How many calories does swimming burn?

Swimming is an excellent way to maintain fitness and serves as an efficient workout for calorie burning. However, how many calories does swimming burn? In the article, Zextrasure will provide the exact calorie count you can expect to burn while swimming and factors that can impact your calorie-burning potential.

1. How many calories does swimming burn?

Before looking for an answer to the question "How many calories does swimming burn?",  you need to consider factors such as your weight, swimming style, intensity level, and duration of the workout.  Therefore, these figures are estimates, and you can calculate the calories burned per minute using the MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) formula:

(MET x body weight in kilograms x 3.5) ÷ 200

Note, that MET values don’t account for individual differences like body mass or movement efficiency, so actual energy expenditure may vary. 

Here’s a table of calories burned per hour based on swim strokes and intensity levels for a person weighing 150 lbs (around 70kg):

The answer to the question "How many calories do you burn while swimming" is influenced by several different factors

2. Is swimming good for burning calories?

The above section answers the question, “How many calories does swimming burn?” and can be found swimming is a highly effective, low-impact full-body workout, comparable to running or cycling in terms of calorie burn.

Water offers greater resistance than air, forcing your muscles to work harder. At the same time, it supports much of your body weight, reducing stress on your joints. This makes swimming not only easier but also safer.

Swimming helps stretch and relieve compressed muscles, making it highly recommended for those with back pain. It can not only aid in weight loss but also improve posture. In addition, swimming enhances mood, supports cardiovascular health, and promotes greater flexibility.

How many calories does swimming burn - About 170-200 calories for 30 minutes

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3. Factors that can affect your ability to burn calories

After understanding the answer to "How many calories does swimming burn?", you’ll find that the number of calories burned while swimming can fluctuate based on various factors.

• Body weight: The heavier a person is, the more calories they will burn while swimming. Heavier individuals exert more energy due to the increased effort needed to move through the water.
• Swimming stroke: Different strokes burn different amounts of calories. For example, butterfly and freestyle (crawl) tend to burn more calories than backstroke or breaststroke due to the intensity and muscle engagement required.
• Swimming intensity: The quicker and more strongly you swim, the more calories you'll burn. Moderate swimming burns fewer calories compared to vigorous swimming, so increasing your intensity can boost your calorie burn.
• Exercise duration: The more time you spend swimming, the greater the number of calories you'll burn. Swimming for extended periods increases the number of calories consumed.
• Water Temperature: Colder water forces your body to work harder to maintain its temperature, potentially increasing the number of calories burned during your swim.
• Skill Level: More experienced swimmers tend to use less energy, as they have more efficient techniques. Beginners may burn more calories as they expend more effort to maintain form.
• Age and Gender: Younger people and men tend to burn more calories due to higher metabolic rates.

Many factors affect your ability to burn calories while swimming

4. FAQs

How many calories do you burn swimming in the ocean?
Swimming in the ocean burns more calories than swimming in a pool due to the added resistance of the waves and the variability of the environment. The challenge of swimming in open water makes it more intense, requiring more effort to maintain control and stay afloat. While exact numbers vary, it's safe to assume that ocean swimming can burn significantly more calories than pool swimming at a similar pace.

How many calories do you burn swimming 30 minutes?
Calories burned during a 30-minute swim vary based on weight and stroke.

• Treading water (relaxed): A person weighing 140 lbs burns about 170-200 calories.
• Butterfly stroke: The same person can burn around 460 calories swimming butterfly for 30 minutes.
• Freestyle and other strokes: Caloric expenditure during swimming is influenced by stroke type. For example, lighter strokes like breaststroke will burn fewer calories compared to more vigorous styles like freestyle or butterfly. 

How long will it take to see the results of swimming?
Results from swimming depend on how often and intensely you swim. If you swim 3-4 times per week, you may start to notice improvements in muscle tone and cardiovascular fitness within a few weeks. Weight loss results will also depend on diet and overall calorie consumption.

Running vs. Swimming: Which One Burns The Most Calories?

For a person weighing 130 lbs, running at a moderate pace for an hour burns around 472 calories. Swimming (specifically breaststroke) can burn about 590 calories in the same period.
While both running and swimming are excellent exercises for burning calories and improving fitness, swimming may have an advantage for those who experience joint issues or prefer a lower-impact workout. The buoyancy of water reduces the strain on joints, making swimming an excellent option for those who are overweight or have joint pain.

The article above has provided an answer to the question, “How many calories does swimming burn?”. Swimming is an excellent full-body exercise that effectively burns calories, strengthens cardiovascular health, and tones muscles. Therefore, if you're looking for an effective, low-impact way to stay fit and lose weight, swimming is the top choice!