How Many Calories Does Doing Push-Ups Burn? (By Weight & Reps)

How Many Calories Do Push-Ups Burn?

Push-ups burn approximately 7–10 calories per minute for most adults, or roughly 0.3–0.6 calories per rep depending on body weight, pace, and form. They are a moderate-intensity bodyweight exercise with a MET value of approximately 3.8 for standard push-ups.

While push-ups are not primarily a calorie-burning exercise — they're best understood as a strength-building movement — they do contribute meaningfully to daily energy expenditure, especially when performed in higher volume sets or combined into a circuit. For a personalized estimate, use the free Push-Up Calories Calculator at BetterCalculators.

The MET Formula for Push-Up Calorie Calculation

Push-up calorie burn is calculated using the standard MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) formula:

Calories = MET × Weight (kg) × Time (hours)

Standard push-ups have a MET value of approximately 3.8, meaning they burn roughly 3.8 times your resting metabolic rate. For reference, walking at 3.5 mph has a MET of about 3.5 — so push-ups are roughly equivalent in intensity to a brisk walk, which surprises most people.

At a moderate pace of about 20 push-ups per minute, here's how the numbers work for a 160-pound (73 kg) person:

• Per minute: 3.8 × 73 kg × (1/60 hr) ≈ 4.6 calories/minute
• Per rep at 20 reps/minute: ≈ 0.23 calories/rep
• 100 push-ups (5 minutes active): ≈ 23 calories

Calories Burned by Weight and Rep Count

Why Push-Up Calorie Estimates Vary So Much

You'll see wildly different calorie estimates for push-ups online — ranging from 0.3 to 1.0+ calories per rep. The variation comes from several sources:

• Pace: Doing push-ups at 30 per minute burns substantially more per minute than doing them at 10 per minute. Faster = higher MET intensity.
• Rest between sets: If you're counting the entire workout duration including rest, burn per rep appears lower. If counting only active time, it appears higher.
• Form and range of motion: Full-range push-ups (chest to floor, full lockout) engage more muscle and burn more calories than partial reps.
• Body weight: Heavier individuals burn more calories performing the same movement because they're moving more mass.
• Fitness level: More fit individuals are more efficient at push-ups, burning slightly fewer calories for the same work — but can sustain higher volume.

Push-Up Variations and Calorie Burn

Different push-up variations engage different muscles and vary in calorie burn:

• Standard push-up (MET ~3.8): Baseline. Chest, triceps, anterior deltoid, core stabilization.
• Wide-grip push-up (MET ~3.8–4.0): Greater chest activation, slightly less triceps. Similar calorie burn to standard.
• Diamond/close-grip push-up (MET ~4.0): Greater triceps activation. Slightly harder, slightly higher burn.
• Decline push-up (MET ~4.2): Feet elevated — shifts load toward upper chest and front deltoids. Higher difficulty increases MET slightly.
• Incline push-up (MET ~3.0): Hands elevated — reduces load. Lower burn, appropriate for beginners or high-rep work.
• Plyometric/clap push-up (MET ~8.0+): Explosive push-up with a clap. Much higher intensity — roughly double the standard MET. Burns 2× more calories per rep but fatigues quickly.
• Pike push-up (MET ~4.0): Targets shoulders more than chest. Similar burn to standard.
• Archer push-up (MET ~4.5): Single-arm emphasis with a side slide. Higher difficulty and unilateral demand.

Push-Ups vs. Other Common Exercises for Calorie Burn

How to Maximize Calorie Burn from Push-Ups

• Increase pace: Faster push-ups (within safe form) elevate heart rate and MET significantly. Aim for controlled speed, not sloppy reps.
• Reduce rest time: Short rest intervals (15–30 seconds between sets instead of 60–90) keep heart rate elevated and total calorie burn higher.
• Use push-ups in circuits: Alternating push-ups with other movements (squats, burpees, rows) keeps the cardiovascular demand high and total burn substantially above isolated push-up sets.
• Progress to harder variations: Decline, diamond, and plyometric push-ups all have higher MET values than standard.
• Increase volume gradually: More total reps = more total calories. Building from 50 to 200 push-ups per session roughly quadruples the calorie contribution.
• Add a weighted vest: Even a 10-lb vest measurably increases the energy cost of each rep, since you're moving more total mass.

Are Push-Ups Good for Weight Loss?

Push-ups contribute to weight loss in two ways: direct calorie burn during the exercise, and increased muscle mass over time which elevates resting metabolic rate. However, neither effect is large in isolation.

100 push-ups burns roughly 15–25 calories — equivalent to about 1/10 of a banana. As a standalone calorie-burning strategy, push-ups are relatively inefficient compared to running, cycling, or jumping rope.

Their real weight-loss value comes from the muscle they build. Each pound of muscle burns approximately 6–10 calories per day at rest. Building meaningful upper-body muscle through consistent push-up volume creates a permanent increase in your resting metabolic rate.

For best results, combine push-ups with higher-calorie-burning cardio and a moderate caloric deficit. Use the Push-Up Calories Calculator to track the calorie contribution of your push-up sessions accurately.

A Practical Push-Up Calorie Workout

To burn 100+ calories from push-ups in a single session, try this circuit approach:

• 5 rounds of: 20 standard push-ups, 10 diamond push-ups, 10 decline push-ups, 15-second rest between exercises.
• Total reps: 175. Active time: approximately 12–15 minutes.
• Estimated burn for a 180-lb person: approximately 65–80 calories from the push-ups alone, plus elevated heart rate effects.
• Add 3 rounds of 20 jumping jacks between push-up rounds to push total burn above 100 calories.