Many people are curious about how many calories are burned because swimming is a popular aquatic sport that provides a full-body workout with little strain on joints.
It doesn’t matter if you are swimming laps for fitness or just having fun; knowing how much energy you are burning will help you plan your workouts more efficiently.
In this guide, we will examine the factors that affect the number of calories expended while swimming, along with tips for optimizing your aquatic calorie burn. Depending on factors like intensity, stroke type, and personal traits, swimming laps can burn various amounts of calories.
We will also evaluate these factors and present estimates for various swimming scenarios. Additionally, we’ll look at the calories burned swimming 1 mile for individuals trying to reach long-distance goals, and we’ll touch on more extreme distances like 1000 meters (though that’s not a common feat).
So, if you’ve been swimming as an athlete or a casual swimmer and wondering if you’re burning calories while at it, this article has all the answers you need.
Table of Contents
Benefits of Swimming Workouts
As fun as it may seem, there are many health benefits associated with swimming. Hence, you should consider this form of exercise (if you haven’t already) for the following reasons:
1. Swimming is an excellent cardio exercise that protects you from heart disease.
Yes, swimming is one cardio exercise you shouldn’t joke with. As you may know, it challenges your heart and lungs to pump more oxygenated blood across your body system to keep you agile.
However, swimming is one exercise that can keep you out of breath after a good session. Studies from the American Heart Association show that 30 minutes of swimming daily can lessen the risk of coronary heart disease in women by 30%-40%.
2. It tones your muscles and builds strength.
Each time you swim, you overcome the water’s resistance. As a result, each stroke you take aids in building strength in your muscles. Moreover, all your muscle groups (core, legs, arms, etc.) are spurred into action as you move your body through the water.
3. You work variety during swimming exercises.
By doing different swimming strokes—freestyle, sidestroke, butterfly, backstroke, and breaststroke—you work all your muscles in various ways within a workout.
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How Many Calories Are Burned While Swimming?
Although swimming is known to be a great calorie burner, how many calories you burn pretty much depends on several factors, like your weight, intensity, and the type of stroke you’re doing.
According to Harvard Medical School, the following calories are burned in 30 minutes of recreational swimming:
- a 125-pound [57 kg] woman will burn about 180 calories
- a 155-pound [70 kg] woman will burn about 216 calories
- and a 185-pound [83 kg] woman will burn about 252 calories
But if you increase the heat and vigorously swim laps for 30 minutes, the following calories will be burned while swimming:
- a 125-pound [57 kg] woman will burn about 300 calories
- a 155-pound [70 kg] woman will burn about 372 calories
- and a 185-pound [83 kg] woman will burn about 444 calories
Meanwhile, how many calories you torch also depends on the stroke you choose. For instance, if a 155-pound [70 kg] woman burns around 372 calories in 30 minutes of swimming breaststroke, she’ll burn almost 409 calories within 30 minutes of butterfly.
Estimated Calories Burned Swimming Laps
Additionally, you can use the MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Tasks) formula to calculate how many calories are burned while swimming. To calculate the calories burned per minute, use this MET formula: (MET x body weight in kilograms x 3.5) ÷ 200
Remember, 1 MET is equivalent to the energy you expend while sitting, while higher METs show that more energy was expended. However, since MET values don’t consider individual differences like movement efficiency or body mass, the typical energy expenditure may differ.
The chart below contains estimates (using MET) of specific swimming activities for a 150-pound individual in one hour. To get a personalized estimate, use a MET calorie calculator that considers your weight and swimming duration.
| Swim Stroke | Intensity Level | Calories Burned Per Hour (150lbs) |
| Treading water | Moderate | 272 calories |
| Non-lap swimming | Light | 408 calories |
| Backstroke | Light to moderate | 476 calories |
| Backstroke | Moderate to vigorous | 680 calories |
| Crawl/Freestyle | Light to moderate | 594 calories |
| Crawl/Freestyle | Moderate to vigorous | 716 calories |
| Breaststroke | Light to moderate | 379 calories |
| Breaststroke | Moderate to vigorous | 737 calories |
| Butterfly | Light to moderate | 748 calories |
| Butterfly | Moderate to vigorous | 988 calories |
What Factors Affect Calories Burned During Swimming?
The number of calories burned differs by individual. Again, the number of calories you shed is determined by the type of swimming you do and your body type.
Meanwhile, you can optimize your exercise to burn more calories by adjusting your effort and duration. Whether it’s for 1000 meters, 1 mile, or 30 minutes, here are other factors that affect how many calories are burned while swimming.
Body weight: Since it requires more energy to move a larger mass through water, heavier people typically expend more calories during physical activities like swimming. The body has to work harder to move a large mass, which results in burning more calories.
Intensity: Your swimming effort has a direct effect on how many calories are burned. Again, your heart rate and the total energy expenditure of your workout both rise when you swim more quickly or vigorously. Swimming sessions with a high level of intensity can increase your calorie expenditure and improve your cardiovascular health.
Swim stroke: The amount of calories burned by each swimming stroke varies. Various strokes need varying degrees of effort. For example, robust strokes like butterfly strokes burn a lot of calories because they demand intense full-body movements. Less vigorous strokes, such as the breaststroke, still burn a good number of calories. But they cannot be compared to the intensity of the freestyle or butterfly stroke.
Duration: A significant factor in calculating your overall calorie burn is the length of time you spend swimming. Swimming for a long time yields a higher calorie burn because your body is actively working. So, swimming for longer sessions is beneficial for burning more calories. Plus, it aids in reaching fitness objectives like increased endurance or weight loss.
Bottom Line
Swimming is a great way to work out your entire body and burn a lot of calories. Whether you’re swimming laps for fitness or looking to cover longer distances, the calories burned can help you with weight loss and cardiovascular health.
Note that your precise calorie burn will vary depending on factors, including intensity, stroke type, and personal traits. Though the number of calories burned when swimming 1000 meters is remarkable, set more realistic targets, such as the number of calories burned during a regular lap session or while swimming 1 mile.
You can improve your general health and calorie burn by adding regular swimming to your workout program. Then progressively increase the distance and intensity. Ultimately, enjoy the numerous advantages of swimming while understanding that you’re performing an effective calorie-burning activity.