Calories burned playing squash
Squash is one of the most demanding racquet sports: lots of lunging and fast changes of direction in a small court.
That is roughly the energy in about 5 bananas, about 4.5 rotis or about 3 samosas.
At every effort level
| Effort | MET | Calories for 60 min |
|---|---|---|
| Easy hit-around | 6 | 420 kcal |
| Casual games | 7.3 | 510 kcal |
| Competitive match | 12 | 840 kcal |
Calories burned playing squash, by weight and time
At a regular pace (Casual games).
| Body weight | 30 min | 45 min | 60 min | 90 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kg | 185 kcal | 275 kcal | 365 kcal | 550 kcal |
| 60 kg | 220 kcal | 330 kcal | 440 kcal | 655 kcal |
| 70 kg | 255 kcal | 385 kcal | 510 kcal | 765 kcal |
| 80 kg | 290 kcal | 440 kcal | 585 kcal | 875 kcal |
| 90 kg | 330 kcal | 495 kcal | 655 kcal | 985 kcal |
Good to know
- Rallies are continuous with very little rest, so the hourly burn is high.
- Beginners tire quickly. Start with shorter sessions.
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 squash burn?
At a regular pace, a 60 kg person burns about 440 kcal, a 70 kg person about 510 kcal and an 80 kg person about 585 kcal in an hour. Taking it easy (easy hit-around) burns about 420 kcal for a 70 kg person, and going hard (competitive match) about 840 kcal.
How many calories does 30 minutes of playing squash burn?
At a regular pace, about 220 kcal for a 60 kg person, 255 kcal for 70 kg and 290 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 squash we use 6 (easy), 7.3 (regular) and 12 (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 squash 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.
