Energy Expenditure

For every physical activity, the body requires energy and the amount depends on the duration and type of activity. Energy is measured in calories and is obtained from the body stores or the food we eat. This page looks at the energy expenditure for walking and running.

Walking

Walking is the major type of physical activity. A linear relationship exists at walking speeds of 3 to 5 km/hr and oxygen uptake but at faster speeds oxygen consumption rises making walking less economical.

Body mass can predict energy expenditure with reasonable accuracy at walking speeds of 2 to 4 mph (3.2 to 6.4 km/hr). The following table provides the amount of calories you will burn per minute for ranges of body mass (weight) and speed when you walk on a firm level surface (road, track or grass).

If your body mass is 64 kg and you walk at a speed of 5.63 km/hr then you will burn approximately 4.6 Calories/minute - if you walk for one hour you will burn 60 × 4.6 = 276 Calories

Running

When running at identical speeds, a trained distance runner runs at a lower percentage of aerobic capacity than an untrained athlete does, even though the oxygen uptake during the run will be similar for both athletes. The demarcation between running and jogging depends on the individual's level of fitness. Independent of fitness it becomes far more economical from an energy viewpoint to change from walking to running when your speed exceeds 8km/hr (5 mph). Above 8km/hr the oxygen intake for a walker exceeds the oxygen intake of a runner. At 10km the walker's oxygen (O2) uptake is 40 ml/kg/min compared to 35 ml/kg/min for the runner.

Body mass can predict energy expenditure with reasonable accuracy when running on a firm level surface (road, track or grass). The amount of calories required to run 1 km equals your weight in kg - a runner of 78 kg will burn 78 Calories/km. This amounts to 15.6 litres of oxygen (O2) consumed per kilometre (1 litre of O2 = 5 Calories)

The following table provides the amount of calories you will burn per minute for ranges of body mass (weight) and speed when you run on a firm level surface (road, track or grass).

How Exercises Compare

The following table contains the approximate caloric expenditure in a 30 minute period of exercise for a person weighing 68kg for various exercises and intensity of work.

Add 10% for every 7kg over 68kg and deduct 10% for every 7kg under 68kg

Free Calculator

• Energy Expenditure Calculator - a free Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that you can download and use on your computer.

Associated Pages

The following Sports Coach pages should be read in conjunction with this page:

• Articles on Physiology
• Blood Pressure
• Body Type
• Energy Pathways
• Heart Rate Training Zones
• Ideal Weight
• Maximum Heart Rate
• Movement Analysis
• Muscle Types
• Physiology - Cardiovascular System
• VO2 max
• vVO2max

Associated Books

The following books provide more information related to this topic:

• Principles of Anatomy and Physiology, G.J. Tortora et al., ISBN 0 06 046704 5
• Strength Training Anatomy, F. Delavier, ISBN 0 7360 4185 0
• Atlas of Skeletal Muscles, R.J. Stone et al., ISBN 0 697 13790 2
• The Muscle Book, P. Blakey, ISBN 1 873017 00 6
• Advanced Studies in Physical Education and Sport, P Beashel et al., ISBN 0 17 4482345
• Physical Education and the Study of Sport, B. Davis et al., ISBN 0 7234 31752
• Essentials of Exercise Physiology, W.D. McArdle et al., ISBN 0 683 30507 7
• Physical Education and Sport Studies, D. Roscoe et al., ISBN 1 901424 20 0
• The World of Sport Examined, P. Beashel et al., ISBN 0 17 438719 9
• Advanced PE for Edexcel, F. Galligan et al., ISBN 0 435 50643 9
• Examining Physical Education, K. Bizley, ISBN 0 435 50660 9
• Sport and PE, K Wesson et al., ISBN 0 340 683821
• PE for you, J. Honeybourne, ISBN 0 7487 3277 2