How Many Calories Do Situps Burn? Real Numbers, Tips & Workouts

Ever wondered whether 100 situps a day will finally melt your belly fat? You’re not alone. Picture this: you crank out a set of situps in the living room, towel on the carpet, and ask yourself, “Am I actually burning enough calories to justify this?” In this article you’ll get clear, realistic answers about how many calories do situps burn, plus practical tips, variations, and sample routines to make your time on the mat count.

How many calories do situps burn?

Short answer: it depends. Situps are a moderate-intensity bodyweight exercise, and calorie burn varies by body weight, pace, and how you structure the workout. Using metabolic equivalent (MET) estimates, situps typically fall in the 3–5 MET range. That translates approximately to:

• About 3–4 calories per minute for a 125 lb (57 kg) person
• About 4–5 calories per minute for a 155 lb (70 kg) person
• About 5–6+ calories per minute for a 185 lb (84 kg) person

So if you do moderate-paced situps for 10 minutes, expect roughly 40–60 calories burned depending on your size and intensity. If you speed things up, add weight, or do continuous core circuits, that number goes up.

Factors that change your calorie burn

Body weight and composition

Heavier people burn more calories doing the same movement because moving a larger mass requires more energy. More lean muscle mass also increases resting metabolic rate over time.

Intensity, tempo, and rest

Fast-paced, high-rep sets or interval-style situp circuits burn more calories per minute than slow, deliberate reps with long rest. Shorten rest periods or do situps as part of a circuit to increase overall energy expenditure.

Exercise variation

Traditional situps burn fewer calories than more dynamic core moves like V-ups, weighted situps, or exercises that recruit larger muscle groups (e.g., Turkish get-ups). Pairing situps with full-body movements increases calorie burn.

Duration and volume

Ten minutes of continuous work will burn more calories than 10 minutes split into many long rests. Volume (total reps) matters, but how you structure that volume matters even more.

Real-world examples and quick math

Use this rough math to estimate your burn: Calories per minute ≈ MET × 3.5 × body weight (kg) ÷ 200. If situps are about 4 METs:

• 125 lb (57 kg): 4 × 3.5 × 57 ÷ 200 ≈ 4 kcal/min
• 155 lb (70 kg): 4 × 3.5 × 70 ÷ 200 ≈ 4.9 kcal/min
• 185 lb (84 kg): 4 × 3.5 × 84 ÷ 200 ≈ 5.9 kcal/min

Example: A 155 lb person doing 15 minutes of continuous situps-ish core work might burn ≈ 74 calories. Compare that to a 15-minute brisk jog, which would burn significantly more—so situps are effective for core strength but are not the highest-calorie burner when done alone.

Best sit-up variations and core exercises to burn more calories

To up the intensity and calorie cost, try these variations:

• Weighted situps (hold a dumbbell or plate)
• Decline situps (feet elevated)
• V-ups and jackknife crunches (full-body lift)
• Bicycle crunches (higher tempo, rotational core)
• Russian twists with a medicine ball
• Reverse crunches into leg raises
• Plank variations (dynamic planks, plank jacks)

These moves recruit more muscle groups or increase movement speed, raising overall energy expenditure and improving carryover to functional strength and posture.

Sample situp-centered workouts

Pick a routine based on your level. Warm up for 5–10 minutes before starting (light cardio, joint mobility).

Beginner

• 3 rounds: 12 slow situps, 20-second plank, 30 seconds rest
• Estimated burn: 40–70 calories (15 minutes total)

Intermediate

• AMRAP 12 minutes: 20 bicycle crunches, 15 V-ups, 10 Russian twists
• Estimated burn: 70–110 calories (12 minutes strenuous)

Advanced (calorie and strength focused)

• EMOM 20 minutes: Minute 1 – 20 weighted situps, Minute 2 – 40 mountain climbers
• Estimated burn: 150+ calories (high intensity, includes cardio)

Combine these core sessions with full-body strength training or interval cardio on other days for the best fat-loss and performance results. Check out related workout routines for program ideas.

Healthy lifestyle habits that boost results

Calorie burn from situps alone is modest. To see visible changes in body composition, combine core work with:

• Calorie-aware nutrition and balanced meals — focus on protein, vegetables, whole grains (see our nutrition guides).
• Regular cardiovascular and full-body strength training to increase total energy expenditure.
• Quality sleep and stress management — hormones affect appetite and fat storage.
• Consistency: progressive overload for strength, plus progressive increases in workout volume or intensity.

For broader tips on daily habits that support fitness, check out our wellness tips page.

Practical tips to maximize calorie burn with situps

• Keep rest short: limit rest to 15–30 seconds between core sets to maintain an elevated heart rate.
• Superset situps with compound moves (squats, kettlebell swings) to involve larger muscles.
• Use progressive overload: add weight, increase reps, or change angles over time.
• Mix tempo: do a few explosive situps and a few slow, controlled ones to tax different muscle fibers.
• Focus on form: quality reps protect your spine and deliver better results than sloppy high-rep work.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How many calories do 100 situps burn?

It depends on pace and body weight. For a 155 lb person, 100 moderate situps performed in 10–12 minutes might burn roughly 40–60 calories. Faster or weighted sets increase that number.

2. Are situps effective for losing belly fat?

Spot reduction is a myth. Situps strengthen and develop abdominal muscles but won’t selectively burn belly fat. Combine core training with calorie control, full-body strength training, and cardio for best fat-loss results.

3. Are situps better than planks for burning calories?

It depends on intensity and duration. Dynamic situp variations often burn more calories per minute than a static plank, but advanced plank variations (plank jacks, mountain climbers) can be highly effective. Use both in your workouts.

Conclusion

If you’re asking “how many calories do situps burn,” the realistic response is: moderate amounts, influenced by weight, intensity, and how you program them. Situps build a stronger core and contribute to overall calorie burn, but they’re most effective when combined with full-body training, cardiovascular work, and smart nutrition. Ready to make your situps count? Try one of the sample routines above this week, track how you feel, and adjust intensity. For more structured plans and meal ideas, explore our workout routines and nutrition guides. Commit to consistency and you’ll see the difference—not just in numbers on the scale, but in strength and daily performance.

Call to action: Start today—pick a beginner routine, commit to three sessions this week, and track your reps and time. Small progress becomes big change.