What sets the number: your weight, the intensity, and the clock
MET is how hard the lifting is relative to sitting still. Light resistance work is about 3.5 MET, a standard strength session 5.0, fast vigorous lifting 6.0, and non-stop circuit training up to 8.0. Double the intensity and you nearly double the burn; the same is true for bodyweight and for time.
Calories in 30 minutes, by intensity (165 lb / 75 kg lifter)
| Style | MET | 30 min | 60 min |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light resistance | 3.5 | ~90 kcal | ~185 kcal |
| General weight lifting | 5.0 | ~130 kcal | ~265 kcal |
| Vigorous lifting | 6.0 | ~155 kcal | ~315 kcal |
| Circuit training | 8.0 | ~210 kcal | ~420 kcal |
Scale for your own weight: the burn is directly proportional, so a 220 lb (100 kg) person burns about a third more than the figures above, and a 130 lb (60 kg) person about a fifth less.
The afterburn (EPOC) is real but small
Lifting keeps oxygen use elevated for hours afterward as muscle recovers. That adds calories, but far fewer than gym folklore suggests.
- Size. Roughly 5 percent extra for light sessions, up to about 10 percent for vigorous ones. A 300 kcal workout returns 15 to 30 kcal of afterburn.
- Duration. The effect can linger 14 to 48 hours, which is why lifting outlasts steady cardio even though its live burn is lower.
- Muscle bonus. Each pound of muscle you add burns only a few extra calories a day at rest. Real, but it raises your metabolism a few percent, not dramatically.
Common questions
How many calories does an hour of weight lifting burn?
For a 165 lb (75 kg) person, roughly 260 kcal at a moderate pace and about 315 kcal if the session is vigorous. A heavier lifter burns proportionally more, so a 200 lb person burns about a third more for the same workout.
Does the afterburn really add hundreds of calories?
No. EPOC, the extra oxygen your body uses to recover, adds about 5 to 10 percent on top of what you burned during the session. Burn 300 kcal lifting and the afterburn is roughly 15 to 30 kcal, not the hundreds people often claim.
Does lifting burn fewer calories than running?
During the workout, yes. Running burns 400 to 900 kcal an hour against 200 to 400 for lifting. Lifting wins over time instead: it builds muscle that raises your resting burn and it carries a larger afterburn.
