Calories Burned by Exercise Type
Compare calories burned in running, cycling, swimming, yoga, and strength training per hour and per session.
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Calories Burned by Exercise Type Running burns roughly 650 kcal/hour for a 70 kg person; brisk walking burns about 300 kcal/hour. The difference comes down to MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task), a measure of exercise intensity. Every common exercise has an established MET value from the Compendium of Physical Activities, making calorie comparison straightforward. --- See our complete guide to health calculators and the calorie burn calculator guide for the full methodology. What is how calories burned are calculated? Calories burned = MET × weight (kg) × duration (hours) All numbers below assume a 70 kg person. Scale proportionally: a 90 kg person burns 90/70 = 28.6% more; a 55 kg person burns 55/70 = 21.4% less. What is Cardio: Running and Walking? Running is the gold standard for…
Frequently Asked Questions
Which exercise burns the most calories?
Running burns the most calories per hour of any common exercise — approximately 600–900 kcal/hour for a 70 kg person depending on pace. Jump rope, cross-country skiing, and vigorous cycling are comparable. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) can match running's per-hour rate while requiring shorter sessions.
How many calories does 30 minutes of running burn?
Running at 6 mph (10 min/mile pace) has a MET of 9.8 and burns approximately 343 kcal in 30 minutes for a 70 kg person. At a faster 8 mph pace (MET 11.8), that rises to 413 kcal. Running burns roughly 60–70% more calories per hour than brisk walking at the same distance.
Does muscle building increase calorie burn?
Yes, but less than commonly claimed. Each kilogram of muscle burns approximately 13 kcal/day at rest, compared to 4.5 kcal/day for fat tissue. Adding 5 kg of muscle (a significant achievement) increases resting metabolism by about 40–50 kcal/day. The main calorie benefit of strength training comes from the workout itself and post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC).
How do I calculate calories burned swimming?
Swimming calories depend on stroke and intensity. Freestyle swimming at moderate pace has a MET of 5.8; vigorous freestyle is 9.8. For a 70 kg person: moderate swimming for 30 min = 5.8 × 70 × 0.5 = 203 kcal; vigorous for 30 min = 343 kcal. Breaststroke (MET 5.3) burns slightly less; butterfly (MET 13.8) burns significantly more.
Is HIIT more effective for calorie burn?
HIIT burns more calories per minute than steady-state cardio during the session, and creates a larger post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) effect — sometimes called 'afterburn.' However, the EPOC from HIIT is often overstated. Most studies find EPOC adds 10–25% extra calories above the workout itself, not the 24-hour calorie bonanza sometimes claimed.
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