Calories burned playing basketball
Basketball is constant running, stopping and jumping on a small court. A full game is much harder than shooting around, so choose the level honestly.
That is roughly the energy in about 4.5 bananas, about 4 rotis or about 2.5 samosas.
At every effort level
| Effort | MET | Calories for 60 min |
|---|---|---|
| Shooting hoops | 4.5 | 315 kcal |
| Casual play | 6.5 | 455 kcal |
| Full game | 8 | 560 kcal |
Calories burned playing basketball, by weight and time
At a regular pace (Casual play).
| Body weight | 30 min | 45 min | 60 min | 90 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kg | 165 kcal | 245 kcal | 325 kcal | 490 kcal |
| 60 kg | 195 kcal | 295 kcal | 390 kcal | 585 kcal |
| 70 kg | 230 kcal | 340 kcal | 455 kcal | 685 kcal |
| 80 kg | 260 kcal | 390 kcal | 520 kcal | 780 kcal |
| 90 kg | 295 kcal | 440 kcal | 585 kcal | 880 kcal |
Good to know
- Shooting hoops alone burns far less than a full game.
- Fast breaks and defence are where most of the effort goes.
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 basketball burn?
At a regular pace, a 60 kg person burns about 390 kcal, a 70 kg person about 455 kcal and an 80 kg person about 520 kcal in an hour. Taking it easy (shooting hoops) burns about 315 kcal for a 70 kg person, and going hard (full game) about 560 kcal.
How many calories does 30 minutes of playing basketball burn?
At a regular pace, about 195 kcal for a 60 kg person, 230 kcal for 70 kg and 260 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 basketball we use 4.5 (easy), 6.5 (regular) and 8 (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 basketball 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.
