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Push-Ups Calories Burned Calculator

Calculate calories burned during push-ups based on your weight, type, and workout intensity

Your Body Weight

Enter your current body weight for accurate calculations

Push-Up Type Choose the push-up variation you performed

Workout Input Mode

Total Repetitions

reps

How many push-ups did you complete?

Workout Duration

min

How long was your push-up workout?

Your Workout Results

Calories Burned

Push-Up Type

–

MET Value

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Workout Volume

–

Intensity Level

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Performance Tips

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How Many Calories Burned During Push-Ups?

Push-ups burn approximately 7-10 calories per minute or ~0.23-0.30 calories per repetition for an average person weighing 70 kg (154 lbs) at a moderate pace (~3 seconds per rep). This translates to 140-240 calories burned in a 30-minute circuit where push-ups are the primary movement with short rests.

Key Factors That Affect Calorie Burn

Your actual calorie burn depends on body weight (heavier individuals burn more), push-up type (plyometric burns 2x more than standard), intensity level (speed and form), and workout duration. A 90 kg person performing explosive push-ups can burn up to 400 calories in 30 minutes.

The calorie expenditure is measured using MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) values. Standard push-ups have a MET value of 3.8, while advanced variations like plyometric push-ups can reach 8.0 METs, indicating significantly higher energy expenditure. In rep mode, this calculator assumes a realistic pace of ~3 seconds per rep (≈20 reps/min) to convert repetitions into time before applying the MET formula.

Push-Up Calorie Burn Formula

Scientific Calculation Method

Calories Burned (minutes) = MET × 3.5 × Body Weight (kg) ÷ 200 × Minutes

Example Calculation:

For a 70 kg person doing standard push-ups for 20 minutes:
MET Value: 3.8 (standard push-up)
Duration: 20 minutes
Calculation: 3.8 × 3.5 × 70 ÷ 200 × 20 ≈ 93 calories

This formula is based on research from the Compendium of Physical Activities, which provides scientifically validated MET values for various exercises. The calculation accounts for your basal metabolic rate and the additional energy required to perform the exercise.

Calories Burned by Push-Up Type

Push-Up Variation	MET Value	Calories/10 Min*	Calories/30 Min*	Intensity Level
Wall Push-Up	3.0	37 cal	110 cal	Light
Knee Push-Up	3.5	43 cal	129 cal	Light
Standard Push-Up	3.8	47 cal	139 cal	Moderate
Wide Grip Push-Up	4.0	49 cal	147 cal	Moderate
Diamond Push-Up	4.5	55 cal	165 cal	Moderate
Decline Push-Up	5.0	61 cal	184 cal	Vigorous
Pike Push-Up	5.5	67 cal	202 cal	Vigorous
One-Arm Push-Up	6.0	74 cal	221 cal	Vigorous
Clap Push-Up	6.5	80 cal	239 cal	Very Vigorous
Plyometric Push-Up	7.0	86 cal	257 cal	Very Vigorous
Superman Push-Up	7.5	92 cal	276 cal	Very Vigorous
Double Clap Push-Up	8.0	98 cal	294 cal	Very Vigorous

*Based on a 70 kg (154 lb) person. Heavier individuals burn more calories; lighter individuals burn fewer. 30-minute values assume a circuit-style workout with short rests.

The variation in calorie burn is substantial across different push-up types. Plyometric and explosive variations burn nearly 2.5 times more calories than basic wall push-ups due to the increased power output and muscle engagement required.

Calories Burned by Body Weight

Body Weight	50 Push-Ups	100 Push-Ups	200 Push-Ups	30 Min Workout*
50 kg (110 lb)	8 cal	17 cal	33 cal	100 cal
60 kg (132 lb)	10 cal	20 cal	40 cal	120 cal
70 kg (154 lb)	12 cal	23 cal	47 cal	140 cal
80 kg (176 lb)	13 cal	27 cal	53 cal	160 cal
90 kg (198 lb)	15 cal	30 cal	60 cal	180 cal
100 kg (220 lb)	17 cal	33 cal	67 cal	200 cal

*Standard push-ups (3.8 METs) at a moderate pace of ~3 seconds per rep (≈20 reps/min). 30-minute values assume circuit-style sets with short rests.

