Work out calories burned swimming instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.
Swimming MET values come from the Compendium and vary sharply by stroke: butterfly at 13.8 MET is more than twice moderate freestyle's 8.3, because it demands continuous power from both the arms and the legs. A 70 kg swimmer doing 45 minutes of moderate freestyle burns about 458 kcal.
MET energy cost
kcal/min = MET x 3.5 x weight(kg) / 200
Stroke values
freestyle moderate 8.3, breaststroke 10.3, butterfly 13.8 MET
This is an estimate from population-average equations, not a medical or diagnostic assessment. Individual results vary with genetics, training history and technique. Seek advice from a qualified coach or clinician before making significant changes to training.
Water is about 800 times denser than air, so drag dominates and technique matters more than fitness for efficiency.
Somewhat. Cold water raises energy use through shivering thermogenesis, though good swimmers generate enough heat to offset it.