{"id":7158,"date":"2021-11-10T22:16:32","date_gmt":"2021-11-11T04:16:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/?p=7158"},"modified":"2021-11-10T22:16:34","modified_gmt":"2021-11-11T04:16:34","slug":"hiking-vs-running-calories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/hiking-vs-running-calories\/","title":{"rendered":"Hiking vs. Running: Which Activity Burns More Calories?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Which one’s better worth your time if you’re trying to lose weight–hiking?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Running burns 2-3x more calories per minute than hiking. However, hiking can be more effective than running at burning calories because we can hike longer than we can run. Calorie burning depends on the heart rate change with time, terrain, speed, and body weight during the activity.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many factors go into which activity burns more calories, even though running burns more than hiking on a general scale. The type of hiking trail, the distance, and body weight can influence the amount of energy you burn or the muscle you build.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\" <\/picture><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Which Burns More Calories, Running or Hiking?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If all else is equal (time exercising, bodyweight, elevation changes, etc), running burns more calories than hiking per minute of exercise.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’re looking for an exercise that will be the most efficient at burning calories, then running is the best choice. I did a lot of research to find the calories burned and came out with these average ranges:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a 175 lb person for 1 hour of running<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Running at 5 MPH<\/th>Hiking at 2.5 MPH<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
720-850<\/td>210-250<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Calories burned for a 175lb person for 1 hour of exercise on level ground<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Running is a completely different gait than walking or hiking–you are essentially leaping from step to step, whereas hiking or walking you always have one foot on the ground<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Running Or Hiking With An Incline<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

However, this isn’t the end of the discussion. Hiking is rarely on level ground. Let’s take a look at some steep climbing, at about 15%:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Running at 4 MPH<\/th>Hiking at 2.4 MPH<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
950-1000<\/td>650-700<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Calories burned for a 175lb person for 1 hour of exercise on a 15% incline<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

To be fair, running on a 15% incline for 60 minutes is extremely difficult.<\/strong> Hiking at 2.4 MPH on a 15% incline is pretty hard as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The key point is that the places where you hike vary a lot<\/strong> in incline–you’ll be going downhill and uphill quite a bit. It’s really difficult to calculate the calories you burn this way because going downhill burns fewer calories than going uphill<\/strong>. Since there is so much of a difference in climbing vs. descending, it’s tricky to get an accurate calorie estimate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The data consensus, though, is that you will have to hike anywhere for a longer amount of time (from 2x to 3x) to burn more calories hiking than running.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

you will have to hike anywhere for a longer amount of time (from 2x to 3x) to burn more calories hiking than running.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How Much Energy Does Hiking Use?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Hiking is a moderate-intensity workout, and when done in rough terrain with elevation changes, it will ensure you reap the cardio and strength-building benefits. It is an excellent way to stay physically active while enjoying the sights and sounds of nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The intensity varies based on the ruggedness of the trail, and so do other factors such as temperature and weather conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may wonder how many calories hiking can burn in both casual and intense sessions. It depends particularly on your body composition<\/a> and terrain or the steepness of the path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is an estimated breakdown of the number of calories burned per hour <\/strong>based on weight and trail grade at an average walking speed of 2.5 mph.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hiker Weight<\/th>Calories Burned At Grade: 5%<\/th>Calories Burned At Grade: 10%<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
125 lb.<\/td>298<\/td>413<\/td><\/tr>
150 lb.<\/td>357<\/td>495<\/td><\/tr>
175 lb.<\/td>417<\/td>578<\/td><\/tr>
200 lb.<\/td>477<\/td>660<\/td><\/tr>
225 lb.<\/td>536<\/td>743<\/td><\/tr>
250 lb.<\/td>596<\/td>825<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
I used OutsideOnline.com because their numbers seemed the most reasonable.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A 1-5% grade is mild, and a 6-15% grade ranges from mild to steep. Some trails can have a grade as high as 30% or more and will burn even more calories. You can increase the incline on a treadmill to understand the feeling of different grades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s hard to grasp how steep a 30-degree slope really is. This is kind of a silly video, but to me, it illustrates how steep a 30-degree slope can be.<\/p>\n\n\n

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How Steep is 30 Degrees?<\/div><\/div>
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