Body weight has a direct linear relationship with calorie expenditure. A 100 kg person burns approximately twice as many calories as a 50 kg person performing the same push-up workout, as more energy is required to move greater body mass against gravity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q How many push-ups equal 100 calories?

Approximately 420-450 standard push-ups burn 100 calories for a 70 kg person at a moderate pace (~20 reps/minute). This assumes consistent form and brief pauses only for breathing. A simpler approach: perform standard push-ups for about 22 minutes total time (including short breathers) to reach ~100 calories.

Q Are push-ups effective for weight loss?

Yes, push-ups contribute to weight loss through direct calorie burn and increased muscle mass. While they burn fewer calories than running, push-ups build lean muscle that elevates your resting metabolic rate, meaning you burn more calories even at rest. For optimal weight loss, combine push-ups with a balanced diet and cardio exercise.

Q Do slow push-ups burn more calories than fast push-ups?

Fast push-ups generally burn slightly more calories per unit time due to higher intensity and cardiovascular demand. However, slow, controlled push-ups with increased time under tension provide superior strength gains and muscle development. Both approaches have value—fast for calorie burn, slow for muscle building.

Q What burns more calories: push-ups or running?

Running burns more calories per minute (10-16 cal/min for moderate jogging) compared to standard push-ups (7-10 cal/min). However, push-ups provide strength training benefits that running doesn’t. The ideal fitness program combines both: cardio for maximum calorie burn and resistance training for muscle development and metabolic benefits.

Q How can I increase calorie burn during push-ups?

Five effective strategies: (1) Progress to advanced variations like plyometric or decline push-ups, (2) Increase workout duration or total reps, (3) Reduce rest time between sets for elevated heart rate, (4) Add resistance with a weighted vest, (5) Perform push-ups in circuits with other exercises to maintain elevated calorie burn throughout your workout.

Q Is it better to do push-ups in sets or all at once?

For calorie burning, continuous push-ups maintain elevated heart rate and burn slightly more calories. For strength and endurance gains, multiple sets allow higher quality reps with proper form. Most fitness experts recommend sets of 10-25 reps with 30-60 second rest periods for optimal balance of strength development and calorie expenditure.

Related Fitness Tools

TDEE Calculator – Calculate your total daily energy expenditure for weight management. Calories Burned Calculator – Estimate calorie expenditure for various activities. BMR Calculator – Determine your basal metabolic rate.

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References

Yang J, Christophi CA, Farioli A, Baur DM, Moffatt S, Zollinger TW, Kales SN. Association Between Push-up Exercise Capacity and Future Cardiovascular Events Among Active Adult Men. JAMA Netw Open. 2019 Feb 1;2(2):e188341. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.8341. PMID: 30768197; PMCID: PMC6484614.
Hassan, Sadzali. (2018). The Effects of Push-Up Training on Muscular Strength and Muscular Endurance. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences. 8. 660-665. 10.6007/IJARBSS/v8-i11/4940.
Yang J, Christophi CA, Farioli A, et al. Association Between Push-up Exercise Capacity and Future Cardiovascular Events Among Active Adult Men. JAMA Netw Open. 2019;2(2):e188341. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.8341
Conger SA, Herrmann SD, Willis EA, Nightingale TE, Sherman JR, Ainsworth BE. 2024 Wheelchair Compendium of Physical Activities: An update of activity codes and energy expenditure values. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 2024;13(1): 18-23.
Herrmann SD, Willis EA, Ainsworth BE, Barreira TV, Hastert M, Kracht CL, Schuna Jr. JM, Cai Z, Quan M, Tudor-Locke C, Whitt-Glover MC, Jacobs DR. 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities: A third update of the energy costs of human activities. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 2024;13(1): 6-12.

Author

Manish Kumar

Manish is a NASM-certified fitness and nutrition coach with over 10 years of experience in weight lifting and fat loss fitness coaching. He specializes in gym-based training and has a lot of knowledge about exercise, lifting technique, biomechanics, and more.

Through “Fit Health Regimen,” he generously shares the insights he’s gained over a decade in the field. His goal is to equip others with the knowledge to start their own fitness journey.