Exercise calories

Calories burned during Strength training — 15 to 60 minutes

Strength training is estimated at about 3.5 METs. A 70 kg person may burn roughly 129 calories in 30 minutes or 257 calories in 60 minutes.

64 kcal15 min at 70 kg
129 kcal30 min at 70 kg
257 kcal60 min at 70 kg
Estimate, not a measurement: Watches and machines can also be wrong. Use the same method consistently and avoid “eating back” every reported exercise calorie automatically.

Calories by body weight

Body weight30 minutes60 minutes
60 kg110 kcal220 kcal
70 kg129 kcal257 kcal
80 kg147 kcal294 kcal
90 kg165 kcal331 kcal

Calories by duration for a 70 kg person

DurationEstimated calories
15 minutes64 kcal
30 minutes129 kcal
45 minutes193 kcal
60 minutes257 kcal

What changes the calorie burn?

Strength sessions include rest between sets, so calorie burn is less predictable than continuous cardio. Their value also includes strength and muscle retention.

Two people with the same body weight can burn different amounts because movement efficiency, fitness, intensity and rest time differ. MET tables describe an average energy cost, not a laboratory measurement of your session.

How the estimate is calculated

Formula: calories per minute ≈ MET × 3.5 × body weight in kg ÷ 200.

For example, multiply the calories-per-minute estimate by 30 for a half-hour session. The result is rounded because false precision would make the number look more certain than it is.

How to use Strength training in a weight-management plan

Safety and recovery

Stop and seek medical advice for chest pain, fainting, severe breathlessness or a new injury. People who are pregnant, recently inactive, recovering from surgery or managing a medical condition may need an individualized starting plan.

Method and sources

Estimates use standard MET-based calculations. Public-health guidance generally encourages adults to accumulate regular aerobic activity and muscle-strengthening activity, while recognizing that some activity is better than none. See Sources & Methodology.

Back to exercise database