Calories Burned: Martial arts
Martial arts is a vigorous-intensity activity with a MET value of 10.3. A 155-lb (70 kg) person burns about 362 calories in 30 minutes and 724 in an hour. Adjust the weight and duration below for your exact number.
How to use this calculator
Martial arts is pre-selected. Set your body weight and how long you exercised, and the calorie estimate updates instantly. You can also switch to any of 40+ other activities using the category buttons.
Understanding your martial arts calorie burn
The estimate uses the MET formula: calories = MET × weight (kg) × hours. Martial arts's MET of 10.3 means it burns 10.3× more energy than sitting at rest. It's classified as vigorous intensity — actual burn varies with your effort, fitness level, and conditions.
Frequently asked questions
Calories burned: martial arts by weight and duration
Calorie burn scales directly with body weight — the same session costs a heavier person more energy because they are moving more mass. All figures use martial arts's MET value of 10.3.
| Duration | 125 lbs | 155 lbs | 185 lbs | 215 lbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 min | 146 cal | 181 cal | 216 cal | 251 cal |
| 30 min | 292 cal | 362 cal | 432 cal | 502 cal |
| 45 min | 438 cal | 543 cal | 648 cal | 753 cal |
| 60 min | 584 cal | 724 cal | 864 cal | 1004 cal |
Common calorie targets
How long a 155-lb person needs to do martial arts to hit common burn targets:
- ·Burn 100 calories: about 8 minutes
- ·Burn 250 calories: about 21 minutes
- ·Burn 500 calories: about 41 minutes
How martial arts compares to other sports activities
Same duration, same 155-lb person — only the intensity (MET) changes:
| Activity | MET | 30 min at 155 lbs |
|---|---|---|
| Martial arts | 10.3 | 362 cal |
| Basketball | 6.5 | 228 cal |
| Soccer | 7 | 246 cal |
| Tennis | 7.3 | 257 cal |
| Golf (walking) | 4.3 | 151 cal |
| Volleyball | 4 | 141 cal |
| Boxing (sparring) | 9 | 316 cal |
Related calculators
Calories burned in other sports activities
Same calculator, different intensity — each page shows that activity's numbers by weight and duration.