Paddle boarding burns roughly 400 to 600 calories an hour for most adults at a general, steady pace. An easy sightseeing paddle burns less, around 200 to 350 an hour, while hard race-pace paddling can top 700 and approach 1,000 an hour for a heavier paddler. Your weight and how hard you paddle make the biggest difference.
Quick answer
| Effort | Calories per hour (140 lb) | (170 lb) | (200 lb) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very easy (10–19 strokes a minute) | About 180 | About 215 | About 255 |
| Easy (20–29 strokes a minute) | About 240 | About 295 | About 345 |
| Moderate (30–39 strokes a minute) | About 320 | About 385 | About 455 |
| General paddle boarding | About 415 | About 500 | About 590 |
| Hard (40–49 strokes a minute) | About 620 | About 755 | About 890 |
| Race pace (50–69 strokes a minute) | About 700 | About 850 | About 1,000 |
We worked these out from the MET values for stand up paddle boarding in the Compendium of Physical Activities, the reference researchers use to estimate energy use. Treat them as estimates; your real burn depends on fitness, technique, wind and current.
To get a number for your own session length and paddling style, try our paddle boarding calorie calculator.
How the numbers are worked out
A MET (metabolic equivalent) compares an activity’s energy use with sitting still. One MET is roughly 1 calorie per kilogram of body weight per hour. So:
Calories per hour ≈ MET × your weight in kg
The Compendium lists stand up paddle boarding at:
- 6.5 METs for general paddle boarding
- 2.8 to 11.0 METs by stroke rate, from a gentle 10–19 strokes a minute up to 50–69 strokes a minute
For example, a 170 lb (77 kg) paddler at a general pace burns about 6.5 × 77 ≈ 500 calories an hour.
Calories by type of paddle boarding
The Compendium doesn’t list separate values for SUP yoga, touring or surfing, so here’s where each tends to fall on the stroke-rate scale:
- Recreational cruising: mostly easy to moderate, with breaks. Expect the lower rows of the table.
- SUP yoga: you’re balancing more than paddling. Expect the low end, similar to easy paddling or below, depending on the class.
- Touring: steady, continuous paddling for an hour or more. Usually moderate to general effort.
- SUP surfing: short bursts of hard paddling to catch waves, then rest. It averages out somewhere around the general figure.
- Racing: sustained hard or race-pace stroke rates, the top rows of the table. In a study of elite SUP marathon racers, athletes spent nearly 90% of the race at 80–100% of their maximum heart rate.
How paddle boarding compares
Using the same Compendium, general paddle boarding (6.5 METs) sits above moderate-effort kayaking (5.0 METs) and leisurely canoeing (3.5 METs). That fits with how it feels: standing up means your legs and core are working the whole time to keep you balanced, not just your arms.
For more on the fitness side, see is paddle boarding good exercise and what muscles paddle boarding works.
How to burn more calories paddle boarding
- Raise your stroke rate. The Compendium values jump sharply between 30–39 and 40–49 strokes a minute.
- Paddle longer. An hour at a moderate pace beats 20 minutes of hard paddling followed by drifting.
- Paddle into the wind on the way out (and enjoy the ride home).
- Try intervals: a minute hard, a minute easy, repeated.
- Use a longer, faster board if you want to cover distance. You’ll hold a higher pace for longer.
Plan routes with the trip time calculator so you know how long a loop will take at your pace.
FAQ
Is paddle boarding good for weight loss?
It can help. A steady hour burns a similar amount to many gym cardio sessions, and it’s easy to do for longer because it’s fun. As with any exercise, diet matters at least as much.
How many calories does 30 minutes of paddle boarding burn?
At a general pace, about 200 to 300 for most adults. Halve the hourly figure in the table for your weight and effort.
Does paddle boarding burn more calories than walking?
Yes, at a general pace. The Compendium rates general paddle boarding at 6.5 METs, which is higher than an ordinary walking pace.
Do you burn more calories on an inflatable or a hard board?
At the same speed, not much difference. An inflatable is slightly slower, so you may work a bit harder to keep up, but your effort and stroke rate matter far more than the board.
