Calories Burned Canoeing
Calorie Calculator
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About canoeing
Canoeing at 4 to 6 mph is 5.8 METs, which is 204 calories in half an hour for a 155 lb paddler and 408 in an hour. What moves that number is rarely the scenery. A loaded boat with two people trading strokes is a different job from drifting a slow river all afternoon, and the Compendium rates that drift at 3.5, or 246 calories an hour. The part nobody expects is the carry between lakes. Portaging is 7.0 METs, 492 an hour, and it is the stretch of the trip where the paddling stops.
Calories Burned by Body Weight
Calories burned per 30 minutes of canoeing at moderate intensity (MET 5.8)
| Body Weight | Calories Burned |
|---|---|
| 120 lbs (54 kg) | 158 cal |
| 140 lbs (64 kg) | 184 cal |
| 155 lbs (70 kg)Reference | 204 cal |
| 170 lbs (77 kg) | 224 cal |
| 185 lbs (84 kg) | 243 cal |
| 200 lbs (91 kg) | 263 cal |
| 220 lbs (100 kg) | 289 cal |
Calories Burned by Duration
Calories burned at 155 lbs body weight, moderate intensity
| Duration | Calories Burned |
|---|---|
| 15 minutes | 102 cal |
| 30 minutesReference | 204 cal |
| 45 minutes | 306 cal |
| 60 minutes | 408 cal |
| 90 minutes | 612 cal |
Calories by Intensity
Different intensities burn different calories. MET (Metabolic Equivalent) measures exercise intensity.
Food Equivalent
30 minutes of canoeing burns enough calories to offset:
Based on 204 calories burned (30 min at 155 lbs)
Tips for Canoeing
- Drive the stroke with the top hand pushing forward, the bottom arm mostly holds the shaft
- Rotate the trunk toward the blade and unwind, paddling from the shoulders alone fades fast
- Take the blade out at your hip, anything behind that lifts water instead of moving the boat
- Learn the J stroke early so you can hold a line without swapping sides every four strokes
- Kneel rather than sit when the water gets rough, it drops your centre of gravity a long way