Calories Burned Swimming

Learn how many calories are burned swimming laps freestyle, crawl, backstroke, sidestroke, breaststroke or butterfly.

Swimming is conducive to weight loss as it works all major muscle groups and burns calories. The number of calories you burn swimming depends on your swimming style, effort and body weight. Swimming styles include crawl, backstroke, sidestroke, breaststroke and butterfly. The higher is the intensity level with which you do the exercise, the more calories you burn. Let’s estimate the number of calories burned swimming for a person weighing 150 pounds and a person weighing 200 pounds.

A 150-pound person burns 272 calories through 30 minutes of swimming crawl with light effort. Swimming crawl with vigorous effort burns 37% more calories, with 374 calories for 30 minutes. Swimming backstroke burns 238 calories, swimming sidestroke burns 272 calories, swimming breaststroke burns 340 calories, and swimming butterfly burns 374 for 30 minutes for the same person.

When you burn 3500 calories more than you take in, you lose one pound. The 150-pound person could lose a pound in about 12 days by swimming crawl with light effort for 30 minutes each day. Swimming crawl vigorously for the same time would help lose a pound in 9 days.

A 200-pound person burns 33% more calories than a 150-pound person. Swimming crawl with light effort burns 363 calories for 30 minutes for this person. Swimming crawl vigorously burns calories even more effectively, with 499 calories per 30 minutes.  Swimming backstroke burns 318 calories, swimming sidestroke burns 363 calories, swimming breaststroke burns 454 calories, and swimming butterfly burns 499 for a 200-pound person for 30 minutes.

A 200-pound person could lose a pound in about 9 days by swimming crawl with light effort for 30 minutes a day or in about 7 days by swimming crawl vigorously for the same time.

Use Calories Burned Swimming Calculator below to estimate how many calories you burn swimming laps freestyle, crawl, backstroke, sidestroke, breaststroke or butterfly.

Your Opinion Counts

Have any questions or comments? Participate in the discussions today. Use the "Post new comment" form at the bottom of the page to ask your questions and share your ideas. Use the correct spelling and grammar.