Table tennis calories burned
Quick answer
Playing table tennis burns about 105 kcal in 30 minutes for a 70 kg person at moderate effort. One hour burns about 210 kcal.
- 30 minutes, 70 kg
- 105 kcal
- 1 hour, 70 kg
- 210 kcal
- MET used
- 4
- Effort or pace
- Moderate
Moderate uses the Compendium's table tennis row. Easy is for relaxed play, and Hard is for fast, demanding rallies.
Calories burned by body weight
Estimated kcal for each effort level the Nibbs app offers for table tennis. 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 MET | 50 kcal | 60 kcal | 70 kcal | 80 kcal | 90 kcal | 100 kcal |
| Moderate4 MET | 75 kcal | 90 kcal | 105 kcal | 120 kcal | 135 kcal | 150 kcal |
| Hard5.5 MET | 113 kcal | 135 kcal | 158 kcal | 180 kcal | 203 kcal | 225 kcal |
| Effort level | 50 kg | 60 kg | 70 kg | 80 kg | 90 kg | 100 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy3 MET | 100 kcal | 120 kcal | 140 kcal | 160 kcal | 180 kcal | 200 kcal |
| Moderate4 MET | 150 kcal | 180 kcal | 210 kcal | 240 kcal | 270 kcal | 300 kcal |
| Hard5.5 MET | 225 kcal | 270 kcal | 315 kcal | 360 kcal | 405 kcal | 450 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): (4 − 1) × 70 × 0.5 = 105 kcal.
| Effort level | MET | Compendium code |
|---|---|---|
| Easy | 3 | Effort model |
| Moderate | 4 | 15660 |
| Hard | 5.5 | Effort model |
Compendium row for table tennis: code 15660, 4 MET.Compendium wording: “Table tennis, ping pong”
Easy, Moderate and Hard come from the Nibbs effort model. They are approximate rates, based on Compendium codes 15660, 15030. They are not separate measurements of table tennis. A code shows next to a level only where its rate equals the row above.
Common questions
How many calories does playing table tennis burn in an hour?
About 210 kcal for a 70 kg person at moderate effort. At the same effort, a 50 kg person burns about 150 kcal and a 100 kg person about 300 kcal.
Does playing table tennis burn more calories at a harder effort?
Yes. For a 70 kg person, 30 minutes burns about 70 kcal at easy effort, 105 kcal at moderate effort and 158 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 table tennis in Nibbs?
Add Table Tennis 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 table tennis 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.