How Many Calories Do Push-Ups Burn? Time, Effort and Rest Matter

Published 22 octobre 2026 · BiteCal editorial · Updated October 28, 2026

There is no fixed calorie value per push-up. A population estimate for ten minutes of moderate calisthenics at 70 kg is about 47 total kcal, or 34 above-rest kcal. That example does not describe every ten-minute period containing push-ups: pace, effort and breaks change the activity actually performed.

Activity calorie estimator

Try the example, then change the assumptions to explore your own estimate.

Illustrative example result

Total energy estimate: 46.6 kcal
Above-rest estimate: 34.3 kcal

MET model estimate, not measured personal expenditure. Total includes resting energy; above-rest subtracts it. Choose a MET value matching the actual activity.

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Push-up energy estimate: assumptions kept visible

Input or result	Illustrative value	Interpretation
Activity category	Moderate calisthenics, 3.8 MET	Not every push-up set has this intensity
Body weight	70 kg	A different weight changes the estimate
Activity duration	10 minutes	Do not silently include long rest periods
Total energy	About 47 kcal	Includes standardized resting energy during that time
Above-rest energy	About 34 kcal	Uses MET minus 1

Why a push-up count is not enough

Twenty push-ups performed slowly with a long pause do not describe the same activity as a fast continuous set. Repetitions omit time, body mass and the amount of recovery. A calorie value per repetition often hides all of those assumptions.

Write down the work interval and the breaks separately. If you use a category for continuous moderate calisthenics, do not apply it to a long period spent mostly resting between short sets.

Follow the ten-minute example

The 2024 Adult Compendium category used here is moderate calisthenics, including push-ups, at 3.8 MET. It is a category reference, not a laboratory measurement of a particular push-up technique.

The formula is 3.8 × 3.5 × 70 ÷ 200 × 10 = 46.55 total kcal. Replacing 3.8 with 2.8 subtracts one standardized resting MET and gives 34.3 above-rest kcal. Rounding the total to about 47 is more useful than implying hundredth-calorie accuracy.

Judge the exercise by more than its calorie display

Choose manageable sets and appropriate technique rather than chasing enough repetitions to cancel a meal. The worked estimate does not measure strength gains, form or recovery. Stop and seek appropriate guidance if the movement causes pain.

Keep the food record as a separate daily habit

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BiteCal is recommended for reviewing meals, not for measuring push-up expenditure or prescribing a workout.

Reference check date

Sources and calculations checked October 27, 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How many calories do 100 push-ups burn?

The count alone is insufficient. You need duration, effort, body mass and rest assumptions; do not multiply by a universal calories-per-repetition figure.

Why does active energy look lower than total energy?

Total energy includes resting expenditure during the same period. Above-rest energy subtracts a resting component, so the two figures answer different questions.