Badminton calorie burn by intensity
Estimates use the formula kcal = MET × weight (kg) × hours, with MET values from the 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities. Figures are gross burn — they include the calories you would have burned at rest.
| Intensity | MET | kcal / 30 min* | kcal / 60 min* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social doubles | 4.5 | 158 | 315 |
| General singles play | 5.5 | 192 | 385 |
| Competitive play | 7.0 | 245 | 490 |
*For a 70 kg (154 lb) person. Use the calculator above for your own weight.
Burn by body weight
At a typical intensity for badminton (5.5 METs), here's how the burn scales with body weight:
| Body weight | 15 min | 30 min | 60 min |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55 kg (121 lb) | 76 | 151 | 302 |
| 70 kg (154 lb) | 96 | 192 | 385 |
| 85 kg (187 lb) | 117 | 234 | 468 |
| 100 kg (220 lb) | 138 | 275 | 550 |
Getting more from badminton
- Singles roughly doubles the court coverage of doubles — choose accordingly for fitness goals.
- Multi-shuttle feeding drills strip out the dead time and maximise burn per session hour.
- The lunge-recover pattern builds serious leg strength as a side effect.
Want the bigger picture? Your workout is one slice of total daily burn — estimate the whole thing with the TDEE calculator, or compare against 25+ other activities in the calories burned calculator.
More activities
- 🚶 Walking
- 🏃 Running
- 🐢 Jogging
- 🚴 Cycling
- 🏊 Swimming
- 🏋️ Weightlifting
- 🪢 Jumping Rope
- 🥾 Hiking
- 🧘 Yoga
- 🤸 Pilates
- 🚣 Rowing
- ⚙️ Elliptical
- 🪜 Stair Climbing
- 💃 Dancing
- 🏀 Basketball
- ⚽ Soccer (Football)
- 🎾 Tennis
- ⛳ Golf
- 🔥 HIIT Workouts
- 🥊 Boxing
- 🛶 Kayaking
- 🌱 Gardening
- 🧹 Housework & Cleaning
- 🧍 Standing
- 😴 Sleeping
Sources
- Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Herrmann SD, et al. 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities: a second update of codes and MET values. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011. [link]
Frequently asked questions
How many calories does an hour of badminton burn?
Around 380 kcal for a 70 kg player in general play, and 490+ in competitive singles.
Is badminton or tennis better exercise?
Per minute of rally they're comparable; badminton rallies are shorter but more frequent. Whichever you'll play weekly is the better one.