Calories burned playing table tennis
Table tennis is quick hands and light footwork. It burns less than most racquet sports, but a fast, competitive game with a lot of movement adds up.
That is roughly the energy in about 2.5 bananas, about 2.5 rotis or about 1.5 samosas.
At every effort level
| Effort | MET | Calories for 60 min |
|---|---|---|
| Social game | 3 | 210 kcal |
| Regular play | 4 | 280 kcal |
| Competitive play | 5.5 | 385 kcal |
Calories burned playing table tennis, by weight and time
At a regular pace (Regular play).
| Body weight | 30 min | 45 min | 60 min | 90 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kg | 100 kcal | 150 kcal | 200 kcal | 300 kcal |
| 60 kg | 120 kcal | 180 kcal | 240 kcal | 360 kcal |
| 70 kg | 140 kcal | 210 kcal | 280 kcal | 420 kcal |
| 80 kg | 160 kcal | 240 kcal | 320 kcal | 480 kcal |
| 90 kg | 180 kcal | 270 kcal | 360 kcal | 540 kcal |
Good to know
- Standing close to the table burns less than playing back and moving a lot.
- It is easy to play for long stretches, which helps the total.
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 table tennis burn?
At a regular pace, a 60 kg person burns about 240 kcal, a 70 kg person about 280 kcal and an 80 kg person about 320 kcal in an hour. Taking it easy (social game) burns about 210 kcal for a 70 kg person, and going hard (competitive play) about 385 kcal.
How many calories does 30 minutes of playing table tennis burn?
At a regular pace, about 120 kcal for a 60 kg person, 140 kcal for 70 kg and 160 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 table tennis we use 3 (easy), 4 (regular) and 5.5 (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 table tennis 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.
