Have you ever wondered how many calories you burn in Warrior Pose or moving through Sun Salutations? Yoga may seem like a bit of stretching, some deep breathing and voila; however, it encourages a full body experience that tones and stretches the body while soothing the mind and soul. But is yoga burning any calories? If you’re a beginner seeking information about whether or not yoga is right for you in your exercise regimen, or if you’re a seasoned yoga practitioner wondering what it does for (or against) you, the information on how many calories yoga burns is intriguing.
There are so many different types of yoga—from restorative, gentle poses to sweaty, fast-paced flows—but the biggest difference in calories burned is dependent upon the type of yoga, the person doing the yoga and the overall effort in which one participates. Therefore, this article will explore how many calories you can burn doing yoga, what kind of yoga is best for burning calories, and anything else you need to know about doing yoga for burning calories. So let’s dive in and explore how many calories yoga can burn—and how it can help you!
What Factors Impact Caloric Burn During Yoga?
There are several factors that impact how many calories you burn during a session of yoga. For one, body weight is a major contributor. The heavier a person is, the more work their body has to do just moving during a session, thus burning more calories. Conversely, someone who is smaller may attend the same class and only burn a fraction of the calories since their body does not have to work as hard.
Also, consider style of the yoga practice. A restorative yoga class isn’t going to burn as many calories as a more power flow session. Think about your intensity. Are you focusing on holding poses longer or rushing through each transition? The more you exert yourself, the more calories you’ll burn. Also, think about breath. Breath is a huge part of practice and how you breathe throughout the class can affect caloric burn; deeper, intentional breathing encourages breath that may raise your heart rate slightly which could help you burn more calories.
Your experience level is another factor that affects overall calorie burn. For instance, if you’re a newbie, you might be working harder for lack of balance or holding poses which means you might burn more calories. But as you get stronger over time, your body becomes more efficient. Therefore, for example, doing the same session may burn less on a subsequent day because your body is used to the movements now. Finally, duration contributes; it’s not going to burn as many calories if you do yoga for 30 minutes versus one hour. All of these factors contribute to the total energy expenditure of calories burned from any given class.
Common Types of Yoga and Calorie Burn
Yoga isn’t one type fits all. Some classes are slow and gentle while others leave you drenched and breathless. These are the most popular types of yoga and the average amount burned in one hour for a 150 pound person. Keep in mind these are average estimations based upon general observations and yours may vary based upon the calculation factors above.
Hatha Yoga
Hatha yoga is a beginner, low-impact style with primary focus on basic poses with breath. You hold poses for a few breaths, moving slowly and often relaxing or meditating. Because it’s low-impact, Hatha yoga burns fewer calories than more intense, vigorous classes. Expect to burn anywhere from 150 to 200 calories as a result of 1 hour of Hatha yoga. While Hatha is amazing for flexibility and stress relief, it does not rank high among calorie burning classes.
If you are someone who enjoys slower paced practices or are a beginner, Hatha yoga is a perfect class for you. You will still burn some calories while developing strength and awareness in your body in space. Have you ever practiced Hatha yoga? It feels like a gentle nudge from your muscles and soul.
Vinyasa Yoga
Vinyasa yoga is faster and more vigorous. You flow from pose to pose, moving with breath. It’s a workout/dance party that gets your heart pumping! Because it’s a more vigorous style, it burns MORE calories—400 to 600 per hour if you weigh 150 pounds. The consistent movement, along with intentional, challenging poses like planks or chaturanga gets your muscles working over and over again.
If you are someone who likes a vigorous workout that leaves you sweaty, Vinyasa might be for you! It’d recommended for anyone seeking strength, cardio and flexibility, as the calorie burn is just an added bonus to how it tones the body and creates endorphins!
Bikram or Hot Yoga
Bikram yoga—or hot yoga—is a style of yoga done in a heated room (105 degrees Fahrenheit) with high humidity. It has a set series of 26 poses and in this style, however, you sweat— a lot. Because of the temperature and difficulty in some poses, your heart rate increases so you burn more calories. For instance, a 150-pound person burns approximately 500 to 700 calories in one hour of Bikram yoga.
Bikram yoga offers an added dimension from temperature alone but if you’re someone who is sensitive to sweat, this might not be the style for you. But if you’re open to new challenges and enjoy really working out—tempers and caloric increase—then hot yoga is a great way to push yourself and burn off some extra calories. Just remember to hydrate! Have you ever taken classes in a hot room? What was it like?
Ashtanga Yoga
Ashtanga yoga is another more challenging type of yoga but one that is more structured; it follows a set series of poses to achieve. It requires a good amount of strength and stability with a lot of jumping and balancing and is a very physically intensive form. Ashtanga burns 500-700 calories per hour for a 150-pound person because it’s a full-body workout of sustained effort and appropriate attention.
This is not for a beginner—and not for someone who’s even a little out of shape. Instead, this is recommended for those already fit who challenge themselves to even more intensive efforts. If this sounds like you, then Ashtanga may be worth your time. Not only will the calories burned be worth it, but you’ll feel stronger after a few classes!
Restorative Yoga
Restorative yoga is all about rest. You take the poses slowly, hold them for a few minutes at a time, and use supports—blankets, bolsters—to hold the body in place. It’s super relaxing but burns the least calories—100 to 150 per hour for a 150-pound person. It focuses on mental health and flexibility more than burning a ton of calories.
This is a good exercise if you want to feel good and not worry about losing weight. You’ll probably not burn that many calories in this one hour, but you’ll feel refreshed afterward. This is like shutting down your computer and rebooting it to rest for a fresh start.
How Yoga Compares to Other Workouts
How does this compare to other workouts? A 150-pound person burns during one hour of exercise: brisk walk—approximately 250 to 350 calories; moderate pace running—600 to 800 calories; moderate cycling—400 to 600; swimming laps—500 to 700.
