Calories Burned Swimming Calculator
Estimate the calories a swim burns from your effort, your weight and your time in the water. Swimming can burn more energy than many people expect.
- Free
- Works offline after your first visit
- Saves on this device
- No sign-up
- Updated
How it works
Each effort level has a standard MET value, a multiple of energy use at rest. Light to moderate laps have a lower value than vigorous laps.
Calories equal the MET times your body weight in kilograms times the hours you swam. Count only the time you are moving, not rest breaks at the wall.
Worked example
45 min of Light to moderate swimming at a body weight of 160 lb burns about 316 calories.
Questions
What counts as vigorous swimming?
It means working near your limit, with fast strokes and short rests. If you can talk in full sentences, choose light to moderate.
Does stroke type matter?
This simple version uses effort, not stroke. Butterfly and sprint sets usually burn more than an easy freestyle.
Why do my watch and this number differ?
Water temperature, rest breaks and the device's own formula all change the reading. Use this as a rough guide.
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