Estimate hamstring curl calories burned from body weight, effort level, and workout time or sets, reps, tempo, rest, and kcal/min.
Hamstring Curl Calories Burned Formula
Time mode uses a single MET value across the whole session:
Sets and reps mode separates working time from rest time and applies a lower MET while you rest:
- MET — metabolic equivalent of the chosen effort level
- weight_kg — body weight in kilograms (lb is converted at 0.4536)
- minutes — total session time in minutes
- t_active — sets × reps × tempo seconds, converted to minutes
- t_rest — (sets − 1) × rest between sets, converted to minutes
The 3.5 ml/kg/min term is resting oxygen uptake and 200 converts liters of O₂ to kilocalories. Rest periods are scored at 1.5 MET, the standard light-seated value. The result is an estimate; actual burn varies with technique, range of motion, and individual metabolism.
Reference Values
MET values used by the effort selector, based on the Compendium of Physical Activities entries for resistance training:
| Effort level | MET | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Light / warm-up | 3.0 | Empty machine, activation reps |
| Moderate strength sets | 3.8 | 8–12 reps, full rest |
| Hard / heavy sets | 5.0 | Near-failure sets, heavy load |
| Vigorous circuit | 6.0 | Short rests, supersets, high reps |
Approximate calories per 10 minutes of moderate (3.8 MET) hamstring curls:
| Body weight | 10 min | 20 min | 30 min |
|---|---|---|---|
| 130 lb (59 kg) | 39 kcal | 79 kcal | 118 kcal |
| 160 lb (73 kg) | 48 kcal | 97 kcal | 145 kcal |
| 190 lb (86 kg) | 57 kcal | 115 kcal | 172 kcal |
| 220 lb (100 kg) | 66 kcal | 133 kcal | 199 kcal |
Example and FAQ
Worked example. A 180 lb lifter does 4 sets of 10 reps at a 3 second tempo with 60 second rests on the moderate setting (3.8 MET). Active time is 4 × 10 × 3 / 60 = 2.0 min. Rest time is 3 × 60 / 60 = 3.0 min. Total session is 5.0 min. Body weight in kg is 81.6. Calories = (3.8 × 2.0 + 1.5 × 3.0) × 3.5 × 81.6 / 200 ≈ 17 kcal.
Why is the number low? Hamstring curls are an isolation movement on a single joint. Even hard sets only burn a few calories each. Compound lifts and circuits move much more total mass.
Should I include rest time? Use sets and reps mode if rest matters and time mode if you want a quick total based on minutes spent training. The two modes will not match exactly because rest time is scored at 1.5 MET.
Seated vs lying curl? The MET value is the same in published tables. Use the same effort level for either machine.
