SnapCalorieBurn — free MET-based calorie calculators

Calories Burned Yoga 30 Minutes: 89–156 cal (By Weight)

30 min yoga burns 89–156 cal (hatha) or 148–260 cal (power yoga). 130 lb = 89, 155 lb = 105, 230 lb = 156 cal. Free weight table + MET formula.

A 30-minute yoga session burns approximately 89–156 calories at hatha pace — 130 lb burns ~89 cal, 155 lb burns ~105 cal, 230 lb burns ~156 cal. Power yoga (MET 5.0) raises the burn to 148–260 cal.

A 30-minute yoga session is the most common class length for online and app-based practices. It allows enough time for a proper warm-up, 15–20 minutes of active postures, and a brief cooldown or savasana. At this duration, you can work through a meaningful sequence that builds both strength and flexibility while maintaining enough flow to keep your heart rate moderately elevated.

Standard yoga burns about half the calories of walking briskly for 30 minutes. However, power yoga and ashtanga styles (MET 5.0–6.0) can burn 125–220 calories in 30 minutes, approaching the calorie output of moderate cycling.

It pairs excellently with higher-intensity exercise like running or cycling as an active recovery modality.

Direct answer: 30 minutes of yoga burns an estimated 89–156 calories, depending on body weight (180 lb / 82 kg: ~123 kcal). Intensity assumed: General studio class (mixed pace) (MET 3). This is an estimate, not a measurement.

Calories burned by body weight

Body weightCalories burned
130 lb (59 kg)~89 cal
155 lb (70 kg)~105 cal
180 lb (82 kg)~123 cal
205 lb (93 kg)~140 cal
230 lb (104 kg)~156 cal

How this is calculated

Example: At MET 3, a 180 lb (82 kg) person doing 30 minutes of yoga burns approximately 123 calories: 3 × 82 × 0.50 h ≈ 123 kcal.

Limitations

Other intensities of yoga

There is no single universal calorie figure for this activity. At 180 lb (82 kg) and the same 30 minutes:

Style / effortMETEstimate
Hatha / restorative2.5~103 cal
Vinyasa / flow4~164 cal
Ashtanga / power yoga5~205 cal
Bikram / hot yoga5.5~226 cal

Frequently asked questions

How many calories does 30 minutes of yoga burn?

An estimated 89–156 calories, depending on body weight. A 180 lb (82 kg) person burns about 123 kcal, calculated as MET 3 × 82 kg × 0.50 hours.

How many calories per minute is that?

About 4.1 kcal per minute for a 180 lb (82 kg) person, or 1.5 kcal per kilogram of body weight across the whole session.

Why do heavier people burn more calories doing the same yoga?

Because the MET formula scales directly with body mass: a 130 lb person burns about 89 kcal here versus 156 kcal for a 230 lb person — a 75% spread for the identical session.

Where does the MET value of 3 come from?

From the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities, the reference database of measured MET intensities for physical activities. Every figure on this page uses that value in the formula Calories = MET × body weight (kg) × duration (hours).

How accurate are these yoga calorie estimates?

They are estimates from population averages, not measurements. Individual results commonly land within about ±15% of the figure shown; actual intensity and pace, body composition and fitness, terrain and technique all shift the real number. The values are gross calories, so they include the energy you would have burned at rest.

Use the interactive calculator

Open the yoga calorie calculator to enter your own weight, intensity and duration.

Related answers