How many calories does tennis burn per hour?

Tennis burns 400-700 calories per hour depending on game type. Singles burns about 520 calories/hour for a 155 lb person. Competitive singles can burn 700+. Doubles burns 350-420 calories/hour due to less court coverage.

Is tennis a good workout for weight loss?

Tennis is excellent for weight loss. It burns significant calories, builds lean muscle, and improves cardiovascular fitness. Playing 2-3 times weekly for an hour burns 1,000-2,000 extra calories—supporting 0.25-0.5 lb weekly loss.

Singles vs doubles: which burns more calories?

Singles burns 40-50% more calories than doubles. In singles, you cover the entire court alone, requiring more running. However, doubles is still great exercise and may be more sustainable for beginners or older players.

What muscles does tennis work?

Tennis works legs (from lateral movement and lunging), core (from rotation during strokes), and arms/shoulders (from swinging). The forehand emphasizes front arm and chest; backhand works back arm and upper back.

How often should I play tennis for fitness?

Play tennis 2-4 times per week for fitness benefits. Each session of 60-90 minutes provides excellent cardio. Allow recovery between intense sessions. Supplement with stretching to prevent tennis elbow and other injuries.

All Exercises

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Calories Burned Tennis

Tennis is a dynamic sport that burns 400-600 calories per hour through constant movement, quick direction changes, and powerful strokes. The intermittent high-intensity nature—bursts of activity followed by rest—makes it similar to interval training for cardiovascular benefits.

~257 calories

per 30 min at 155 lbs

Calorie Calculator

Your Weight (lbs)

Duration (minutes)

Intensity

You will burn approximately

257 calories

Tennis for 30 minutes at 155 lbs

Calories Burned by Body Weight

Calories burned per 30 minutes of tennis at moderate intensity (MET 7.3)

Body Weight	Calories Burned
120 lbs (54 kg)	199 cal
140 lbs (64 kg)	232 cal
155 lbs (70 kg)Reference	257 cal
170 lbs (77 kg)	281 cal
185 lbs (84 kg)	306 cal
200 lbs (91 kg)	331 cal
220 lbs (100 kg)	364 cal