Pickleball vs Tennis: Which Sport Burns More Calories?
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Do you follow a strict diet and meticulously track your calorie intake? If you’re curious about which sport burns more calories, pickleball or tennis, then this guide is for you. We’ll discuss how court size and gameplay intensity differences can impact your calorie expenditure.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Tennis vs Pickleball: Which Burns More Calories?
Tennis typically burns more calories than pickleball, primarily because the larger court size in tennis requires more movement, leading to a quicker increase in heart rate.
The more you move and your heart rate increases, the more calories you burn. In tennis, this increased movement to cover the larger court significantly elevates the heart rate, contributing to higher calorie expenditure.
While pickleball is also a good workout, its smaller court size doesn’t require as much movement, resulting in a lower calorie burn than tennis. Thus, for higher energy expenditure, tennis is generally the better choice.
| Sport | Calories Burned per 30 Minutes | Calories Burned per Hour | Intensity |
| Tennis (Singles) | 281 | 562 | High |
| Pickleball (Singles) | 210 | 420 | Moderate to High |
The table shows how many calories you can burn in each sport. A 155-pound person playing for an hour burns more calories in tennis than in pickleball. But, choosing either sport is good for your health and fitness.
Whether you play pickleball or tennis, the important thing is to keep active. Both sports are great for your health. They add fun, movement and can help you lose weight.
How to Calculate How Many Calories Do You Burn Playing Pickleball or Tennis?
Use dedicated online calorie calculators for these sports to calculate calorie burn in pickleball or tennis. You can use a specific pickleball calorie calculator and a tennis calorie calculator for tennis.
These tools usually require inputs such as your weight, the duration of your play, and possibly the intensity level of your game. They provide personalized estimates of the calories burned, helping you track your fitness progress and set health goals.
Knowing how many calories you burn helps with fitness goals. It’s useful for everyone: seniors, athletes, and casual players. This info lets you adjust your diet, change how you exercise and set realistic health goals.
Calories Burned Playing Pickleball vs Tennis
Pickleball and tennis burn calories differently because of the way they’re played. Each sport’s unique movements affect how many calories you burn. Let’s look at the fitness and health benefits you get from each game.
How Many Calories Do You Burn in Singles?
Singles play is intense and requires constant activity. On the tennis court, you move a lot because it’s big, which means your heart works harder. A person weighing 155 pounds can burn around 562 calories in an hour of tennis.
With its smaller court, pickleball singles make you think and move smartly. It burns about 420 calories per hour. Both sports improve your fitness by working your body and skills.
How Many Calories Do You Burn in Doubles?
Playing doubles is fun but still burns calories. Moving to doubles in tennis changes the burn rate to about 421 calories an hour. Pickleball doubles lower it to 330 calories. Each return and volley in these games boost your fitness journey.
Doubles play helps build muscle, improves heart health, and gives the joy of playing with others. It combines exercise benefits with the fun of team sports.
How to Maximize Your Calorie Burn on the Court?
Want to burn more calories during your tennis game or pickleball practice? Your success depends on your fitness and how you manage your workouts. Adding strength training and cardio can boost your calorie burn.
You’ll also improve your endurance, muscle strength, and balance. This is great for your metabolism.
Cardio is essential for burning calories. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) works well for court sports. It pushes your body hard, which can improve your game. HIIT raises your heart rate and keeps it high, making sure you burn lots of calories during your workouts or games.
When you’re not on the court, work on your game strategy, too. Keep moving quickly and play aggressively if you can. Sprinting after the ball and moving a lot can boost your heart rate, which burns more calories, making the game fun and healthy.
Don’t forget about recovery. It’s not just rest but also activities that help burn calories. Stretching and gentle exercises keep your metabolism active
What Other Factors Influence Calorie Burn?
Calorie burning is not just about the physical activity you choose. Your own body weight and composition matter a lot, too. People who weigh more use more energy or calories to move. So, those with higher body weights tend to burn more calories during activities like aerobic exercise.
But there’s more to it than weight. Your body composition—how much muscle versus fat you have—also affects your metabolic rate. Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat does.
So, more muscle means a higher calorie burn even when you’re not exercising hard.
The intensity and duration of your activities are critical, too. A gentle game burns fewer calories than an intense one.
Regular, high-energy aerobic exercise increases your calorie burn. It also boosts heart health, lowering your risk of heart disease. Understanding these factors can help you plan your physical activity better.
Whether you aim to improve in sports, gain health benefits, or tailor your personal fitness plan, each factor is essential in burning calories.
