10 Underrated Workouts That Deliver Fast Results

While popular fitness trends dominate gyms and social feeds, many effective routines remain under the radar—yet these hidden gems can accelerate your progress more than you might expect. By looking beyond mainstream workouts, you open the door to fresh challenges, faster gains, and renewed motivation. In this article, we’ll shine a spotlight on overlooked exercises that deliver real results, backed by science and trainers alike.

1. Kettlebell Swings

Kettlebell swings are a dynamic, compound exercise that targets your glutes, hamstrings, core, and shoulders while rapidly elevating your heart rate. Unlike traditional cardio, such as running, kettlebell swings simultaneously build strength and endurance, providing a calorie-burning effect similar to high-intensity interval training.

Compared to conventional weight lifting, they recruit multiple muscle groups in a single, explosive motion. Fitness experts frequently recommend kettlebell swings for their efficiency and versatility. Discover more about their benefits from the American Council on Exercise.

2. Battle Ropes

Battle ropes provide a powerful, high-intensity workout that is surprisingly gentle on the joints. By incorporating rapid, rhythmic waves and slams, they engage your arms, shoulders, core, and legs, delivering both strength and cardiovascular benefits.

Studies show that just 10 minutes of battle rope intervals can burn as many calories as running on a treadmill, but with less impact on knees and ankles. This makes battle ropes an excellent choice for building muscle and torching fat efficiently. For more details, see the research from The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.

3. Stair Climbing

Stair climbing, whether on a gym step machine or outdoor stairway, delivers impressive cardiovascular and lower-body conditioning. This simple yet challenging activity targets the glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves, while also providing a vigorous aerobic workout.

Research has demonstrated that regular stair climbing can quickly increase aerobic capacity and significantly improve muscle tone in the legs. Even short stair sessions yield measurable fitness gains, making it an efficient option for busy schedules. For more on its benefits, explore findings from The National Institutes of Health.

4. Farmer’s Walk

The farmer’s walk, which involves carrying heavy weights in each hand while walking a set distance, is a powerhouse for building functional strength and core stability. Unlike isolated weight training exercises, this movement engages multiple muscle groups simultaneously—grip, shoulders, back, legs, and especially your core.

It mimics real-life lifting and carrying tasks, making it highly practical. For best results, keep your posture tall and walk with controlled, purposeful steps. Experts recommend starting with lighter weights and gradually increasing the load. Learn more performance tips from Men’s Health.

5. Rowing Machine Intervals

Rowing machine intervals are a potent way to burn calories rapidly while engaging nearly every major muscle group, including the legs, back, core, and arms. Compared to running or cycling, rowing delivers a low-impact, full-body workout with significant cardiovascular and strength benefits.

Intervals—alternating bursts of high intensity with recovery—can amplify calorie burn and deliver a powerful metabolic boost. Studies highlight rowing’s ability to elevate post-exercise oxygen consumption, leading to faster fat loss. Discover more about rowing’s metabolic effects in this research article from the NIH.

6. Mountain Climbers

Mountain climbers are a fast-paced, bodyweight exercise that delivers rapid calorie burn while intensely activating the core. Unlike static planks, mountain climbers add a cardio component, increasing heart rate and calorie expenditure in a short period.

Compared to burpees, they offer similar metabolic benefits but with less impact on the joints. This move also strengthens shoulders, chest, and legs, making it a full-body challenge. Mountain climbers are regularly featured in high-intensity workout routines for their efficiency. For more information, check out SELF’s guide to mountain climbers.

7. Jump Rope

Jump rope workouts are an excellent way to boost cardiovascular health, improve coordination, and burn calories quickly. Compared to jogging, jumping rope can burn more calories per minute and also requires greater agility and balance.

This simple but effective exercise is a favorite among boxers and other athletes for its ability to provide rapid conditioning and enhance footwork. Jump rope routines can be easily tailored to any fitness level and require minimal equipment. To learn more about the benefits and techniques, visit Shape’s jump rope guide.

8. Resistance Band Training

Resistance band training offers a versatile, joint-friendly approach to building strength and enhancing flexibility. Unlike free weights, bands provide constant tension throughout each movement, reducing stress on the joints while engaging stabilizing muscles.

This makes them ideal for injury prevention and rehabilitation, as well as for adding variety to traditional routines. Research has shown that resistance bands can be just as effective as free weights for increasing muscle strength and size. For a deeper dive into their benefits and supporting studies, visit this NIH research article.

9. Sled Pushes

Sled pushes are an explosive workout that builds power, endurance, and engages nearly every muscle group, from your legs and core to your upper body. Unlike sprinting, sled work adds resistance for greater muscle activation, and compared to traditional weightlifting, it offers a dynamic, functional movement pattern.

Sled pushes are low-impact, making them suitable for most fitness levels. For safe progression, start with lighter loads and increase the weight as your strength and form improve. For more details and training tips, explore Stack’s guide to sled push benefits.

10. Shadow Boxing

Shadow boxing is a dynamic, high-intensity workout that sharpens agility, speed, and cardiovascular fitness, yet is often overlooked outside combat sports. Unlike traditional aerobics, shadow boxing requires quick footwork, rapid hand movements, and constant core engagement, making it a full-body challenge.

It’s an excellent way to burn calories, improve coordination, and relieve stress, all without any equipment. Athletes use it to refine technique and boost conditioning, but anyone can benefit from its fast-paced nature. For tips on getting started, visit Boxrox’s training insights.

Conclusion

Exploring underrated workouts can transform your fitness journey, offering efficient, full-body results that traditional routines might miss. Integrating these lesser-known exercises adds variety, prevents plateaus, and often makes training more enjoyable and sustainable.

Whether your goal is strength, endurance, or agility, these options provide rapid, noticeable improvements. Embrace new challenges for faster progress and renewed motivation. For more inspiration and expert advice on diversifying your workouts, visit Men’s Journal’s recommended exercises.