How many calories does 1 hour of yoga burn?

For a 155 lb (70 kg) person: Hatha ~175 cal, Vinyasa ~280 cal, Ashtanga/Power ~350 cal, Bikram (hot) ~385 cal per hour. Heavier individuals burn proportionally more — a 200 lb person burns ~225 cal/hr in Hatha and ~500 cal/hr in Bikram.

Does hot yoga (Bikram) burn more calories than regular yoga?

Yes, but less than people assume. The heated 105°F room raises heart rate and induces heavy sweating, but the actual extra calorie burn from thermoregulation is modest — roughly 10–15% above non-heated Power yoga. Most of the perceived intensity comes from cardiovascular strain, not additional fat oxidation.

Is yoga enough exercise for weight loss?

Yoga alone can support weight loss when combined with a calorie deficit. A 60-minute Vinyasa class 4× per week burns ~1,120 calories — roughly 0.3 lb of fat per week before diet changes. For faster loss, pair yoga with walking or running and a 300–500 cal/day dietary deficit.

What yoga style burns the most calories?

Bikram (hot yoga) typically burns the most at ~5.5 MET, followed closely by Ashtanga and Power yoga at ~5.0 MET. Vinyasa flow falls in the middle at ~4.0 MET, and Hatha or restorative yoga burns the least at ~2.5 MET — about the same as a gentle walk.

Does yoga build muscle?

Yoga builds functional strength and muscular endurance, especially in the core, shoulders, and legs, but it adds limited muscle mass compared with resistance training. Power and Ashtanga styles produce the most hypertrophy because they require sustained isometric holds in challenging postures.

How accurate is this yoga calorie calculator?

It uses validated MET values from the Compendium of Physical Activities (Ainsworth et al.), accurate within ±15% for most people. Individual factors like fitness level, flexibility, and how aggressively you flow can push the actual number higher or lower. For weight management it is precise enough to track weekly trends.

Calories Burned Doing Yoga: 30 min = 90–200 cal (2026)

Calculate calories burned doing yoga by style, weight, and duration. Free MET-based calculator for Hatha, Vinyasa, Ashtanga, and Bikram (Hot) yoga.

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