Exercise - Calorie List About Exercise Values
The "Intensity" numbers reflect very rough approximations of how many calories a person burns in 1 hour from the exercise for each pound of body weight. If you want a general idea of how many calories you burn in an hour, just multiply the intensity by your weight in pounds.
The "calories expended" are not intended to be precise. The purpose of the list is as a resource to give a browsing guide for a wide range of exercises and to support the BMI form. If you would like a more accurate measurement of energy expended by a specific exercise, use the Exercise Calculator.
Well, rather than wasting all the space in this empty column, we thought we'd run an ad for a really good book about getting into shape.
Using This Chart:
The main purpose of this chart is to help you fill in the "intensity" number on the General Body form. Find the closest approximation to your exercise and use the intensity number of its section.
You can also use this chart as a simple test to see if your exercise meets basic fitness levels.
Generally Accepted Minimums
Basic Fitness:You can use this chart to get a simple idea of what you need to do each week to get the basic health benefit of being fit: a 50% reduction in mortality rate. To maintain basic fitness, find the intensity of an exercise. Multiply the number of hours you have exercised during the past week (or in a theoretical week) by the "intensity". (We have provided a little calculator to help.) The total should be 11 per week or higher.
The exercise should be spread out over at least three non-consecutive days, and preferably four to five days, per week. The most basic ways to do this are: 1) walk 4 miles in an hour or less, five days per week, or 2) run 3 miles in 36 minutes, four days per week. However, you can do any combination of exercises you want to, as long as the total value (hours x intensity)is at least 11 and you spread the sessions out during the week. If you are able, exercises at Level 3.0 or higher seem to provide some extra benefit (and don't take as much time).
Minimal Fitness:
If you cannot (or don't want to) do enough exercise to reach basic fitness, you will obtain substantial benefits by maintaining "Minimal Fitness". Perform an exercise listed in the "Relaxed" category for 1/2 hour, five days per week, or about 40 minutes four days per week. This is a good guideline if you have not been getting any exercise, or cannot engage in more strenuous activity due to age or illness — or just hate to exercise. If you find that you are walking 1.5 miles in your half hour, this guideline would advise you to pick up your pace a bit, so that you walk 1.7 miles in half an hour; if you can't walk faster, extend the duration of your walk to 2 miles in 40 minutes.
This page does not deal with getting into shape. If you are sedentary, you need to work up to your exercise goal gradually and with a physician's approval. This page is intended to help you determine if the exercise you are getting meets certain basic benchmarks, and to help you set goals.
Relaxed (Intensity 1.4 - 1.9)
1.6
- Archery, nonhunting
- Automobile repair
- Calisthenics, home, light/moderate effort
- Carpentry, general
- Electrical work, plumbing
- Fishing from river bank, standing
- Golf, using power cart
- Rowing, stationary, light effort (50 watt)
- Scrubbing floors, on hands and knees
- Snowmobiling
- Packing/unpacking boxes - standing
- Walking 3.0 mph, moderate pace (20 min/mile)
- Walking, carrying infant or 15-lb load
- Walking 3.5 mph, fast pace (17:10 min/mile)
- Sweeping floor, vacuuming, inside
- Skydiving
1.8
- Bicycling, <10mph, leisure
- Canoeing, on camping trip
- Cleaning, heavy, vigorous effort
- Coaching: football, soccer, basketball, etc
- Curling
- Fishing, general
- Gardening, general
- Gymnastics, general
- Hacky sack
- Horseback riding, general
- Marching band, playing instrument ; walking
- Moto-cross
- Music playing, drums
- Paddleboat
- Raking lawn
- Sweeping garage, sidewalk
- Swimming, treading water, moderate effort
- Ping pong, table tennis
- Tai chi
- Volleyball, in gymnasium
- Child care: Walk/run-playing with children-moderate
- Walking, using crutches
- Water aerobics, water calisthenics
Light (Intensity 2 - 2.4)
2.2
- Badminton, social, general
- Basketball, shooting baskets
- Bicycling, stationary, general
- Cricket - batting, bowling
- Dancing, general (eg hula, Greek, swing)
- Golf, carrying clubs
- Golf, pulling clubs
- Hunting, general
