Backstroke calories burned
Quick answer
Swimming backstroke burns about 215 kcal in 30 minutes for a 70 kg person at moderate effort. One hour burns about 431 kcal.
- 30 minutes, 70 kg
- 215 kcal
- 1 hour, 70 kg
- 431 kcal
- MET used
- 7.15
- Effort or pace
- Moderate
Easy uses the Compendium's recreational backstroke row and Hard its training or competition row. Moderate sits between them.
Calories burned by body weight
Estimated kcal for each effort level the Nibbs app offers for backstroke. Pick the level that matches the whole session, including normal short rests.
| Effort level | 50 kg | 60 kg | 70 kg | 80 kg | 90 kg | 100 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy4.8 MET | 95 kcal | 114 kcal | 133 kcal | 152 kcal | 171 kcal | 190 kcal |
| Moderate7.15 MET | 154 kcal | 185 kcal | 215 kcal | 246 kcal | 277 kcal | 308 kcal |
| Hard9.5 MET | 213 kcal | 255 kcal | 298 kcal | 340 kcal | 383 kcal | 425 kcal |
| Effort level | 50 kg | 60 kg | 70 kg | 80 kg | 90 kg | 100 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy4.8 MET | 190 kcal | 228 kcal | 266 kcal | 304 kcal | 342 kcal | 380 kcal |
| Moderate7.15 MET | 308 kcal | 369 kcal | 431 kcal | 492 kcal | 554 kcal | 615 kcal |
| Hard9.5 MET | 425 kcal | 510 kcal | 595 kcal | 680 kcal | 765 kcal | 850 kcal |
- Easy:
- Relaxed, light effort.
- Moderate:
- Steady, noticeable effort. New logs in the app start here.
- Hard:
- Demanding and hard to keep up.
How this is calculated
Calories burned = (MET − 1) × body weight in kg × time in hours
MET compares the energy an activity uses with sitting at rest. Nibbs takes away 1 MET, the energy your body uses at rest (about 1 kcal per kg per hour), so it counts only the extra calories from the activity. The app rounds the result to the nearest whole kcal.
Worked example (Moderate, 70 kg, 30 minutes): (7.15 − 1) × 70 × 0.5 = 215.25, rounded to 215 kcal.
| Effort level | MET | Compendium code |
|---|---|---|
| Easy | 4.8 | 18255 |
| Moderate | 7.15 | Effort model |
| Hard | 9.5 | Effort model |
Compendium row for backstroke: code 18255, 4.8 MET.Compendium wording: “Swimming, backstroke, recreational”
Easy, Moderate and Hard come from the Nibbs effort model. They are approximate rates, based on Compendium codes 18255, 18250. They are not separate measurements of backstroke. A code shows next to a level only where its rate equals the row above.
Common questions
How many calories does swimming backstroke burn in an hour?
About 431 kcal for a 70 kg person at moderate effort. At the same effort, a 50 kg person burns about 308 kcal and a 100 kg person about 615 kcal.
Does swimming backstroke burn more calories at a harder effort?
Yes. For a 70 kg person, 30 minutes burns about 133 kcal at easy effort, 215 kcal at moderate effort and 298 kcal at hard effort. Choose the level that matches the whole session, including normal short rests.
Why are these numbers lower than some other calculators?
Nibbs counts only the calories you burn above your resting rate. It takes away 1 MET, about 1 kcal per kg of body weight per hour, because your body burns that much even when you sit still. Calculators that count total calories include this resting energy, so their numbers are higher.
How do I log backstroke in Nibbs?
Add Swimming - Backstroke from the exercise library, enter how long you did it and pick Easy, Moderate or Hard. Nibbs uses the weight in your profile to estimate the calories. You can replace the estimate with your own number.
Log backstroke in Nibbs and get a calorie estimate automatically
Nibbs has a library of more than 1,200 exercises. Add a workout and Nibbs uses your weight to estimate the calories, next to the meals you log.
Calories burned in related activities
Values are kcal in 30 minutes for a 70 kg person, at the app's default effort level or the pace shown on each page.