Squats are one of the best exercises for burning calories and building muscle. They work multiple major muscle groups, including your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and core. The number of squats it takes to burn 100 calories depends on several factors, including your weight, intensity level, squat variation, and more. In this article, we’ll break down everything you need to know about how many squats you need to do to torch 100 calories.
How Many Calories Do Squats Burn?
The number of calories burned during squats depends on:
- Your body weight – Heavier people burn more calories per squat
- The squat variation – Compound moves like sumo squats burn more calories
- Intensity level – Fast, explosive squats burn more calories than slow squats
- Number of reps – More reps equals more calories burned
On average, a 155 lb (70 kg) person burns around 5 calories per squat. So if you weigh 155 lbs, doing 20 squats would burn around 100 calories.
However, the exact number can vary quite a bit based on the factors above. Let’s take a closer look at how these variables impact calories burned per squat:
Body Weight
Heavier people naturally burn more calories performing the same exercise. Here’s an estimate of how many calories people of different weights burn per bodyweight squat:
| Weight | Calories Burned Per Squat |
|---|---|
| 100 lbs (45 kg) | 3 calories |
| 125 lbs (57 kg) | 4 calories |
| 150 lbs (68 kg) | 4.5 calories |
| 175 lbs (79 kg) | 5.5 calories |
| 200 lbs (91 kg) | 6 calories |
So a 125 lb person would need to do 25 squats to burn 100 calories, while a 200 lb person only needs 17 squats.
Squat Variation
The type of squat you do also impacts calories burned. Compound moves that work more muscles burn more energy than simple squats.
Here’s a comparison of calories burned per squat for different variations:
| Squat Type | Calories Burned (for 155 lb / 70 kg person) |
|---|---|
| Bodyweight Squat | 5 calories |
| Jump Squat | 6 calories |
| Sumo Squat | 6.5 calories |
| Overhead Squat | 8 calories |
So overhead squats will burn the most calories per rep, while basic bodyweight squats burn the least.
Intensity Level
The more effort you put into your squats, the more energy you’ll burn. Slow, controlled squats burn fewer calories than fast, explosive squats.
Here’s an estimate based on intensity:
| Intensity | Calories Burned (for 155 lb / 70 kg person) |
|---|---|
| Low – Slow pace | 3 calories |
| Moderate – Normal pace | 5 calories |
| High – Fast, explosive | 7 calories |
So high intensity, plyometric jump squats will torch the most calories per rep.
Number of Reps
Finally, the overall number of squats you perform contributes to total calorie burn. So 20 slow, easy squats will burn fewer calories than 20 fast, explosive squats.
To burn 100 calories, you’ll generally need to do between 20-30 bodyweight squats at a moderate pace for most people.
How Many Squats Should You Do to Burn 100 Calories?
Now that we’ve looked at the factors that affect calorie burn, let’s determine how many squats you need to burn 100 calories.
Here are estimates based on weight and intensity:
| Weight | Low Intensity Squats | Moderate Intensity Squats | High Intensity Squats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 125 lbs | 35 squats | 25 squats | 20 squats |
| 155 lbs | 30 squats | 20 squats | 15 squats |
| 185 lbs | 25 squats | 18 squats | 14 squats |
So if you weigh 155 lbs and do moderate intensity squats, you’ll need around 20 reps to burn 100 calories. Up the intensity with plyos or extra weight to lower the number of squats required.
Here are some examples of squat workouts to burn 100 calories:
- 3 sets of 15-20 bodyweight squats (moderate intensity)
- 5 sets of 10 bodyweight jump squats (high intensity)
- 4 sets of 15 goblet squats (moderate intensity)
- 5 sets of 10 sumo squats holding dumbbells (high intensity)
Aim for a minimum of 20 reps if you want to torch 100 calories with a single squat exercise. Or combine squats with other exercises like lunges and step-ups in a circuit to burn even more calories.
Other Factors That Influence Calorie Burn
Along with the variables above, other factors can slightly increase or decrease the calories burned per squat:
Rest Time
Taking shorter rest periods between sets increases calorie burn since you’re keeping your heart rate elevated.
Time Under Tension
Focusing on the eccentric/lowering phase of a squat increases time under tension, resulting in greater calorie expenditure.
Squat Depth
Going deeper into a squat works more muscles, so full squats burn more calories than partial reps.
Number of Sets
Doing more sets boosts total calorie expenditure. But excessively long workouts can limit intensity, reducing per-rep calorie burn.
Muscle Mass
The more muscle you have, the more calories you’ll burn during exercise since muscle tissue is metabolically active.
Other Exercises to Burn 100 Calories
While squats are great for burning calories, combining them with other exercises can help you burn even more energy:
- Jumping jacks: 100 jumping jacks burns around 100 calories for most people.
- Burpees: 10-15 intense burpees burns 100+ calories.
- Mountain climbers: One minute of mountain climbers torches around 10 calories. So 10 minutes would burn 100+ calories.
- Rowing: Rowing vigorously for 10 minutes burns around 100 calories.
- Jogging: Jogging at 5 mph for 10 minutes also expends around 100 calories.
For an intense cardio workout, do 1-2 minutes of an exercise like mountain climbers or burpees followed by 1-2 minutes of an active recovery exercise like squats or lunges. Repeat 5-10 times to burn 100+ calories.
Nutrition’s Role in Fat Loss
While exercise is key for burning calories, nutrition plays an even bigger role in fat loss. You can’t out-train a poor diet.
To maximize fat loss, focus on eating in a calorie deficit by:
- Consuming mostly whole, minimally processed lean proteins, fruits, veggies, and whole grains
- Limiting added sugar, saturated fat, fried foods, and excessive carbs like pasta, bread, etc.
- Tracking your calorie intake to ensure you’re eating fewer calories than you’re burning daily
- Keeping protein high (0.7-1g per pound of body weight) to retain muscle while losing fat
With a proper nutrition plan, exercises like squats will help burn belly fat and get you lean. But you need the dietary foundation in place first.
Sample Squat Workout to Burn 100 Calories
Here’s a 10 minute squat circuit workout to try:
Warmup:
– Jog in place: 30 seconds
– Jumping jacks: 30 seconds
– Bodyweight squats: 30 seconds
Circuit (Complete 3-5 rounds):
– Bodyweight squats: 30 seconds
– Jump squats: 30 seconds
– Mountain climbers: 30 seconds
– High knees: 30 seconds
– Rest: 30 seconds
This workout combines bodyweight squats (around 100 squats total) with other high intensity exercises like jump squats, mountain climbers, and high knees to maximize calorie burn. Shoot for full intensity on all exercises.
After 10 minutes, you’ll have burned around 100 calories or more. Repeat the circuit 2-3 times through for an intense 20-30 minute calorie blasting workout.
Conclusion
Squats are one of the best fat-burning lower body exercises. The number of squats needed to burn 100 calories depends on your weight, intensity, squat variation, and other factors.
Aim for at least 20 bodyweight squats at a moderate pace. Combining squats with other calorie-burning exercises can help you burn even more calories in less time.
Just be sure to focus on nutrition as well by eating in a calorie deficit if your goal is fat loss. With the right dietary habits and training program, squats can help you get fit, toned, and lean!