Why do we need strength training to keep fit efficiently? Muscle doesn't burn fat directly, but having more muscle mass means you burn more calories at the same body weight than if you had less muscle mass. Muscle is metabolically active tissue that requires energy to maintain, whereas fat tissue is not. Building muscle by strength training increases your calorie burn to help you burn fat. https://www.verywellfit.com/how-many-calories-does-muscle-really-burn-1231074