The average person burns around 258-400 calories per hour doing light calisthenics, such as sit-ups and abdominal crunches. When performing intense calisthenics exercises such as pull-ups or jumping jacks, the calorie burn rate climbs to 400-700 calories per hour. Note these are general estimates, and individual results may vary.
Calories Burned with Home Exercises (Weight: 175lbs)
| MET | 15 mins. | 30 mins. | 45 mins. | 60 mins. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abs Exercises | 7 | 146 | 292 | 438 | 583 |
| Burpees | 8 | 167 | 333 | 500 | 667 |
| Jumping Rope | 8.8 | 183 | 367 | 550 | 733 |
| Squats | 5.5 | 115 | 229 | 344 | 458 |
| Jumping Jacks | 7.7 | 160 | 321 | 481 | 642 |
| Sit-Ups | 8 | 167 | 333 | 500 | 667 |
| Lunges | 4 | 83 | 167 | 250 | 333 |
| Kettlebells | 8 | 167 | 333 | 500 | 667 |
| Push-Ups | 3.8 | 79 | 158 | 238 | 317 |
| Rowing | 4.8 | 100 | 200 | 300 | 400 |
| Bridges | 3 | 63 | 125 | 188 | 250 |
| Deadlifting | 6 | 125 | 250 | 375 | 500 |
| Calisthenics - Vigorous | 8 | 167 | 333 | 500 | 667 |
How to Use Calisthenics Calculator
To calculate calories burned from Calisthenics, input two values and select your calisthenics activity. This will show the calories you expended. Here’s the step-by-step process:
- Choose the desired unit of measurement – metric (kilograms) or imperial (pounds)
- Enter your weight
- Choose calisthenics activity, add the number of minutes you spent doing calisthenics
- Hit Calculate
You should now see the approximate number of calories that were burned while doing calisthenics exercises.
How The Calculator Works
Our calculator uses the MET formula to give an approximation of calories burned, excluding factors like age, gender, and muscle mass.
What’s MET?
MET, or metabolic equivalent, represents the ratio between your active and resting metabolic rates (RMR or BMR). In simple terms, RMR is the calories you burn at rest, while your active rate encompasses the day’s activities.
A MET value of one equates to burning calories at your RMR. A MET of 6 signifies burning 6 times your RMR.
The MET formula considers the oxygen muscles use: about 3.5 ml per kilogram of body weight. You can compute this by multiplying your weight in kilograms by 3.5.
How many calories do you burn doing calisthenics?
Formula
Calories burned per minute = (3.5 x MET x bodyweight in kg)/200
Examples
A person weighs 175 pounds (79.38kg) and performs push-ups (a task that has a MET value of 3.3) for 1 hour (60 minutes).
- Calories Burned from Calisthenics (push-ups) (per minute) = (3.3 x 79.38 x 3.5) ÷ 200 = 5.18
- Calories Burned from Calisthenics (push-ups) (for 60 minutes) = 5.18 x 60 = 310.8
MET Values and Caloric Expenditure for Various Calisthenic Exercises:
| Exercise | MET Value | Calories Burned (per hour) |
|---|---|---|
| Sit-ups, light effort | 2.65 | 208.9 |
| Abdominal exercises, light effort | 2.65 | 208.9 |
| Abdominal crunches | 3.1 | 244.2 |
| Pull-ups | 3.1 | 244.2 |
| Push-ups | 3.3 | 259.6 |
| Lunges | 4.1 | 322.6 |
| Vigorous Calisthenics (push ups, sit ups, pull-ups, jumping jacks) | 8 | 663.2 |
Please note that this is a general calculation and actual calories burned can vary based on individual factors.
What is Calisthenics?
Calisthenics, stemming from the Greek words for beauty (kállos) and strength (sthenos), focuses on bodyweight exercises. This training style includes activities like push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, unweighted squats, lunges, and more advanced gymnastic movements such as rope climbing and handstands. Historically popular and widely adopted in military training and among various athletes, especially martial artists, calisthenics offers a versatile approach to fitness.
It can cater to numerous goals like muscle building, strength enhancement, fat burning, and general fitness improvement, accommodating both beginners and seasoned practitioners.
Popular calisthenic exercises include:
- Sit-ups
- Pull-ups
- Push-ups
- Planches and planch push-ups
- Lunges
- Air squats
- Pistols
- Reverse Nordics
- Muscle-ups
- Front and back levers
Benefits
Bodyweight training, or calisthenics, presents a myriad of benefits:
Easy on the Wallet & Super Handy: First off, it’s free! No need to splash out on fancy gym memberships or equipment. And the best part? You can do it just about anywhere – in your living room, backyard, or even a local park.
All-around Workout: It’s like a gym in every move. From your arms to your legs, you’re getting a full-body workout. And the exercises feel natural because they’re based on everyday movements, so you’re gaining useful, practical strength.
Stretch, Move & Strengthen That Core: Calisthenics isn’t just about strength; it’s also about flexibility. Moves like lunges keep those joints happy, and trust me, your core will thank you after those planks and push-ups!
Look Good & Move Better: Who doesn’t want lean muscles and that athletic look? Plus, things like handstands? They’re not just fun; they help with balance and coordination, which comes in handy in more ways than one.
Tailor-made Workouts & Mental Perks: No matter where you’re starting from, there’s a calisthenics exercise for you. And pushing through, especially on those tough days, will not just shape your body but also build a resilient mindset.
Conclusion
Calisthenics provides an effective full-body workout that burns calories and builds functional strength. The multitude of bodyweight exercises like push-ups, pull-ups, crunches, and lunges elevate your heart rate and metabolic level. This leads to increased calorie expenditure.
Calisthenics routines help burn 200-700 calories per hour depending on the exercises and intensity. Factors like body weight, age, gender also impact calories burned. Use a calisthenics calculator to estimate your expenditure for customized routines.
Progressively increase the difficulty and duration of your workout to maximize fat burn. Combine calisthenics with cardio for even greater calorie burn. Develop lean muscle mass through this training to further boost metabolism.
Calisthenics is an affordable way to burn calories, gain strength, and sculpt an athletic physique. The compound moves provide high calorie burn in short durations. So get moving with push-ups, crunches and squats without expensive equipment. Calisthenics offers a fun and effective path to fitness.
More Content on Calisthenics:
- Best Calisthenics Triceps Exercises
- The 11 Best FREE Calisthenics Programs
- The 12 Best Calisthenics Biceps Exercises and Workout
- Hardcore Calisthenics Arm Workout To Build Muscle Mass and Strength
- Calisthenic Shoulder Exercises and Workout
- The Best Calisthenic Leg Workout
- A Routine for Daily Calisthenics Training
- Weighted Calisthenics Best Exercises and Workouts
- Calisthenics Back Workout for Size and Strength
- Savage Calisthenics Abs Workouts For Beast Gains (All Levels)
- Calisthenics Workout Plan: A Beginner’s Guide
References:
- Jetté, M.; Sidney, K.; Blümchen, G. (1990-08). Metabolic equivalents (METS) in exercise testing, exercise prescription, and evaluation of functional capacity. Clinical Cardiology. 13 (8): 555–565. doi:10.1002/clc.4960130809.
- Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Herrmann SD, Meckes N, Bassett Jr DR, Tudor-Locke C, Greer JL, Vezina J, Whitt-Glover MC, Leon AS. The Compendium of Physical Activities Tracking Guide. Healthy Lifestyles Research Center, College of Nursing & Health Innovation, Arizona State University.
- Recommendations on physical activity for health from the Harvard School of Public Health and WHO global recommendations on physical activity for health (updated): https://www.who.int
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