Calories burned playing badminton
Badminton is mostly short bursts: quick lunges, jumps and sprints between rallies. A relaxed doubles game with friends burns far less than a hard singles match.
That is roughly the energy in about 3.5 bananas, about 3 rotis or about 2 samosas.
At every effort level
| Effort | MET | Calories for 60 min |
|---|---|---|
| Casual doubles | 4.5 | 315 kcal |
| Regular play | 5.5 | 385 kcal |
| Competitive singles | 7 | 490 kcal |
Calories burned playing badminton, by weight and time
At a regular pace (Regular play).
| Body weight | 30 min | 45 min | 60 min | 90 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kg | 140 kcal | 205 kcal | 275 kcal | 415 kcal |
| 60 kg | 165 kcal | 250 kcal | 330 kcal | 495 kcal |
| 70 kg | 195 kcal | 290 kcal | 385 kcal | 580 kcal |
| 80 kg | 220 kcal | 330 kcal | 440 kcal | 660 kcal |
| 90 kg | 250 kcal | 370 kcal | 495 kcal | 745 kcal |
Good to know
- Singles usually burns more than doubles, because you cover the whole court yourself.
- Rest between rallies and games lowers the hourly average, so enter the time you were actually playing.
These are estimates for an average adult, based on the Compendium of Physical Activities. Your real figure depends on your fitness, technique and effort. This is general guidance, not medical advice.
Questions people ask
How many calories does an hour of playing badminton burn?
At a regular pace, a 60 kg person burns about 330 kcal, a 70 kg person about 385 kcal and an 80 kg person about 440 kcal in an hour. Taking it easy (casual doubles) burns about 315 kcal for a 70 kg person, and going hard (competitive singles) about 490 kcal.
How many calories does 30 minutes of playing badminton burn?
At a regular pace, about 165 kcal for a 60 kg person, 195 kcal for 70 kg and 220 kcal for 80 kg. Use the calculator above to enter your own weight and time.
How is the number worked out?
Calories burned = MET x your weight in kg x time in hours. A MET says how many times more energy an activity uses than sitting still. For playing badminton we use 4.5 (easy), 5.5 (regular) and 7 (hard). These values follow the Compendium of Physical Activities, a standard research list, and are averages for adults.
How accurate is this?
It is an estimate, usually within about 20 percent. Your fitness, technique, body build and how hard you really work all change the true figure, and fitness watches can differ from it too. Use it to compare activities and plan, not as an exact count.
Is playing badminton good for weight loss?
Any activity that gets you moving helps, and the best one is the one you will keep doing. Weight depends on what you eat as much as what you burn. As a very rough rule, around 7,700 kcal is about 1 kg of body fat, but real results vary from person to person. If you have a health condition, check with a doctor before starting something new.
