Fitness Volt
  • News
    • Bodybuilding
    • Strongman
    • Powerlifting
    • Armwrestling
    • CrossFit
    • Results
    • Arnold Classic
    • Mr. Olympia
    • 2025 WSM
  • Workouts
    • Training
    • Workout Plans
    • Celebrity Workouts
    • Training Programs
    • Mastering The Deadlift
  • Exercise Guides
    • Muscle Groups
    • Arms
    • Back
    • Chest
    • Core
    • Legs and Glutes
    • Mobility & Stretching
    • Shoulders
    • Yoga
  • Nutrition
    • Diet
    • Fasting
    • Diet Plans
    • Nutrition Tips
    • Supplements
    • Reviews
    • Food Facts
  • Calculators
  • More
    • Forum
    • Strength Standards
    • DIY
    • Profiles
    • Motivation
    • Videos
    • MMA
No Result
View All Result
Fitness Volt
  • News
    • Bodybuilding
    • Strongman
    • Powerlifting
    • Armwrestling
    • CrossFit
    • Results
    • Arnold Classic
    • Mr. Olympia
    • 2025 WSM
  • Workouts
    • Training
    • Workout Plans
    • Celebrity Workouts
    • Training Programs
    • Mastering The Deadlift
  • Exercise Guides
    • Muscle Groups
    • Arms
    • Back
    • Chest
    • Core
    • Legs and Glutes
    • Mobility & Stretching
    • Shoulders
    • Yoga
  • Nutrition
    • Diet
    • Fasting
    • Diet Plans
    • Nutrition Tips
    • Supplements
    • Reviews
    • Food Facts
  • Calculators
  • More
    • Forum
    • Strength Standards
    • DIY
    • Profiles
    • Motivation
    • Videos
    • MMA
No Result
View All Result
Fitness Volt
No Result
View All Result
Home » Fitness Calculator
Fact Checked
Fact Checked
This article was written by one of our team of experienced writers, and fact-checked by our experts or our editors. The numbers in parentheses (e.g., 1, 2, 3, etc.) throughout the article are reference links to peer-reviewed studies.
Our team of experts includes a board-certified physician, nutritionists, dietitians, certified personal trainers, strength training experts, and exercise specialists.
Read Our Editorial Process

How Many Calories Do You Burn Doing Crunches?

Are crunches still the king of ab exercises? Read on to find out.

Written by Scott Leventon

Updated by: Tom Miller, CSCS

Last Updated on18 February, 2023 | 1:32 PM EDT

Ask Question?

Calories Burned Doing Crunches

Depending on your weight and exercise intensity, you’ll burn about 4.4 calories for each minute you do crunches, which equates to about 264 calories per hour. The best part about doing crunches is that you can do a lot within one set and burn plenty more calories each minute.

Weight in Pound
  • Minutes
  • Minutes

Calculating result please wait..

If you would like to use this calculator on your website or blog you can simply embedded this calculator in one click. Use the below "Generate Code" tool to get the embedded code.

Copy the below code and paste it in your web page in HTML format anywhere between <body> start and </body> end tag.


Calories Burned with Ab Exercises (weight: 170 lbs)

Exercises MET 30 min. 60 min.
Ab Exercises 7 283 567
Abdominal Roll Wheel 4 162 324
Bicycle Crunches 2.9 117 235
Crunches 2.8 113 227
Hanging Knee Tucks 3.2 130 259
Reverse Crunches 3 122 243
Side Crunches 2.9 177 235
Side Plank 5 202 405
Burpees 8 324 648
Bridges 6 243 486

How the Calculator Works

To figure out how many calories you’ll burn from doing crunches, you’ll want to use this calculator since it incorporates MET values to give you an accurate amount of how many calories you’ll burn.

What is a MET Value?

MET stands for metabolic equivalent of task, and MET values allow us to give you an estimated expenditure of energy for many different activities, such as doing crunches at the gym or at home.

A MET value is a ratio between the working metabolic rate and the resting metabolic rate [1], which is the rate of energy that is used relative to the duration of time spent doing activities such as crunches.

