Calculate Calories Burned Doing Push-Ups Based on Your Weight, Intensity, and Duration
The number of calories burned during push-ups varies between 0.3 to 0.6 calories per push-up, depending on your weight and workout intensity. Use our Push-Ups Calories Burned Calculator below to determine your personal calorie expenditure.
How Many Calories Do Push-Ups Burn?
Whether you’re training for the Army Combat Fitness Test, the USMC Physical Fitness Test, or incorporating push-ups into your daily exercise routine, understanding how many calories you burn is essential for optimizing your workouts.
The calories burned during push-ups depend on factors such as your body weight, the intensity of your workout, and the duration. To accurately calculate this, we use the Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET) value—a standardized measure of energy expenditure.
Every physical activity has a corresponding MET value, which represents the ratio of your working metabolic rate compared to your resting metabolic rate. Essentially, it’s the amount of oxygen consumed during exercise compared to rest.
The resting metabolic rate is approximately 3.5 mL of oxygen per kg of body weight per minute [1]. As exercise intensity increases, so does oxygen consumption and the MET value.
The MET values for push-ups range from 3.8 (moderate intensity) to 8.0 (vigorous intensity). Refer to the Compendium of Physical Activities for a comprehensive list of MET values for various exercises. [2]
Calories Burned Formula for Push-Ups
Using the MET value, you can calculate the calories burned during push-ups with the following formula:
Calories Burned = Time (minutes) × (MET × 3.5 × Weight (kg)) / 200
- Time: Duration of your workout in minutes
- MET: Metabolic Equivalent of Task value (3.8 for moderate intensity, 8.0 for vigorous intensity)
- Weight: Your body weight in kilograms
For example, if you weigh 70 kg and perform push-ups at a vigorous intensity (MET 8.0) for 15 minutes:
Calories Burned = 15 × (8.0 × 3.5 × 70) / 200 = 294 calories
How to Calculate Calories Burned Doing Push-Ups
Our calculator uses the MET values specific to push-ups:
- Moderate effort: MET value of 3.8
- Vigorous effort: MET value of 8.0
Simply input your weight, select the intensity level, and enter the duration of your workout to find out how many calories you’ve burned.
Calories Burned for Different Numbers of Push-Ups
To give you a practical idea, let’s calculate the calories burned for various numbers of push-ups based on different intensities. We’ll use Mike as an example, who weighs 190 pounds (approximately 86 kg).
| Number of Push-Ups | 20 Push-Ups/Min | 25 Push-Ups/Min | 30 Push-Ups/Min | 35 Push-Ups/Min | 40 Push-Ups/Min |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Push-Ups | 3 kcal | 2 kcal | 2 kcal | 1.6 kcal | 1.4 kcal |
| 20 Push-Ups | 6 kcal | 5 kcal | 4 kcal | 3 kcal | 3 kcal |
| 30 Push-Ups | 9 kcal | 7 kcal | 6 kcal | 5 kcal | 4 kcal |
| 40 Push-Ups | 11 kcal | 9 kcal | 8 kcal | 7 kcal | 6 kcal |
| 50 Push-Ups | 14 kcal | 11 kcal | 10 kcal | 8 kcal | 7 kcal |
| 80 Push-Ups | 23 kcal | 18 kcal | 15 kcal | 13 kcal | 11 kcal |
| 100 Push-Ups | 29 kcal | 23 kcal | 19 kcal | 16 kcal | 14 kcal |
| 200 Push-Ups | 57 kcal | 46 kcal | 38 kcal | 33 kcal | 29 kcal |
These calculations provide an estimate of calories burned based on Mike’s weight and the number of push-ups performed at different intensities.
Push-Up Standards by Age and Gender
Understanding how your push-up performance compares to standard benchmarks can help you set goals and track progress. Below are push-up charts by age and gender from the American Council on Exercise.
Push-Up Test Norms for Men (Regular Push-Ups)
| Rating | 17-19 | 20-29 | 30-39 | 40-49 | 50-59 | 60+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excellent | > 56 | > 47 | > 41 | > 34 | > 31 | > 30 |
| Good | 47-56 | 39-47 | 34-41 | 28-34 | 25-31 | 24-30 |
| Above Average | 35-46 | 30-39 | 25-33 | 21-28 | 18-24 | 17-23 |
| Average | 19-34 | 17-29 | 13-24 | 11-20 | 9-17 | 6-16 |
| Below Average | 11-18 | 10-16 | 8-12 | 6-10 | 5-8 | 3-5 |
| Poor | 4-10 | 4-9 | 2-7 | 1-5 | 1-4 | 1-2 |
| Very Poor | < 4 | < 4 | < 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Push-Up Test Norms for Women (Modified Push-Ups on Knees)
| Rating | 17-19 | 20-29 | 30-39 | 40-49 | 50-59 | 60+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excellent | > 35 | > 36 | > 37 | > 31 | > 25 | > 23 |
| Good | 27-35 | 30-36 | 30-37 | 25-31 | 21-25 | 19-23 |
| Above Average | 21-27 | 23-29 | 22-30 | 18-24 | 15-20 | 13-18 |
| Average | 11-20 | 12-22 | 10-21 | 8-17 | 7-14 | 5-12 |
| Below Average | 6-10 | 7-11 | 5-9 | 4-7 | 3-6 | 2-4 |
| Poor | 2-5 | 2-6 | 1-4 | 1-3 | 1-2 | 1 |
| Very Poor | < 2 | < 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Optimize Your Workout with Related Calculators
Enhance your fitness routine by calculating calories burned with other exercises:
- Calories Burned Jumping Rope Calculator
- Calories Burned Running Calculator
- Calories Burned Biking Calculator
Frequently Asked Questions
How accurate is the Push-Ups Calories Burned Calculator?
The calculator provides an estimate based on standardized MET values and your personal data. Individual factors such as muscle mass, metabolism, and workout efficiency can affect actual calories burned.
Can push-ups help me lose weight?
Push-ups can contribute to weight loss by burning calories and building muscle mass, which increases your resting metabolic rate. Combining push-ups with a balanced diet and other forms of exercise enhances weight loss efforts.
How can I increase the intensity of my push-up workout?
To increase intensity, you can:
– Perform push-ups at a faster pace
– Increase the number of repetitions
– Incorporate advanced variations like clap push-ups or decline push-ups
– Reduce rest time between sets
How often should I do push-ups to see results?
Consistency is key. Aim to perform push-ups 2-3 times per week, allowing for rest and muscle recovery between sessions.
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.
- Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Herrmann SD, et al. The Compendium of Physical Activities Tracking Guide. Healthy Lifestyles Research Center, College of Nursing & Health Innovation, Arizona State University.