group experienced significantly higher EPOC in the first 60 minutes post-exercise
A muscular man with flames around him using a treadmill in a gym during sunset.
A woman lifting a barbell in a gym, surrounded by other people exercising and gym equipment, with sunlight coming through windows and a motivational poster on the wall.

What does the research say ?

The following breakdown highlights the specific research papers and clinical trials from 2024 and 2025 that support the shift in understanding EPOC.

1. Calisthenics vs. Steady-State Cardio

The Study: "Greater Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption and Fat Use Following Calisthenics vs. Oxygen Consumption Matched Steady-State Exercise" Published: Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, October 2024 The Findings:

  • Protocol: Researchers compared a full-body calisthenics routine (circuit style) against treadmill running. Both sessions were matched for total oxygen consumption during the workout (meaning participants did the same "work").

  • Result: Despite burning the same calories during the workout, the calisthenics group experienced significantly higher EPOC in the first 60 minutes post-exercise.

  • Fat Oxidation: Crucially, the calisthenics group utilized a higher percentage of fat as fuel during the recovery period compared to the runners, confirming that bodyweight strength training creates a unique metabolic disturbance that steady-state cardio does not.

2. HIIT vs. Moderate Cardio (Isocaloric Comparison)

The Study: "Isocaloric High-Intensity Interval and Circuit Training Increases EPOC and Lipid Oxidation Compared to Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training" Published: MDPI / Sports, October 2025 The Findings:

  • Protocol: This study strictly controlled for energy expenditure, ensuring the HIIT group and the Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training (MICT) group burned the exact same number of calories during the session.

  • Result: The HIIT and High-Intensity Circuit Training groups showed significantly higher EPOC values (approx. 319–329 mL of extra oxygen) compared to the MICT group (approx. 168 mL).

  • Key Takeaway: Even when you do "less" work time-wise, if the intensity is high enough to match the calorie burn of a longer jog, the afterburn effect is nearly double that of the steady-state session.

3. The "Weight Loss" Reality Check

The Study: "The Contribution of EPOC to Long-Term Energy Balance in Obese Individuals" Published: ResearchGate / Clinical Review, October 2025 The Findings:

  • Reality of Calories: This review analyzed multiple trials to quantify exactly how much EPOC contributes to weight loss. It reinforced the consensus that EPOC contributes up to 15% of total net energy expenditure.

  • The "Cumulative" Argument: The authors describe the cumulative effect over months of consistent high-intensity training aids in long-term weight maintenance.

  • Metabolic Flexibility: The primary benefit identified was not just calorie burning, but substrate shifting—training the body to switch more efficiently between burning carbs (during high intensity) and fat (during recovery).

4. Resistance Training & Metabolic Rate

The Study: "Post-exercise metabolic response to kettlebell complexes vs. high intensity functional training" Published: Scientific Reports, August 2024 The Findings:

  • Comparison: Compared Kettlebell complexes (ballistic resistance training) vs. High-Intensity Functional Training (HIFT).

  • Result: Both modalities elicited a sustained elevation in VO2 (oxygen consumption) for up to 60 minutes post-exercise.

  • Magnitude: The study quantified the "bonus" burn at approximately 55 extra calories for the hour post-exercise. This confirms that resistance-based metabolic conditioning provides a statistically significant "afterburn" effectively equal to pure sprinting protocols.