Vigorous intensityMET 8Gym & Fitness

Calories burned: Circuit training

Q: How many calories does circuit training burn in 30 minutes?

For a 70 kg (154 lb) person, circuit training burns about 280 kcal in 30 minutes at its standard intensity (MET 8). Heavier people burn more, lighter people less — the chart below shows common weights.

Q: How many calories does circuit training burn in an hour?

About 560 kcal for a 70 kg person at MET 8. Double the time roughly doubles the burn, assuming steady effort throughout.

Strength and cardio stations with short rests — efficient whole-body sessions.

≈ 280 kcal in 30 min at 70 kg

Reviewed by the Exercise Calorie Calculator editorial team · October 21, 2026 · Method & sources

Calculate circuit training

1 · Activity

2 · Your weight

3 · Duration

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Choose an activity, enter your weight and duration, then hitCalculate — your calories-burned estimate appears here.

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Circuit training calorie chart

Estimated kcal for circuit training (MET 8) by session length and body weight. Values are rounded estimates.

Duration	50 kg	60 kg	70 kg	85 kg	100 kg
10 min	67	80	93	113	133
15 min	100	120	140	170	200
20 min	133	160	187	227	267
30 min	200	240	280	340	400
45 min	300	360	420	510	600
1 h	400	480	560	680	800
1.5 h	600	720	840	1020	1200

Imperial check: 154 lb ≈ 70 kg · 187 lb ≈ 85 kg · 220 lb ≈ 100 kg.

About this estimate

Circuit training carries a MET of 8(vigorous intensity) in the Compendium of Physical Activities — the research standard for energy-cost data (source database, see also our full methodology). The calculator uses:

calories = MET × weight (kg) × hours

So for a 70 kg person, one hour of circuit training costs about560 kcal. Effort matters: going harder, adding hills, carrying load or rushing intervals all push the real number up; breaks and easy pacing pull it down.

How to burn more

Add intervals — 1 minute hard, 2 minutes easy — to raise average intensity.
Extend the session gradually; an extra 10 minutes adds ~93 kcal at 70 kg.
Combine with a second activity — see the compare tray in the calculator above.
Keep non-exercise movement high on rest days (walking, stairs, chores).

Estimate only — not medical advice. Real-world burn depends on fitness, body composition, age, weather and terrain.

Circuit training calorie FAQ

How many calories does circuit training burn in 30 minutes?

For a 70 kg (154 lb) person, circuit training burns about 280 kcal in 30 minutes at its standard intensity (MET 8). Heavier people burn more, lighter people less — the chart below shows common weights.

How many calories does circuit training burn in an hour?

About 560 kcal for a 70 kg person at MET 8. Double the time roughly doubles the burn, assuming steady effort throughout.

What is the MET of circuit training?

The MET (metabolic equivalent of task) of circuit training is 8 — vigorous intensity. The formula is: calories = MET × weight(kg) × hours. Example at 70 kg: 8 × 70 × 1 h = 560 kcal.

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