Squat Thrusts for Weight Loss

Exercise works threefold to control your weight as it prevents weight gain, promotes weight-loss and helps you maintain your weight once you've reached your goal. Exercises that are particularly demanding, like the squat thrust, burn more calories than some others. When you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose weight. You can increase the intensity of the squat thrust and burn even more calories when you perform different variations of it.

  1. Basic Squat Thrust

    • Try jumping each leg back one at a time to perform a runner's squat thrust.

      The squat thrust works your legs, hips, rear end, core and upper body. It is an intense full body exercise you can perform to burn calories and lose weight. To properly perform a squat thrust, bend your knees and place both hands on the ground. Extend your legs by jumping them back into a plank position. Jump them back in and then return to standing. Complete five sets, with 15 to 20 repetitions in each set. Walk in between sets to catch your breath if necessary.

    Weighted Squat Thrust

    • By adding weights to the exercise, you will not only challenge yourself more, you will also build more strength and burn more calories. Use dumbbells weighing three to 12 pounds, depending on your size and level of strength. Perform the basic squat holding the dumbbells throughout the entire exercise sequence. When you return to standing, add a basic shoulder press by bending through your elbows and pressing the weights over your head. Bend your elbows to return the weights to your sides before you start your next repetition.

    Burpee

    • Plyometrics is any form of exercise that involves an element of jumping.

      With a simple tweak, you can transform a basic squat into an explosive exercise called a burpee. Burpees and squat thrusts are sometimes confused. Instead of simply standing to complete a squat thrust, jump straight up and extend your arms over head. You will burn serious calories with this vigorous variation.

    Advanced Squat Thrust

    • Make squat thrusts part of a timed interval training session by doing a minute of three different exercises and repeating the sequence 10 times.

      As soon as you extend your legs during any of the squat variations, do a single push-up before jumping your legs back in. This requires more work from more muscles and therefore burns more calories and builds more muscle mass. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn even while at rest.