The number of calories you burn depends upon your weight, the activity your are doing and the intensity level you are exercising at. Any activity that you perform can be done at a variety of intensity levels. If you exercise at a higher intensity level, you will be working harder, expending more energy and burning more calories than someone who is not working quite so hard. I’ve included four separate Activity/Calorie tables.
The tables should be used as a general guideline (the numbers are approximations). The number of calories you actually burn could be slightly higher or lower depending upon your intensity level and your weight. The first table deals with step aerobics only. Calories are calculated for different step heights based upon a stepping rate of 120 beats per minute for a 120 pound person. If you weigh more than 120 or you are in a faster paced step class, the number of calories you’ll burn will be higher than those displayed in the table. If you weight less than 120 or you are in a slower paced step class, you’ll burn fewer calories than indicated in the table. The table is just an approximation of the number of calories you expend. If you work at a more intense level (raise your arms above your shoulders, lift your knees all the way to your chest etc…) you will burn more calories than displayed. (Data for this table was taken from Reebok Instructor News, Volume 4, Number 3, 1997.)
| Step Height | Calories/min. | Calories/10 min. | Calories/30 min. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 inches | 4.5 | 45 | 135 |
| 6 inches | 5.5 | 55 | 165 |
| 8 inches | 6.4 | 64 | 192 |
| 10 inches | 7.2 | 72 | 216 |
The second table gives the caloric expenditure after 10 minutes of activity for various body weights. This data was obtained from Reebok Instructor News, Volume 4, Number 2, 1997.
| Activity & Calories/10 min. | 125 lbs | 150 lbs | 175 lbs | 200 lbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerobics (traditional at high intensity) | 95 | 115 | 134 | 153 |
| Gardening | 41 | 49 | 57 | 65 |
| Racquetball | 75 | 90 | 105 | 120 |
| Running (9 min/mile) | 109 | 131 | 153 | 174 |
| Shopping | 35 | 42 | 49 | 56 |
| Sitting (reading or watching TV) | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 |
| Sleeping | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 |
| Standing (light activity) | 20 | 24 | 28 | 32 |
| Volleyball | 28 | 34 | 40 | 45 |
| Walking (15 min/mile) | 44 | 52 | 61 | 70 |
| Walking upstairs | 150 | 175 | 202 | 229 |
The third table lists a wide variety of exercises and the caloric expenditures for a 123 lb women and a 170 lb man. Data for this table was taken from Reebok Instructor News, Volume 5, Number 2, 1997.
| Activity & Calories/10 min | 123 lb women | 170 lb man |
|---|---|---|
| Basketball | 77 | 106 |
| Cycling (5.5 mph) | 36 | 49 |
| Cycling (9.4 mph) | 56 | 74 |
| Cycling (racing) | 95 | 130 |
| Dance Exercise (High Impact Aerobics) | 94 | 124 |
| Dance Exercise (Low Impact Aerobics) | 80 | 105 |
| Football | 74 | 102 |
| Racquetball | 76 | 107 |
| Rope Skipping (slow) | 82 | 116 |
| Rope Skipping (fast) | 100 | 142 |
| Running (8 min/mile) | 113 | 150 |
| Running (11 1/2 min/mile) | 76 | 100 |
| Skiing (Cross Country) | 80 | 106 |
| Stairmaster | 88 | 122 |
| Step Aerobics (4 inch bench) | 48 | 66 |
| Step Aerobics (6 inch bench) | 58 | 80 |
| Step Aerobics (8 inch bench) | 67 | 92 |
| Step Aerobics (10 inch bench) | 75 | 104 |
| Soccer | 78 | 107 |
| Swimming (back stroke) | 95 | 130 |
| Swimming (breast stroke) | 91 | 125 |
| Swimming (fast crawl) | 87 | 120 |
| Swimming (slow crawl) | 95 | 130 |
| Swimming (side stroke) | 68 | 90 |
| Swimming (treading water) | 35 | 48 |
| Tennis (singles) | 61 | 81 |
| Volleyball | 28 | 39 |
| Weight training (super circuit) | 104 | 137 |
| Weight training (muscular strength) | 44 | 60 |
| Weight training (muscular endurance) | 58 | 80 |
| Walking (3.5 mph) | 45 | 59 |
The last table displayed below is taken from ACE FitnessMatters, Volume 1, Number 4, 1997. Calories are given for 1 minute of activity. To determine approximately how many calories you burn in 1/2 hour. Find the activity and your weight, then multiply the number displayed by 30. If you want to lose weight, try to burn 300 calories per exercise session.
| Activity & Calories/min | 120 lbs | 140 lbs | 160 lbs | 180 lbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerobics (Traditional) | 7.4 | 8.6 | 9.8 | 11.1 |
| Basketball | 7.5 | 8.8 | 10.0 | 11.3 |
| Bowling | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1.9 |
| Cycling (10 mph) | 5.5 | 6.4 | 7.3 | 8.2 |
| Golf (pull/carry clubs) | 4.6 | 5.4 | 6.2 | 7.0 |
| Golf (power cart) | 2.1 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 3.2 |
| Hiking | 4.5 | 5.2 | 6.0 | 6.7 |
| Jogging | 9.3 | 10.8 | 12.4 | 13.9 |
| Running | 11.4 | 13.2 | 15.1 | 17.0 |
| Sitting Quietly | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 1.7 |
| Skating (ice and roller) | 5.9 | 6.9 | 7.9 | 8.8 |
| Skiing (cross country) | 7.5 | 8.8 | 10.0 | 11.3 |
| Skiing (downhill and water) | 5.7 | 6.6 | 7.6 | 8.5 |
| Swimming (crawl and moderate pace) | 7.8 | 9.0 | 10.3 | 11.6 |
| Tennis | 6.0 | 6.9 | 7.9 | 8.9 |
| Walking | 6.5 | 7.6 | 8.7 | 9.7 |
| Weight Training | 6.6 | 7.6 | 8.7 | 9.8 |
Cardio Equipment and Calories Burned
Just a word of warning regarding cardio equipment and calories burned. Many cardio machines don’t ask for your weight and tell you that you’re burning X number of calories. The number displayed is for a person of average weight (usually average is 150 pounds). For many people, the number of calories is overstated. So, if the machine doesn’t have you input your weight, don’t believe the number of calories displayed.
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