Ping pong calorie calculator: how many calories you burn

How many calories does ping pong burn? Enter your weight, how long you played and how hard, and this calculator gives you an estimate straight away, using the same method found in exercise research.

How the calculator works it out

The estimate is based on the MET (metabolic equivalent), a measure of intensity. 1 MET is the energy you use at rest, roughly 1 calorie per kilogram of body weight per hour. An activity rated 4 METs burns four times that. The formula is:

calories = MET x weight in kg x hours played

For a 154 lb (70 kg) person playing casually for an hour: 4 x 70 x 1 = 280 calories. If you enter your weight in pounds, the calculator converts it to kilograms first (1 lb = 0.4536 kg).

Where the MET values come from

The 4.0 MET value is what the Compendium of Physical Activities, the most widely used reference for the energy cost of physical activities, lists for table tennis. It describes ordinary play and does not split it by level.

The other two levels come from a study of Japanese college table tennis players published in 2017 in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. The researchers measured competitive practice: drills without footwork came in between 4.5 and 5.2 METs, footwork drills went above 9 METs, and practice as a whole averaged around 7 METs. Their conclusion was that the Compendium value underestimates practice for competitive players. We use 5 and 7 METs as rounded, conservative values.

Which level to pick

• Casual: rallying in the garage, at the office or at a club social night, with breaks to chase the ball and chat. This is how most people play.
• Training: consistency drills such as forehand to forehand, without much side-to-side movement.
• Intense training: footwork drills, fast-paced multiball and properly contested matches, with your legs working the whole time.

When in doubt, pick the lower level. In an hour of "playing", a good share of the time goes on picking up balls, switching ends and resting between games, and that time burns far less than the rallies themselves.

Why it is only an estimate

Real energy use varies from person to person. Age, sex, fitness, technique and even rally length make a difference. A beginner chasing every ball may burn more than an experienced player who barely moves, and a long topspin rally burns more than a short serve.

The MET formula also includes the calories you would burn at rest anyway, so the extra burned by playing is a little less than the number shown. Fitness watches with heart rate may show a different figure: they are estimating too, just with other data.

Use the result to compare and get a feel for it, not as a measurement. For more on the topic, read how many calories ping pong burns and the health benefits of table tennis. If you plan to play harder, start with a proper warm-up, and if you have a health condition, talk to a professional before stepping up the pace.

Frequently asked questions