- Kayaking, moderate *
- Painting, papering, plastering, scraping
- Sailing, in competition
- Skateboarding
- Skiing, downhill, light effort
- Snorkeling
- Softball or baseball, fast or slow pitch
- Unicycling
- Child care: Walk/run-playing with children-vigorous
- Walking 4.0 mph, very brisk pace (15 min/mile)
- Walking, grass track, moderate pace
- Whitewater rafting, kayaking, or canoeing
- Yoga, active
- Snowshoeing in unpacked snow, 2mph
- Exercise class: Low impact aerobics, stretching, weight/floor work
- Exercise class: Step aerobics (4 inch), stretching, weight/floor work
2.4
- Aerobics, step, 4-inch
- Gutters, cleaning
- Children's Games (hopscotch, dodge/tetherball
- Snowshoeing in packed snow, 3mph
- Exercise class: High impact aerobics, stretching, weight/floor work
- Exercise class: Step aerobics (6 inch), stretching, weight/floor work
- Surfing, continuous, 5+ foot waves
Moderate (Intensity 2.5 - 2.9)
2.6
- Aerobics, low impact
- Bicycling, stationary, light (100 watt)
- Construction, outside, remodeling
- Dancing, ballroom, fast (professional type)
- Farming, shoveling grain
- Health club exercise, general
- Mowing lawn, general, push power mower
- Skating, ice, 9 mph or less
- Tennis, doubles
2.8
- Basketball, casual game & general
- Bicycling, 10-11.9mph, light effort
- Boxing, punching bag
- Dancing, ballet or modern (twist, tap,jazz, jitterbug)
- Fencing
- Fishing in stream, in waders
- Hiking, cross country
- Horse grooming
- Moving furniture, household
- Shoveling snow, by hand - moderate
- Skiing, downhill, moderate effort
- Skiing, water
- Softball, officiating
- Stair-treadmill ergometer, general
- Aerobics, teaching class
- Walking 3.5 mph uphill
- Weight lifting or body building, vigorous effort
- Aerobics dance - Jazzercise, Slimastics
- Softball - pitching
- Drag Racing
- Exercise class: Step aerobics (8 inch), stretching, weight/floor work
Vigorous (Intensity 3 - 3.2)
3
- Basketball, wheelchair
- Horseback riding, trotting
- Marching, rapidly, military
- Race walking
- Skiing, cross-country, slow or light effort (2.5 mph)
- Swimming general, active swim/dive/playing in water
- Surfing, vigorous, big wave
- Elliptical trainer, moderate
- Walking 4.5 mph (13.3 min/mile)
- Exercise class: Step aerobics (10 inch), stretching, weight/floor work
3.2
- Aerobics, high impact
- Backpacking, general
- Badminton, competitive
- Basketball, officiating
- Bicycling, stationary, moderate (150 watt)
- Broomball
- Canoeing, rowing, moderate effort
- Jogging, general
- Kickball
- Racquetball, casual, general
- Rowing, stationary, moderate (100 watt)
- Skating, ice, general
- Skating, roller
- Ski jumping - climb up carrying skis
- Skiing, snow, general
- Ski-mobiling, water
- Skin diving, scuba diving, general
- Sledding, tobogganing, bobsledding, luge
- Soccer, casual, general
- Swimming laps, freestyle, light/moderate effort
- Swimming, backstroke, general
- Tennis, general
- Wallyball, general
Quite Vigorous (Intensity 3.3 - 3.9)
3.4
- Carrying heavy loads, such as bricks
- Farming, baling hay, cleaning barn
- Football, touch, flag, general
- Frisbee, ultimate
- Hockey, field
- Horse racing, galloping
- Polo
- Rock climbing, rapelling
- Running, general
- Skiing, cross-country, moderate (4-5 mph)
- Skiing, downhill, vigorous effort, racing
- Swimming, sidestroke, general
- Swimming, sychronized
- Walking up stairs or ladder
- Yoga, vigorous movement
- Aerobics, step, 6-inch
- Exercise class: Step aerobics (12 inch), stretching, weight/floor work
3.7
- Basketball, official game
- Bicycling, 12-13.9mph, moderate effort
- Bicycling, BMX or mountain
- Calisthenics, heavy -pushups, sit-ups - vigorous effort
- Circuit training, general
- Handball, team
- Hockey, ice
- Lacrosse
- Rope jumping, slow
- Rowing, stationary, vigorous (150 watt)
- Running, 5 mph - 12 min mile
- Running, in place
- Running, training, pushing wheelchair
- Snowshoeing - general, quick pace
- Tennis, singles
- Volleyball, beach
- Elliptical trainer, vigorous
- Aerobics, step, 8-inch
- Walking 5 mph (12 min/mile)
Strenuous (Intensity 4 - 4.9)
4.3
- Boxing, sparring
- Football, competitive
- Judo, karate, kick boxing, tae kwan do
- Moving household items, boxes, upstairs
- Racquetball, competitive
- Rugby
- Running, 5.2 mph - 11.5 min mile
- Running, cross country (12 min/mile)
- Skating, ice, rapidly, > 9 mph
- Ski machine, general
- Skiing, cross-country, vigorous (5-7 mph)
- Swimming, breaststroke, general
- Swimming, treading water, fast/vigorous
