How to Calculate Strength Training Calories Burned
Strength training is a popular form of exercise that not only helps build muscle but also improves overall fitness and health. One of the key benefits of strength training is the amount of calories burned during the workout. Understanding how to calculate the calories burned during strength training can help you track your progress and adjust your diet accordingly. In this article, we will discuss the various factors that contribute to the calories burned during strength training and provide a simple formula to estimate your calorie expenditure.
Factors Affecting Calories Burned in Strength Training
Several factors influence the number of calories burned during a strength training session. These include:
1. Body Weight: The heavier you are, the more calories you will burn during strength training, as your muscles will have to work harder to lift heavier weights.
2. Intensity: The intensity of your workout affects the number of calories burned. Higher intensity workouts, such as heavy lifting or high-intensity interval training (HIIT), burn more calories than moderate-intensity workouts.
3. Duration: The longer you exercise, the more calories you will burn. However, the rate at which you burn calories may decrease as the workout progresses.
4. Type of Exercise: Different strength training exercises have varying caloric expenditures. For example, squats and deadlifts burn more calories than bicep curls or tricep extensions.
5. Metabolic Rate: Your resting metabolic rate (RMR) is the number of calories your body burns at rest. A higher RMR means you burn more calories even when you’re not exercising.
Calculating Calories Burned During Strength Training
To estimate the calories burned during a strength training session, you can use the following formula:
Calories Burned = (Body Weight in Pounds) x (Metabolic Rate) x (Duration of Workout in Minutes) / 200
Here’s a breakdown of the formula:
1. Body Weight in Pounds: Multiply your body weight in pounds by the number of calories burned per pound per minute. This value can vary depending on the intensity of the workout and your fitness level.
2. Metabolic Rate: This is your resting metabolic rate, which can be estimated using various formulas or calculated with a device like a heart rate monitor.
3. Duration of Workout in Minutes: Multiply the duration of your workout in minutes by the number of calories burned per minute.
4. 200: This is a constant factor that adjusts the formula for different types of strength training exercises.
Example
Let’s say you weigh 150 pounds, your metabolic rate is 150 calories per hour, and you perform a strength training workout for 30 minutes. Using the formula, we can calculate the calories burned as follows:
Calories Burned = (150 pounds) x (150 calories per hour) x (30 minutes) / 200
Calories Burned = 337.5 calories
This means you burned approximately 337.5 calories during your 30-minute strength training session.
Conclusion
Calculating the calories burned during strength training can help you monitor your progress and make informed decisions about your diet and exercise routine. By considering the factors that affect calorie expenditure and using the formula provided, you can estimate the number of calories burned during your workouts and tailor your fitness plan accordingly. Remember that consistency and a balanced approach are key to achieving your fitness goals.