You can burn as much as moderate cycling or swimming if you do Vinyasa, Bikram, or Ashtanga and push yourself, but that’s exertion. Hatha or restorative yoga lends more to what someone would burn from low key, casual walking.
Yoga blends its burning of calories with other components of fitness—flexibility, balance, stress relief—something that many workouts do not provide. So if you want a workout that does a little bit of everything, perhaps yoga is the answer.
How to Maximize Calorie Burn in Yoga
Want to burn more calories while obtaining your yoga practice goals? Well, there’s a lot you can do. First, make sure you’re taking a more vigorous class opposed to restorative or yin. Vinyasa, Bikram, and Ashtanga all have flow qualities that are rigorous and keep muscle groups engaged; the more active the muscle group, the more calories you burn. If you have no choice but to take a gentler class, however, make sure that you are using your muscles as much as possible for each pose—but when practicing warrior, for example, make sure to dig deep into your feet and engage your core.
Second, pay attention to how you engage with the practice by bringing mindful intention. This means don’t just go through the motions for transitions; find effort in transitioning and holding poses strong. In addition, duration helps; the longer someone is in yoga, the more calories they’ll burn; 90 minutes burns more than 30 minutes. If doing hot yoga, embrace the heat—unless your body tells you it’s too much.
It is also suggested to do yoga consistently as this builds strength over time so one can endure more challenging poses which will burn more calories as time goes on. Also, if you’re looking for results with weight loss, yoga works better in conjunction with a healthy balanced diet. Remind you of anything similar we’ve learned about how small adjustments made in mindful practice can change how we feel after?
Yoga’s Other Benefits Beyond Calorie Burn
There’s more to yoga than just burning calories, although that’s an essential part of exercising. Yoga creates strength—primarily core, arm, and leg strength. Poses like downward dog and plank develop muscle without weights. Yoga promotes increased flexibility, which makes daily life easier and reduces injury.
Yoga fosters better balance. Warrior I and II or tree pose forces you to engage your center of balance, which becomes increasingly important as you age. Yoga promotes stress reduction. Breathwork and mindfulness help reduce anxiety and create better sleep patterns. After a good yoga class, don’t you feel like a new person? Like your brain went on vacation?
Yoga is low impact, too, meaning it’s easier on your joints. Compared to some high-impact classes, yoga provides a sustainable way to exercise, no matter if you’re 20 or 70. Yoga is also accessible; you can participate from home, in a studio, or outdoors. Therefore, the physical and mental benefits of yoga make it an excellent addition to any fitness routine.
Common Myths About Yoga and Calorie Burn
There are many myths about yoga and calorie burn. Some people believe that yoga’s excess is relaxation and that yoga doesn’t bring enough to the table to serve as exercise. Yes, restorative yoga acts as a gentler approach; however, Vinyasa yoga or Ashtanga can be just as intense as any other high-energy workout. You don’t always have to run miles to burn calories; sometimes, yoga is what gets your heart racing.
One of the most common misconceptions about yoga is that you have to be super flexible. This is not true! Everyone can do yoga, and over time, you will become more flexible. Similarly, people also think that with hot yoga, since you sweat so much, it burns tons more calories. While increasing your internal temperature and energy expenditure shows that you burn a few more calories, it is the activity and intention that burn the calories. Don’t think that yoga will provide you with weight loss—this is a part of weight loss, separate from diet and additional workouts.
How To Track Your Calorie Burn
So how do you know how many calories you burned in yoga? Wearing fitness devices can help you approximate. Fitness watches and heart rate monitors can give you a rough estimate as it tracks your heart rate and movement to see how much you’ve burned. Just be aware that they’re not always the most accurate (especially since yoga is more accurate for steady state activities like running).
You can also feel it—if you’re sweating, breathing heavily, and feel your muscles working all over your body, then clearly you’re burning a lot more. You’ll eventually have a sense of what classes or poses are the most difficult. You can keep a little log as well writing what styles you did for how long and how you felt to look for trends.
How to Add Yoga to Your Workout Routine
Yoga can be a great way to burn calories and improve fitness as long as you pay attention to when it’s incorporated into a weekly regimen. Adding various styles will keep it fresh throughout the week; for example, do Vinyasa or Bikram two times a week, then add another day of Hatha or restorative yoga for equilibrium with mind and body. Three to five times weekly will be fruitful to increase caloric burn, levels of fitness, and overall wellness.
You don’t even need an expensive studio; practicing at home is just as successful. One can search for online recorded classes or apps for evaluation, and even twenty minutes at home can mean caloric burn and the endorphin rush people feel after a session. Those looking to lose weight should also accompany yoga with other low-impact workouts like cycling or walking; consistent workouts with well-balanced meals works best. Do you already have a go-to routine? Consider how yoga can be added to supplement it.
Conclusion
So how many calories can you burn doing yoga? There’s no answer. For slower styles, like Hatha or restorative, there could be a burn of 100 to 200 calories per hour; for a more intense Vinyasa class or Ashtanga or Bikram, expect to burn 400 to 700 per hour, given you’re a 150-pound person. But this level of calorie burn is on par with so many other workouts—with not necessarily the same intensity—while also aiding in balance, coordination, flexibility, and relaxed demeanor. Whether you’re in downward-facing dog or warrior pose, there are many ways you can stay active with yoga.
That’s the beauty of yoga—it’s not strictly caloric. It’s muscle building, stress relief, and something for almost every lifestyle. There’s a class for everyone, whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned professional. So why not give it a shot? Get on your mat and find a class to see how your body and mind respond. You might be surprised at what it can do for you. What’s stopping you?