- Aerobics, step, 10-inch
- Aerobics, step, 12-inch
- Weight lifting - prep for professional-level show
- Walk 5.5 mph (10.9 min/mile)
- Snowshoeing in unpacked snow, 3 mph
4.8
- Bicycling, 14-15.9mph, vigorous effort
- Bicycling, stationary, vigorous (200 watt)
- Rope jumping, moderate, general
- Running, 6 mph - 10 min mile
- Running, on a track, team practice
- Soccer, competitive
- Swimming laps, freestyle, fast, vigorous effort
- Water polo
- Snowshoeing in packed snow, 4 mph
Highly Strenuous (Intensity 5 - 5.9)
5.3
- Canoeing, rowing, >6 mph, vigorous effort
- Jai alai
- Rock climbing, ascending rock
- Running, 6.7 mph - 9 min mile
- Running, 7 mph - 8.5 min mile
- Squash - competitive
- Swimming, butterfly, general
5.8
- Bicycling, 16-19mph, very fast, racing
- Bicycling, stationary, very vigorous effort (250 watt)
- Boxing
- Canoeing, rowing, crewing, competition
- Handball, general
- Rope jumping, fast
- Rowing, stationary, very vigorous (200 watt)
- Running, 7.5mph - 8 min mile
Heavy - Trained Athletic (Intensity 6 - 8+)
6.5
- Running, 8 mph - 7.5 min mile
- Running, 8.6 mph - 7 min mile
- Running, 9 mph - 6.5 min mile
- Running up stairs
- Skating, ice, speed, competitive
- Skiing, cross-country, >8.0 mph, racing
7 - 7.9
- Bicycling, >20mph, racing (not drafting)
- Running, 10 mph - 6 min mile
- Skiing, cross-country, uphill, maximum effort/moutaineering
8+
- Running, 10.9 mph - 5.5 min mile
10+
- Running really fast
Extreme Aerobic Sports
The great marathon champion and former world record holder Khalid Khannouchi (USA), 5'5" tall and 125 lbs, in racing shape. Note the unusual prominence of cheekbones, knee structure, and other musculo-skeletal systems, due to the near total absence of non-essential body fat.
Also note the extreme decrease in muscle mass from shoulders to hands, characteristic of top distance runners.
The trophy for extended high energy output per pound goes to marathon runners. Several scientific studies indicate that the most important factor in winning a marathon is energy output per pound. One can raise this number either by putting out more energy, or by having less body weight. This is reflected in the extreme low body mass of champion marathon runners, who tend to lose almost all body fat and much lean body mass. The height of Olympic distance runners, for example, is about 6cm (2.4 inches) less than the height of Olympic sprint runners. The very best marathon runners (at least women) tend to show lower bone density; whether this is a cause or effect, or both, or a secondary effect (i.e. of low body mass), and the degree to which it occurs in men, has not been fully researched. A decrease in bone density is a major risk factor for bone and joint disease, most notably osteoporosis, but weight is so important to marathon runners that low bone density appears to be positively correlated with extreme long-distance running. (Runners who are not training for Olympic-level competition, under constant medical supervision, should be careful not to allow deterioration of their bone density. Women athletes should be especially vigilant. Running itself should normally build bone density unless the runner becomes excessively underweight.)
A Final Note about Running and Swimming: Running and swimming have lost the "fad" appeal that they had 20-30 years ago. But their real value has not changed in 4000 years. They are the fundamental exercises for general conditioning. Looking at the chart, it is apparent that even a slow run (at a pace of 11.5 minutes per mile) or swim, done five times a week for half an hour, is enough to maintain basic fitness, half the time needed for quite a fast walk (4 miles in an hour). And walking at 4.5 miles per hour begins to approach the limits of human ability -- try it some time, and you will be surprised how much effort it takes (although race-walking techniques can raise the bar). Lest we forget: Dr. Kenneth Cooper invented the word "aerobics".
Of course, running is more strain on the framework (bones, joints, tendons etc.) and is not feasible for many people. But most runners who pay attention to their bodies will not develop more long term problems than anyone else; the great risk to joint health (and unfortunately some of the most fun exercises) occur in people who play joint-risky sports like basketball into their 30's and beyond, or have occupations or hobbies involving repetitive strain on a specific system, such as the back or right shoulder.