If an activity has a MET value of 1, this means that the activity burns the same amount of calories as you would when you’re at rest.

Almost all activities that you can think of have MET values assigned to them. Check out our other articles on activities like hunting, football, and burpees to compare the MET values of different activities.

Get Fitter, Faster

Level Up Your Fitness: Join our 💪 strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter. Get daily inspiration, expert-backed workouts, nutrition tips, the latest in strength sports, and the support you need to reach your goals. Subscribe for free!

Please wait...
You're In! Let's Crush Your Fitness Goals Together

Expect expert-backed workouts, nutrition advice, the latest in strength sports, and a whole lot of motivation heading your way.

Formula

The formula that our crunches calculator uses to determine the number of calories burned per minute is (body weight in Kg x MET x 3.5) ÷ 200.

Examples

A person weighing 200 pounds will burn approximately 264 calories per hour from doing crunches. This activity has a MET of 2.8, which means that it burns 2.8 times as many calories compared to being at rest.

This is what the formula for calculating the calories burned while doing crunches will look like for a 200-pound individual at a MET value of 2.8.

  • Calories burned (per minute) = (body weight in kg x MET x 3.5) ÷ 200
  • Calories burned (per minute) = ( 90.7 x 2.8 x 3.5 ) ÷ 200
  • Calories burned (per minute) = 4.4 calories x 60
  • Calories burned (per hour) = 264 calories per hour
Calorie Burning in Sports
Calorie Burning
Target Heart Rate
Target Heart Rate
Daily Calorie Needs
Daily Calorie Needs
Calculate BMI
Calculate BMI
Calculate TDEE
TDEE Calculator
Daily Calorie Needs
Macronutrient
Calorie Deficit Calculator
Calorie Deficit
Calculate BMI
Body Type Quiz

How to do Crunches

Crunches may seem like a very easy exercise to do, but it can often be difficult to get the correct form down and perfect your breathing technique at the same time. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to crunches:

  1. Lie down on your back. Plant your feet on the floor, hip-width apart. Bend your knees and place your arms across your chest. Contract your abs and inhale.
  2. Exhale and lift your upper body, keeping your head and neck relaxed.
  3. Inhale and return to the starting position.

Safety Tips

  • You should always be mindful that you’re using your core to raise your upper body. If the primary movement comes from your head or neck, you’ll likely strain these muscles and increase the risk of injury.
  • Make sure that you do crunches in a slow and controlled motion. Doing crunches with rapid movement doesn’t engage the right muscles and you won’t get the benefits that come with doing crunches the right way.
  • Placing your hands behind your head can also lead to straining the neck. We recommend placing your hands on your chest, but you can try with your hands behind your head after you’ve mastered the basic crunch.
How To Do Crunches
Doing Crunches

Pros and Cons of Crunches

As with any exercise, there are going to be benefits and some potential drawbacks and things that you should be aware of before working the exercise into your routine. Below are the pros and cons of doing crunches:

The Pros

The primary benefit of crunches is that it isolates the abs and almost exclusively works this entire muscle group. If you’re trying to tone your abs and see some definition this summer, crunches will be a great way to reach those goals.

Crunches can also be done without virtually any gym equipment. You can do crunches in the gym, at home, outside, and pretty much anywhere. You can opt for a mat to lay on if you want to take it easy on your back when doing crunches.

Crunches are also very beginner-friendly and easy to learn. Follow the step-by-step instructions we laid out above and you should be on your way to learning crunches and being able to add them into your workout routine.

The Cons

While there are plenty of good reasons to do crunches, there are also some downsides that you should be aware of before you go do hundreds of crunches each day.

The biggest con of crunches is that the exercise only targets the abs. The standard crunch doesn’t engage the obliques or other core muscles very well, so it’s not an ideal exercise if you’re looking to strengthen your entire core.

The best way around this is to work in some of the crunch variations that we will talk about later in this article.

Get Fitter, Faster

Level Up Your Fitness: Join our 💪 strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter. Get daily inspiration, expert-backed workouts, nutrition tips, the latest in strength sports, and the support you need to reach your goals. Subscribe for free!

