Calories Burned Circuit training at 85 kg — 680 kcal per Hour
Circuit training at 85 kg (176–198 lb) burns about 680 kcal per hour. That figure comes from the activity's MET value of 8 in the 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities, multiplied by body weight: 8 × 85 kg × 1 hour = 680 kcal. This page works the numbers out in full — for 15, 30, 45, 60 and 90 minutes, across all four weight bands, and against four comparable activities at the same weight — so you can plan sessions with real figures instead of guessing.
Circuit training is a workout built from stations — typically six to ten exercises done back to back with short rests between them, then repeated for two or three rounds. A station might be squats, then push-ups, then a row, then a bike sprint, then a plank, and the short rest keeps your heart rate up the whole way through. That is why the energy cost is high: at 8.0 METs it sits alongside running and vigorous calisthenics, not alongside a gentle gym session.
It suits people who are short on time and want a full-body session in 30–45 minutes, and gyms use it for group classes for exactly that reason. Because the rests are short, it is a demanding format — it fits people who are already comfortable with the individual exercises and can keep good form while tired. Beginners usually do better starting with longer rests and fewer rounds, then shortening the rests as fitness improves. That is 680 kcal per hour at 85 kg, or about 340 kcal for a 30-minute session. Everything below is an estimate: MET values are population averages, and your own burn will vary with fitness, technique and conditions. That does not make the numbers useless — it makes them a planning tool, and a good one, as long as you treat them as approximate.
Calculate your own numbers
Use the Calorie calculator to work out your own burn for circuit training at your exact weight and session length. Enter your weight, pick the activity and set the duration, and the tool applies the same MET formula shown below. You can also try the TDEE calculator to see how this session fits into your total daily energy use.
Related pages in this section:
- Calories Burned Circuit training at 55 kg — 440 kcal per Hour
- Calories Burned Circuit training at 65 kg — 520 kcal per Hour
- Calories Burned Circuit training at 75 kg — 600 kcal per Hour
- Calories burned hub
The formula, shown and cited
The standard way to estimate the energy cost of an activity is the MET formula from the Compendium of Physical Activities (Ainsworth et al., Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2011; 43(8): 1575–1581):
Calories (kcal) = MET × body weight (kg) × duration (hours)
One MET is the energy you use sitting quietly at rest — about 1 kcal per kilogram of body weight per hour. An activity rated at 8 METs therefore uses 8 times as much energy as resting. The Compendium's MET values come from published studies that measured oxygen use during each activity, so they are measured averages, not guesses. The value used here, 8.0, is the published Compendium figure for circuit training.
Worked through for this page:
- MET for circuit training: 8
- Body weight: 85 kg (the midpoint of the 80-90 kg band, 176–198 lb)
- Duration: 1 hour
- Calculation: 8 × 85 × 1 = 680 kcal
For a 30-minute session the same calculation is 8 × 85 × 0.5 = 340 kcal. Nothing else is hidden in the maths — if your weight or duration changes, only those two numbers change.
Your numbers at 85 kg
| Duration | Calculation | Calories burned |
|---|---|---|
| 15 minutes | 8 × 85 × 0.25 | 170 kcal |
| 30 minutes | 8 × 85 × 0.5 | 340 kcal |
| 45 minutes | 8 × 85 × 0.75 | 510 kcal |
| 60 minutes | 8 × 85 × 1 | 680 kcal |
| 90 minutes | 8 × 85 × 1.5 | 1020 kcal |
That is about 11.3 kcal per minute of circuit training at this weight. A short session still counts: even 15 minutes burns 170 kcal, and three 15-minute sessions across a day add up to the same 510 kcal as one 45-minute session.
How the burn changes with body weight
The MET value stays the same — it describes the activity, not the person — but the calorie total scales with weight, because a heavier body costs more energy to move:
| Body weight | Calories per hour | Calories per 30 minutes |
|---|---|---|
| 55 kg | 440 kcal | 220 kcal |
| 65 kg | 520 kcal | 260 kcal |
| 75 kg | 600 kcal | 300 kcal |
| 85 kg | 680 kcal | 340 kcal |
Two people doing the same activity for the same time can therefore burn quite different amounts, and that is expected — it is physics, not a mistake in the formula. If your weight sits between two rows, your figure sits between the two values.
At 85 kg (187 lb), the absolute numbers are the largest of the four weight bands, because a heavier body costs the most energy to move through the same activity. That also means the joints carry more load with every rep and every landing, so warming up properly and keeping good form matter more, not less, at this weight. The MET value itself does not change with weight — it describes the intensity of the activity — but the calorie total scales directly with it, as the table above shows.
