Marching in place is a simple, low-impact exercise that can help you burn calories and improve your cardiovascular health. In this article, we will look at how many calories you can expect to burn from marching in place and strategies to burn even more calories.
How Many Calories Does Marching in Place Burn?
The number of calories you burn marching in place depends on a few key factors:
- Your weight – Heavier people burn more calories for the same exercise
- Exercise intensity – More vigorous marching burns more calories
- Duration – Longer duration marching burns more calories
According to Harvard Health, a 155 lb (70 kg) person marching in place at a moderate pace for 30 minutes will burn approximately 120 calories. Doubling the duration to 60 minutes doubles the calories burned to 240.
Here are some estimates on calories burned marching in place based on weight and duration:
| Weight | 30 minutes | 60 minutes |
|---|---|---|
| 100 lbs (45 kg) | 80 calories | 160 calories |
| 125 lbs (57 kg) | 100 calories | 200 calories |
| 150 lbs (68 kg) | 115 calories | 230 calories |
| 175 lbs (79 kg) | 130 calories | 260 calories |
| 200 lbs (91 kg) | 145 calories | 290 calories |
As you can see, at a moderate marching pace, most people can expect to burn 80-290 calories per 30 minutes depending on their weight.
How to Burn More Calories Marching in Place
Here are some tips to burn even more calories marching in place:
- Increase pace – March faster like you’re marching for a workout
- Exaggerate arm swing – Pump your arms as you march
- Raise knees high – Lift your knees up towards your chest each step
- Interval training – Alternate fast and slow intervals
- Add weights – Hold light hand weights as you march
- Wear ankle/wrist weights – Added resistance increases intensity
- Climb stairs – March in place on a stair stepper machine
Implementing some of these techniques can significantly increase the intensity of your marching in place, leading to greater calorie burn. You may be able to double your calorie burn by marching vigorously and using weights compared to regular pacing.
Calories Burned Marching vs. Running
Running burns more calories per minute compared to marching in place. However, marching in place has lower impact on the joints. Here is a calorie comparison of a 155 lb (70kg) person marching vs. running for 30 minutes:
| Exercise | Calories burned (155 lbs) |
|---|---|
| Marching in place (moderate pace) | 120 calories |
| Running (5 mph/ 8 km/h) | 355 calories |
As you can see, running may burn 3 times as many calories for the same duration. However, running has higher injury risk with the repetitive impact on the knees and ankles over time. Marching in place is joint-friendly, allowing you to exercise longer and more frequently.
More Calorie Burning Exercises
Here are some other great low-impact exercises that can burn a high number of calories:
- Jumping jacks – Burns about 300 calories per 30 minutes
- Jumping rope – Burns around 400 calories per 30 minutes
- Elliptical machine – Burns up to 270 calories per 30 minutes
- Cycling – Burns around 295 calories per 30 minutes
- Swimming – Burns around 255 calories per 30 minutes
- High knees – Burns around 190 calories per 30 minutes
For even greater calorie burn, combine marching in place with intervals of these other high intensity exercises.
Health Benefits of Marching in Place
Beyond just burning calories, regularly marching in place provides many health benefits:
- Strengthens lower body muscles
- Improves cardiovascular fitness
- Helps control blood sugar
- Reduces risk of heart disease and stroke
- Helps improve cholesterol levels
- Lowers high blood pressure
- Boosts energy levels
Marching in place is an easy exercise you can do anytime, anywhere without any equipment. It can be a great addition to a well-rounded fitness regimen.
Tips for Effective Marching in Place
Here are some tips to help you march in place effectively:
- Stand with good upright posture. Engage your core.
- Lead with your knees – drive them up towards chest.
- Swing arms vigorously in rhythm with legs.
- Land on mid-foot. Avoid heel striking.
- Start with 5 minute sessions and gradually increase to 30 minutes.
- Wear comfortable athletic shoes to avoid injury.
- Stay hydrated – drink water before, during and after.
- Listen to upbeat music to help keep your pace.
Start slow if you are new to exercise. Build up duration and intensity over time. Take breaks as needed between intervals to recover and stay hydrated.
Sample Marching in Place Workout
Here is a sample interval marching in place workout you can try for great calorie burn:
- 5 min warm up march at easy pace
- 30 sec high knees fast march
- 30 sec moderate march
- 30 sec march with arm circles
- 30 sec moderate march
- 30 sec high knee fast march
- 30 sec moderate march
- Repeat interval sequence 3-5 times
- 5 min cool down march at easy pace
This workout alternates between moderate marching and high intensity intervals to keep your heart rate up. You can expect to burn around 200 calories completing it.
Sample Beginner Marching Workout Schedule
When starting out, build up gradually. Here is a sample beginner 2 week schedule:
| Week 1 | Week 2 |
|---|---|
| Day 1: 5 min march | Day 1: 10 min march |
| Day 2: 7 min march | Day 2: 12 min march |
| Day 3: 5 min march | Day 3: 15 min march |
| Day 4: 7 min march | Day 4: 10 min march |
| Day 5: 10 min march | Day 5: 20 min march |
| Day 6: Rest | Day 6: Rest |
| Day 7: 10 min march | Day 7: 25 min march |
Focus on maintaining good form and gradually increase the duration each week. Listen to your body and take rest days whenever needed.
Conclusion
Marching in place is an effective low-impact exercise that can help you burn calories and get fit. Most people can expect to burn around 80-290 calories every 30 minutes, depending on their weight and exercise intensity. Using techniques like interval training, arm swinging, and weights can increase your calorie burn. While not as intensive as running, marching in place provides significant cardiovascular, strength training, and weight loss benefits with lower risk of impact injuries. Start slow and gradually build your stamina over time. Combine marching with healthy eating for comprehensive lifestyle approach to weight management and fitness.