Please wait...
You're In! Let's Crush Your Fitness Goals Together

Expect expert-backed workouts, nutrition advice, the latest in strength sports, and a whole lot of motivation heading your way.

Believe it or not, crunches pose a risk of injury if you don’t perform them with the right form. The most common injuries are to the neck and back since your spine flexes when doing crunches and puts strain on these areas.

Crunch Alternatives

If crunches aren’t your favorite exercise or you find that you strain your neck and back while doing them, there are other alternatives to crunches that you can do and still get a great core workout.

Mountain climbers

The mountain climber exercise is great since it engages your core and hips. In addition to working these muscles, mountain climbers also train your arms and thighs, making this exercise a great full-body workout that you can be sure will tire you out fast.

To do mountain climbers:

  • Start on all fours, hands about shoulder-width apart and knees about hip-width apart. Brace your core.
  • Move your right thigh toward your chest and place your toes on the floor. Straighten your left leg behind you, flex your foot, and place it on the floor.
  • Swiftly switch legs without moving your arms. Repeat.

Side plank rotation

The side plank rotation exercise is an advanced form of the traditional plan that works your abs, shoulders, and obliques while challenging your balancing skills. If you don’t have much experience with the traditional plank, we recommend learning that first.

To do this exercise:

  • Lie on the floor on your right side. Place your right elbow under your shoulder and put your left hand behind your neck. Align your head, spine, and legs.
  • Contract your core. Lift your hips while keeping your body straight. Rotate your trunk, moving your left elbow to the floor. Return to the starting position.
  • After completing your desired number of reps, switch sides and repeat.

Side planks are meant to be difficult, so if you can only do one or a few at first, don’t be discouraged and keep trying until you can do 8-12 reps on each side.

Stability ball knee tucks

Using the stability ball in this exercise adds another element of balance and also works your upper body since you need to hold yourself up on the ball constantly.

To do stability ball knee tucks, you’ll start by elevating your feet on top of the ball while you stay in a pushup position with your hand planted firmly on the ground.

You want to ensure that you keep the core tight and slowly tuck your knees towards your chest until your toes are on top of the ball. Then extend your legs back to the starting position and repeat for 8-12 repetitions.

FAQs

How many calories do 100 crunches burn?

The 100 crunches would burn approximately 22 calories (assuming a person weighs 150 pounds and maintains a moderate exercise intensity). However, this number can vary depending on a person’s weight and the intensity of their exercise.

How many calories do 500 crunches burn?

If a person weighs 150 pounds and maintains a moderate exercise intensity, they would burn approximately 110 calories by doing 500 crunches. However, please keep in mind that the exact number of calories burned can vary based on a person’s weight, exercise intensity, and other factors.

How many calories does 1000 crunches burn

A person weighing 150 pounds would burn approximately 220 calories if they performed 1000 crunches at a moderate intensity. The number of calories burned can vary depending on a person’s weight, the intensity of the exercise, and other factors.

The Bottom Line

Crunches still may be the most popular ab exercise out there, but you should know everything about the exercise before you decide to add this exercise to your routine.

You should make sure that you have the correct form before doing crunches to be confident that won’t strain your neck or back.

Since crunches don’t target other areas of the core, it’s a great idea to mix in some of the other alternatives to crunches that we mentioned here to get a full-body workout.

Be sure to use our calculator to get an idea of how many calories you can expect to burn while doing crunches, and be sure to check out all the other calculators that we have to offer at Fitness Volt!

References:

  1. Jetté, M., Sidney, K., & Blümchen, G. (1990). Metabolic equivalents (METS) in exercise testing, exercise prescription, and evaluation of functional capacity. Clinical cardiology, 13(8), 555–565. https://doi.org/10.1002/clc.4960130809

If you have any questions or need further clarification about this article, please leave a comment below, and Scott will get back to you as soon as possible.

Stay on top of the latest fitness news and updates by adding Fitness Volt to your Google News feed: Follow us on Google News You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for even more content.
Facebook Twitter Reddit Flipboard LinkedIn Pinterest
Categories: Fitness Calculator Tools
Previous Post

How Many Calories Do You Burn Doing Hanging Knee Tucks?

