an hour of cardio kickboxing, according to the American Council on Exercise.

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Barre + cardio fusion classes

Inspired by traditional ballet moves, you can burn 300-400 calories at barre classes. There are official barre studios that offer classes, or else you can check out DVDs to learn the moves. If you like it, you may be interested in more new fitness trends popping up in gyms and studios across the country.

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Bikram yoga

Yoga has many health benefits, including stress management. Often referred to as “hot yoga,” Bikram yoga takes place in a room that’s heated to about 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Using 26 different poses, this is considered to be the most challenging form of yoga. However, it doesn’t burn as many calories as once thought: about 330 for women and 460 for men after a 90-minute session, according to a study by Brian Tracy, a professor from Colorado State University.

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Piloxing

You could torch up to 900 calories an hour doing this workout that combines boxing with Pilates, so you get the benefits of both exercises in one workout. It elongates your frame while adding the benefits of cardio exercise. Plus, did you know Pilates also helps relieve back pain? Bonus!

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Zumba

If you’re constantly tapping your toes whether there’s music or not, Zumba is your workout. Like other dance-inspired workouts, you’ll probably forget you’re even exercising and just focus on moving and grooving with your classmates. Dancers can expect to burn about 500 calories in a typical session.

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Pound

Another great option for music lovers, Pound is a group fitness class that adds drumming (using drumstick-like instruments called Ripstix) to traditional cardio and strength moves. Its constant movement burns between 500 and 900 calories per session while working infrequently used muscles. Remember: Avoid these group fitness class mistakes for the best experience.

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Spinning

Fun fact: Spinning, or any form of indoor cycling, can burn more calories than running. With your legs and heart pumping, you could burn up to 600 calories per session—all while enjoying a fun atmosphere. Some classes have fun disco or pop music; others bring the outdoors indoors so it feels like you’re biking through valleys and hills. Try a few types to see what motivates you most. You might find yourself investing in your own spin shoes for indoor cycling in no time.

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Rowing

Row, row, row your fake boat and torch serious calories. While you can tone and strengthen upper body muscles with resistance band rowing exercises, the rowing machine is where it’s at. The exact number of calories burned on a rowing machine differ greatly based on your weight, but you can burn 500-800 calories per hour. And no, that’s not a dream. Check out the best home rowing machines to start hitting your fitness goals.

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Pole workouts

Pole dancing has a risqué stereotype, but it’s slowly being recognized as a legit workout routine that strengthens muscles and improves flexibility. It burns 250-350 calories, but in more advanced classes, you could burn almost 300 additional calories.

For more tips on workouts that actually work, check out the workouts that burn the most calories, according to science.