Calories Burned Bouldering
Calorie Calculator
About bouldering
Bouldering is rope-free climbing on short walls or rocks, usually under about 15 feet, with thick pads below. It is climbing in hard bursts: you attack a problem, fall or top out, then rest and try again. The 2024 Compendium codes free bouldering at 8.8 METs, so a 155 lb climber burns roughly 620 calories an hour of active session time. Because so much of a session is resting between attempts, your real-world total often lands lower than that figure suggests.
Calories Burned by Body Weight
Calories burned per 30 minutes of bouldering at moderate intensity (MET 8.8)
| Body Weight | Calories Burned |
|---|---|
| 120 lbs (54 kg) | 239 cal |
| 140 lbs (64 kg) | 279 cal |
| 155 lbs (70 kg)Reference | 309 cal |
| 170 lbs (77 kg) | 339 cal |
| 185 lbs (84 kg) | 369 cal |
| 200 lbs (91 kg) | 399 cal |
| 220 lbs (100 kg) | 439 cal |
Calories Burned by Duration
Calories burned at 155 lbs body weight, moderate intensity
| Duration | Calories Burned |
|---|---|
| 15 minutes | 155 cal |
| 30 minutesReference | 309 cal |
| 45 minutes | 464 cal |
| 60 minutes | 619 cal |
| 90 minutes | 928 cal |
Calories by Intensity
Different intensities burn different calories. MET (Metabolic Equivalent) measures exercise intensity.
Food Equivalent
30 minutes of bouldering burns enough calories to offset:
Based on 309 calories burned (30 min at 155 lbs)
Tips for Bouldering
- Warm up your fingers and shoulders before pulling hard
- Drive with your legs instead of muscling moves with your arms
- Read the problem from the ground before you start climbing
- Rest fully between hard attempts, quality beats quantity
Frequently Asked Questions
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