Best Low-Impact Exercises to Burn Calories, Ranked (2026)

Spinning burns 299 calories in 30 minutes, Cycling follows with 281 calories, and Rowing burns 246 calories, all figures for a 155-pound person.

This post ranks low-impact exercises that are easier on the joints by the calories they burn for a 155-pound person. Calorie burn is influenced by factors such as METs, body weight, duration, and intensity.

What Makes an Exercise Burn the Most Calories?

Exercises that burn more calories typically have higher MET intensity, meaning they require more energy. Additionally, a person's body weight and the duration of the activity also play significant roles in the total calories burned.

Best Low-Impact Exercises to Burn Calories, Ranked

The following table ranks low-impact exercises based on calories burned in 30 minutes.

All calories are for a 155-pound (70 kg) person; a heavier body burns more, a lighter body less.

#	Exercise	METs	Calories (30 min)	Calories (1 hour)	Impact
1	Spinning	8.5	299 cal	598 cal	low
2	Cycling	8.0	281 cal	562 cal	low
3	Rowing	7.0	246 cal	492 cal	low
4	Stationary Bike	7.0	246 cal	492 cal	low
5	Swimming	5.8	204 cal	408 cal	low
6	Elliptical	5.0	176 cal	352 cal	low
7	Golf	4.8	169 cal	337 cal	low
8	Walking	4.3	151 cal	302 cal	low
9	Table Tennis	4.0	141 cal	281 cal	low
10	Gardening	3.8	134 cal	267 cal	low
11	Weight Lifting	3.5	123 cal	246 cal	low
12	House Cleaning	3.3	116 cal	232 cal	low
13	Pilates	3.0	105 cal	211 cal	low
14	Walking the Dog	3.0	105 cal	211 cal	low
15	Yoga	2.5	88 cal	176 cal	low

Tracking Exercise in Nutrola

Calories burned only count toward your goal if you record them. Nutrola lets you log a workout by describing it in your own words by voice or text, by picking an exercise type and intensity, or by entering the calories directly, and on iOS and Android it can sync workouts automatically from Apple Health or Health Connect. Logged workouts sit next to the food you track from a photo, barcode, or voice entry, so calories in and calories out stay in one place. Nutrola is available from EUR 2.50 per month and shows no ads on any tier.

For related references, see how many calories spinning burns, highest calorie-burning cardio exercises, best at-home exercises to burn calories.

How We Compiled These Numbers

Exercises are ranked by MET (metabolic equivalent) value from the 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities (Ainsworth et al.). Calories are estimated with calories = METs x body weight in kilograms x duration in hours, shown for a 155-pound person over 30 minutes and one hour. Real burn varies with fitness, technique, terrain, and effort, so treat these as close estimates. This is educational and not medical advice.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which low-impact exercise burns the most calories?

Spinning burns the most calories at 299 calories in 30 minutes for a 155-pound person.

How many calories does Cycling burn in 30 minutes?

Cycling burns 281 calories in 30 minutes for a 155-pound person.

What is the calorie burn for Rowing?

Rowing burns 246 calories in 30 minutes for a 155-pound person.

How many calories can you burn swimming?

Swimming burns 204 calories in 30 minutes for a 155-pound person.

What is the calorie burn for walking?

Walking burns 151 calories in 30 minutes for a 155-pound person.

How many calories does Yoga burn in 30 minutes?

Yoga burns 88 calories in 30 minutes for a 155-pound person.

Key Takeaways

• Spinning: 299 calories in 30 minutes.
• Cycling: 281 calories in 30 minutes.
• Rowing: 246 calories in 30 minutes.
• Swimming: 204 calories in 30 minutes.
• Walking: 151 calories in 30 minutes.
• Yoga: 88 calories in 30 minutes.