Next Post

Dante Trudel Reflects on Current State of Bodybuilding: “For a $15 Trophy, You’re Going to Give Up Years of Your Life”

Scott Leventon

Scott Leventon

Scott is 25 years old and resides in Philadelphia, PA. Scott has a passion for health and fitness and lives an active lifestyle. He enjoys hiking, skiing, traveling, and playing basketball with friends as well as working out at the gym. Scott is a graduate of Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ where he was an Entrepreneurship major, scholarship recipient, and honor society member. Scott is also the founder of Interphase Marketing, LLC where he creates content for health and fitness companies as well as for the financial services industry.

Related

Inflammation Reduction Planner
Fitness Calculator

Inflammation Calculator & Personalized Action Plan

Dry Fasting Calculator
Fitness Calculator

Dry Fasting Calculator: Estimate Your Weight Loss & Safety Risks

Fasting Weight Loss Calculator
Fitness Calculator

Intermittent Fasting Weight Loss Calculator: Discover How Much You Can Lose

Burpees Every Day
Training

I Did 100 Burpees a Day for 30 Days — This Is What Happened

3 Minute Burpee Gauntlet
Training

Challenge: The 3-Minute Burpee Elite – Can You Hit the Athlete Benchmark?

Eating Out Mistakes
Nutrition

8 Sneaky Eating Out Mistakes Sabotaging Your Diet (and How To Avoid Them)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest

Mitchell Hooper Pulls Out From 2025 Strongest Man On Earth & Deadlift World Record Attempt

Stop Guessing: The Smartest Way To Train Each Muscle Group for Hypertrophy

2025 Euro Muscle Pro Show Results — Six Champions Qualify for Olympia

Back Pain? This 10-Minute 2:1:2 Formula From a Physio Actually Works

2025 Republic of Texas Pro Results — Steven Cao, Reyna Perez & Daniele Mendonca Earn Olympia Qualification

2025 Zhanna Rotar Classic Pro Results — Sandra Grajales Wins Figure Olympia Qualification

Fitness Volt

At Fitness Volt, our mission is to empower every individual on their fitness journey by providing expert advice, the latest research, and comprehensive resources. Whether you are a beginner or an elite athlete, we are here to support your goals with trustworthy and up-to-date information in strength, fitness, and nutrition. Read more.

For inquiries, please contact us at:
Email: [email protected]

About Us | Careers | Contact Form

Topics

  • Mr. Olympia
  • Bodybuilding
  • Strongman
  • WSM
  • Powerlifting
  • CrossFit
  • Workouts
  • Exercises
  • Training
  • Reviews
  • Nutrition
  • Discussion Forum

More

  • Calculators
  • Fasting
  • Mastering The Deadlift
  • Workout Plans
  • At-Home Workouts
  • Programs
  • Supplements
  • Newsletter
  • Review Process
  • Accessibility
  • Advertise
  • Syndication
  • Sitemap
  • DMCA
  • Copyrights
  • Terms
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • Disclaimer

© Copyright 2010 - 2024 Fitness Volt IBC. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Bodybuilding
    • Powerlifting
    • Strongman
    • Armwrestling
    • CrossFit
    • Results
    • Mr. Olympia
    • 2024 WSM
    • Arnold Classic
  • Forum
  • Workouts
    • Training
    • Workout Plans
    • Muscle Groups
    • Celebrity Workouts
    • Programs
    • Mastering The Deadlift
  • Exercise Guides
    • Arms
    • Back
    • Chest
    • Core
    • Legs and Glutes
    • Shoulders
    • Yoga
  • Nutrition
    • Diet
    • Fasting
    • Diet Plans
    • Supplements
    • Nutrition Tips
    • Reviews
    • Food Facts
  • Fitness Calculator
  • More
    • DIY
    • Strength Standards
    • Motivation
    • Videos

© Copyright 2010 - 2024 Fitness Volt IBC. All Rights Reserved.