The average person weighing 180 pounds burns 455-883 calories per hour with Martial Arts, the total calories burn depends on the your weight, type of activity.
Calories Burned in Group Fitness Classes (Weight: 175lbs)
| MET | 15 mins. | 30 mins. | 45 mins. | 60 mins. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerobics | 6.6 | 138 | 275 | 413 | 550 |
| Pilates | 3 | 63 | 125 | 188 | 250 |
| Spinning | 7 | 146 | 292 | 438 | 583 |
| Tai Chi | 3 | 63 | 125 | 188 | 250 |
| Zumba | 6.5 | 135 | 271 | 406 | 542 |
| Yoga | 3 | 63 | 125 | 188 | 250 |
| Martial Arts | 10.3 | 215 | 429 | 644 | 858 |
| CrossFit | 5.6 | 117 | 233 | 350 | 467 |
| Bootcamp | 10.1 | 210 | 421 | 631 | 842 |
| Circuit Training | 7.2 | 150 | 300 | 450 | 600 |
| Aqua Aerobics | 3.2 | 67 | 133 | 200 | 267 |
We all know that martial arts can be used to provide self-defense. But did you know that martial arts is also a recreational activity that people of all ages can participate in? Continue reading to find out exactly how many calories you can burn from doing martial arts.
Martial arts refer to a variety of different systems and traditions that are used for training and combat. These activities are practiced for reasons including competition, military, and law enforcement. Many people who practice martial arts do so for the mental, emotional, and spiritual benefits that they provide.
In addition to these benefits, practicing martial arts regularly improves your physical health by staying in shape and keeping on top of your physical fitness. This form of exercise allows you to become a part of a community of like-minded people who all share the same love for martial arts.
But how many calories can you actually expect to burn while doing martial arts? This depends on the pace at which you practice the sport and the duration spent doing the activity. Keep reading to discover how to use our martial arts calculator to determine the number of calories you can burn each hour.
How To Use The Calculator
Using the calculator to determine how many calories you’ll burn while doing martial arts is easy and only requires a few steps. To calculate the number of calories that you’ll burn, just input your weight and the time that you’ve spent or plan to spend participating in martial arts. Then select the pace that you’re participating at and hit CALCULATE.
Using the calculator step-by-step:
- Choose your unit of measurement (pounds or kilograms)
- Enter your weight in the corresponding unit of measurement
- Find the pace at which you are practicing martial arts
- Enter the time (in minutes) you are doing martial arts for
- Hit CALCULATE
How the Calculator Works
Our calculator uses MET values to give you an accurate estimate of how many calories you can expect to burn while doing martial arts and other activities. The higher the MET value, the more calories you will burn.
MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task)
MET stands for metabolic equivalent and MET values allow us to give you an estimated expenditure of energy for many different activities, such as various types of martial arts.
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 like martial arts.
So a MET value of 1 is the equivalent of the amount of energy you expend while at rest, and a MET value of 5 means you are expending 5 times as much energy compared to being at rest.
Almost all activities that you can think of have MET values assigned to them. Some activities with MET values are common, and some are not so common. For example, there are MET values assigned to activities like badminton, painting, and even hunting!
Most activities come with varying levels of intensity and have different MET values assigned to them. For instance, doing martial arts at a slower pace as a novice has a lower MET value than martial arts practice at a moderate pace.
Formula
The formula that our marital arts calculator uses to determine the number of calories burned per minute is (MET x bodyweight in Kg x 3.5) ÷ 200.
Examples
A person weighing 175 pounds will burn approximately 444 calories per hour from practicing martial arts at a slower pace. This activity has a MET of 5.3, which means that it burns over 5 times as many calories as you do at rest.
This is what the formula for calculating the calories burned while doing martial arts will look like for a 175-pound individual at a MET value of 5.3.
- Calories burned (per minute) = (body weight in kg x MET x 5) ÷ 200
- Calories burned (per minute) = ( 79.4 x 3 x 3.5 ) ÷ 200
- Calories burned (per minute) = 4 calories x 60
- Calories burned (per hour) = 444 calories per hour
Doing martial arts at a moderate pace has a much higher MET value than the previous pace. This is what the formula for calculating the calories burned while doing martial arts will look like for a 175-pound individual at a MET value of 10.3.
- Calories burned (per minute) = (body weight in kg x MET x 5) ÷ 200
- Calories burned (per minute) = ( 79.4 x 3 x 3.5 ) ÷ 200
- Calories burned (per minute) = 3 calories x 60
- Calories burned (per hour) = 858 calories per hour
What Are Martial Arts?