How circuit training compares
Here is circuit training against four other activities at the same 85 kg, all using the same MET formula:
| Activity | MET | Calories per hour at 85 kg |
|---|---|---|
| circuit training | 8 | 680 kcal |
| calisthenics at a vigorous effort | 8 | 680 kcal |
| doing CrossFit | 8 | 680 kcal |
| running at 5 mph | 8.3 | 706 kcal |
| cycling at a moderate effort | 8 | 680 kcal |
Use this table to choose, not to judge. A higher number means a harder session, not a better one: the activity you enjoy and repeat three times a week beats the activity that burns more per hour but that you quit after a fortnight. Mixing intensities across the week — one harder session, two easier ones — is usually more sustainable than doing the hardest activity every time.
Fitting circuit training into your week
| Sessions per week | 30 minutes each | 60 minutes each |
|---|---|---|
| 2 sessions | 680 kcal | 1360 kcal |
| 3 sessions | 1020 kcal | 2040 kcal |
| 5 sessions | 1700 kcal | 3400 kcal |
At 8 METs, circuit training is vigorous-intensity activity, so it counts double towards the widely used adult activity target: 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week is the equivalent of 150 minutes of moderate activity. Two 30-minute sessions a week already give you 60 vigorous minutes and burn about 680 kcal a week at 85 kg. Build up gradually — add 10% to your weekly total at most, and keep at least one rest day.
How to use the result
Pick six to eight exercises that cover legs, push, pull and core, and set a work interval of 40 seconds with 20 seconds to move to the next station. Do two or three rounds with two minutes of rest between rounds. Use the numbers on this page to set realistic expectations rather than to chase a daily total: a 30-minute circuit at this weight burns a meaningful amount, but it is still only one part of the day's energy balance. If you are tracking food as well, add the session to your total daily energy expenditure for that day, and do not eat back every calorie the calculator shows — MET estimates tend to overstate slightly, and a small margin keeps a weight-loss plan on track. Keep any deficit modest, 300–500 kcal a day, and keep total intake above the safety floors of 1,200 kcal a day for women and 1,500 kcal a day for men unless a healthcare professional advises otherwise.
What the number does NOT tell you
The MET formula assumes you keep moving at the rated intensity for the whole hour, and a real circuit does not work like that: form degrades as you tire, and most people slow down in the second and third rounds, so the real burn is usually a little lower than the table. It also does not account for your fitness level — a fit person burns fewer calories doing the same circuit than an unfit person, because their body is more efficient — or for body composition, or for the afterburn that follows hard sessions. It says nothing about strength gained, and nothing about whether the format is safe for you: if you have a heart condition, joint problems, asthma or any other health concern, check with a healthcare professional before starting a high-intensity circuit.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories do I burn doing circuit training for 30 minutes at 85 kg?
About 340 kcal. The maths is 8 METs × 85 kg × 0.5 hours = 340 kcal. That is an estimate from the Compendium average — your real burn depends on your fitness, your pace and the conditions. If you weigh more or less than 85 kg, use the weight table above to read your own figure.
Is circuit training good for weight loss?
It can help, but only as part of an overall calorie deficit. At 85 kg, an hour of circuit training burns about 680 kcal, which is a useful contribution — roughly the energy in a modest meal — but weight loss still comes from the total balance of food and activity across the week, not from one session. Aim for a gradual loss of 0.5–1% of body weight per week, and never drop below 1,200 kcal a day (women) or 1,500 kcal a day (men) without medical supervision.
How does circuit training compare with calisthenics at a vigorous effort?
At 85 kg, circuit training burns about 680 kcal per hour against 680 kcal for calisthenics at a vigorous effort — the two activities burn the same at this weight. The best choice is usually the one you will actually do several times a week — consistency matters more than a small difference in the hourly rate.
How accurate is the 8 MET value for circuit training?
It is a population average from the 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities (Ainsworth et al.), which compiled measured energy costs across published studies. Individuals vary by roughly 10–20% around the average because of fitness, body composition, technique and conditions. Treat 680 kcal per hour as a planning estimate, not a precise measurement of your own body.
How many calories do I burn doing circuit training in an hour at 85 kg?
About 680 kcal — the maths is 8 METs × 85 kg × 1 hour. That works out at about 11.3 kcal per minute. Over a week, three one-hour sessions would add up to about 2040 kcal from this activity alone, before the rest of your daily movement.
Estimates only, not medical advice. Minimum safe intakes: 1,200 kcal/day women, 1,500 kcal/day men — consult a healthcare professional before a very-low-calorie diet.