Rowing machine calories burned
Quick answer
Rowing on a machine burns about 140 kcal in 30 minutes for a 70 kg person at moderate effort. One hour burns about 280 kcal.
- 30 minutes, 70 kg
- 140 kcal
- 1 hour, 70 kg
- 280 kcal
- MET used
- 5
- Effort or pace
- Moderate
Moderate uses the Compendium's rowing machine row for under 100 watts, and Hard its vigorous row. Easy is a lighter workload.
Calories burned by body weight
Estimated kcal for each effort level the Nibbs app offers for rowing machine. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy3.5 MET | 63 kcal | 75 kcal | 88 kcal | 100 kcal | 113 kcal | 125 kcal |
| Moderate5 MET | 100 kcal | 120 kcal | 140 kcal | 160 kcal | 180 kcal | 200 kcal |
| Hard7.3 MET | 158 kcal | 189 kcal | 221 kcal | 252 kcal | 284 kcal | 315 kcal |
| Effort level | 50 kg | 60 kg | 70 kg | 80 kg | 90 kg | 100 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy3.5 MET | 125 kcal | 150 kcal | 175 kcal | 200 kcal | 225 kcal | 250 kcal |
| Moderate5 MET | 200 kcal | 240 kcal | 280 kcal | 320 kcal | 360 kcal | 400 kcal |
| Hard7.3 MET | 315 kcal | 378 kcal | 441 kcal | 504 kcal | 567 kcal | 630 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): (5 − 1) × 70 × 0.5 = 140 kcal.
| Effort level | MET | Compendium code |
|---|---|---|
| Easy | 3.5 | Effort model |
| Moderate | 5 | 02071 |
| Hard | 7.3 | Effort model |
Compendium row for rowing machine: code 02071, 5 MET.Compendium wording: “Rowing, stationary ergometer, general, <100 watts, moderate effort”
Easy, Moderate and Hard come from the Nibbs effort model. They are approximate rates, based on Compendium codes 02071, 02070. They are not separate measurements of rowing machine. A code shows next to a level only where its rate equals the row above.
Common questions
How many calories does rowing on a machine burn in an hour?
About 280 kcal for a 70 kg person at moderate effort. At the same effort, a 50 kg person burns about 200 kcal and a 100 kg person about 400 kcal.
Does rowing on a machine burn more calories at a harder effort?
Yes. For a 70 kg person, 30 minutes burns about 88 kcal at easy effort, 140 kcal at moderate effort and 221 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 rowing machine in Nibbs?
Add Indoor Rowing 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 rowing machine 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.