There are many different types of martial arts that you can participate in that have various skill requirements. These different forms of martial arts also serve different purposes. Some martial arts are meant for self-defense while others are meant for competition, hand-to-hand combat, and grappling.
The most common forms of martial arts include:
- Karate
- Judo
- Tae Kwon Do
- Jujitsu
- Kung fu
- Krav Maga
The intent of martial arts varies as well. Many martial arts teach side disciplines that pertain to improving your physical health, and some Asian forms of martial arts teach bone-setting, herbalism, and other aspects of traditional medicine.
Related: Which Martial Art Black Belt Takes The Longest Time To Achieve?
What Muscles Does Martial Arts Use?
Since most forms of martial arts are very physical in nature, there are certain muscles that you want to develop in order to excel at martial arts. The muscle groups that are used are largely dependent on the form of martial arts you’re participating in, however many forms of martial arts use similar muscle groups.
The most common muscles used in martial arts are:
Many martial arts involve kicking, which means you must have a powerful lower body in order to kick with power. Other forms of martial arts use other body parts such as open hands, elbows, and knees as their primary focus. Sports like Judo and Wrestling use techniques to pin the opponent to the ground, involving upper body strength to overpower the opponent.
Benefits of Martial Arts
Since martial arts involve plenty of physical activity, there are many different benefits that participants will find from practicing martial arts. The first benefit is that you’ll experience changes in your immune system, increased exercise capacity, and better autonomic nervous system functioning [2].
In addition, a 2009 study found that practicing martial arts resulted in better overall health and balance as well as an improved sense of psychological well-being [3]. Even participating in martial arts infrequently like once or twice per month allows you to reap the benefits that this diverse sport can provide.
Other benefits that you’ll find by participating in martial arts include:
- Weight loss
- Increased endurance
- Toning of muscles
- Elevated mood
- Building muscle
Equipment
When it comes to martial arts, there is some equipment that you will need to invest in to avoid injury and practice the sport competitively. Below are some of the most common forms of equipment that martial artists use:
- Uniforms
- Mouthguard
- Gloves
- Shin guard
- Head guard
Frequently Asked Questions:
Which martial art is best for muscle building?
While all martial arts allow you to build muscle when practiced correctly, Krav Maga is a military self-defense system and is the best martial art for building muscle. This hand-to-hand fighting style is meant to teach you to neutralize enemies as fast as possible. Practicing Krav Maga will help you reach your fitness goals of building strength and endurance effectively.
Are martial arts better than going to the gym?
It’s important to find a balance in all that you do in life, and your fitness routine is no exception. While martial arts provide many benefits, we recommend pairing it with regular strength training in the gym for a balanced workout routine. Mixing in strength training will also allow you to become better at martial arts since you’ll put on muscle and lose body fat.
What kind of workout are martial arts?
Martial arts workouts will benefit explosive strength and muscular endurance since many matches are prolonged for long periods of time. There is also a major focus on cardiovascular conditioning, agility, and speed since you must be able to react quickly to keep your opponent at bay.
Which martial art is the best one to learn?
If you want to stay healthy and keep your body functioning optimally, Tai Chi might be the best form of martial arts for you. Modern Tai Chi is known for its slow, meditative movements and peaceful mindset. Practicing Tai Chi regularly will provide most of the benefits that we’ve listed in this article.
The Bottom Line
Practicing martial arts competitively or for fun can be a great way to stay active and learn a new skill with friends, family, and other like-minded people. People of any age can learn various forms of martial arts, as activities like karate are extremely popular amongst kids.
Benefits like increasing muscle mass, losing weight, and having a better mood during the day are all examples of benefits that you’ll find if you decide to try martial arts. The sport is relatively safe to participate in and can be a low-impact activity, meaning you can practice martial arts for long periods of time without having a negative effect on your body.
Use our martial arts calculator to get an idea of how many calories you can expect to burn while practicing these various activities, and be sure to check out all the other calculators that we have to offer at Fitness Volt!
References:
- 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
- Burke, D. T., Al-Adawi, S., Lee, Y. T., & Audette, J. (2007). Martial arts as sport and therapy. The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness, 47(1), 96–102.
- Woodward T. W. (2009). A review of the effects of martial arts practice on health. WMJ : official publication of the State Medical Society of Wisconsin, 108(1), 40–43.
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