Tai chi calories burned
Quick answer
Tai chi burns about 81 kcal in 30 minutes for a 70 kg person at moderate effort. One hour burns about 161 kcal.
- 30 minutes, 70 kg
- 81 kcal
- 1 hour, 70 kg
- 161 kcal
- MET used
- 3.3
- Effort or pace
- Moderate
Moderate uses the Compendium's tai chi and qi gong row. Easy is gentle standing practice, and Hard matches a more demanding style.
Calories burned by body weight
Estimated kcal for each effort level the Nibbs app offers for tai chi. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy2 MET | 25 kcal | 30 kcal | 35 kcal | 40 kcal | 45 kcal | 50 kcal |
| Moderate3.3 MET | 58 kcal | 69 kcal | 81 kcal | 92 kcal | 104 kcal | 115 kcal |
| Hard6 MET | 125 kcal | 150 kcal | 175 kcal | 200 kcal | 225 kcal | 250 kcal |
| Effort level | 50 kg | 60 kg | 70 kg | 80 kg | 90 kg | 100 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy2 MET | 50 kcal | 60 kcal | 70 kcal | 80 kcal | 90 kcal | 100 kcal |
| Moderate3.3 MET | 115 kcal | 138 kcal | 161 kcal | 184 kcal | 207 kcal | 230 kcal |
| Hard6 MET | 250 kcal | 300 kcal | 350 kcal | 400 kcal | 450 kcal | 500 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): (3.3 − 1) × 70 × 0.5 = 80.5, rounded to 81 kcal.
| Effort level | MET | Compendium code |
|---|---|---|
| Easy | 2 | Effort model |
| Moderate | 3.3 | 15670 |
| Hard | 6 | Effort model |
Compendium row for tai chi: code 15670, 3.3 MET.Compendium wording: “Tai chi, qi gong, general”
Easy, Moderate and Hard come from the Nibbs effort model. They are approximate rates, based on Compendium codes 15670, 15674. They are not separate measurements of tai chi. A code shows next to a level only where its rate equals the row above.
Common questions
How many calories does tai chi burn in an hour?
About 161 kcal for a 70 kg person at moderate effort. At the same effort, a 50 kg person burns about 115 kcal and a 100 kg person about 230 kcal.
Does tai chi burn more calories at a harder effort?
Yes. For a 70 kg person, 30 minutes burns about 35 kcal at easy effort, 81 kcal at moderate effort and 175 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 tai chi in Nibbs?
Add Tai Chi 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 tai chi 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.