Estimate calories burned during lat pulldowns from body weight, workout time, intensity, sets, reps, and rest, or calculate time for a calorie target.
Lat Pulldown Calories Burned Formula
The three modes use a standard oxygen-based MET energy estimate: whole-block time, separate lifting/rest segments, or time for a gross calorie target. General resistance-training values are proxies, not validated lat-pulldown-specific measurements.
By time:
- MET = selected intensity (3.5 general resistance reference, 4.5 intermediate assumption, 6 vigorous resistance reference, or custom)
- BW(kg) = body weight in kilograms
- minutes = time spent on lat pulldowns
By sets and reps:
- min_active = sets × reps × seconds per rep ÷ 60
- min_rest = (sets − 1) × rest seconds ÷ 60
- MET_active = the selected intensity; no load-to-body-weight adjustment is applied
- MET_rest = entered recovery assumption (default 1.5); no rest is added after the final set
Pounds are converted to kilograms with 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg. The estimate covers whole-body energy use during the lift and the rest periods between sets. It is not a measurement of the work done on the cable stack alone.
Reference Values
The 2024 Adult Compendium lists 3.5 MET for varied resistance exercises and 6.0 MET for vigorous resistance training; it does not validate a specific lat-pulldown MET. The 4.5 value is an intermediate assumption. Its standard adult reference covers ages 19–59. See the original activity reference. The energy table uses exact pound conversions, 4.5 MET for its moderate scenario and 6 MET for vigorous.
| Effort | MET | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| General resistance reference | 3.5 | Varied resistance exercises, 8–15 reps; broader activity reference |
| Moderate | 4.5 | Intermediate modeling assumption; not a measured lat-pulldown value |
| Vigorous | 6.0 | Broader vigorous resistance-training reference |
| Body weight | 15 min moderate | 30 min moderate | 30 min vigorous |
|---|---|---|---|
| 130 lb (59.0 kg) | 70 kcal | 139 kcal | 186 kcal |
| 160 lb (72.6 kg) | 86 kcal | 171 kcal | 229 kcal |
| 190 lb (86.2 kg) | 102 kcal | 204 kcal | 271 kcal |
| 220 lb (99.8 kg) | 118 kcal | 236 kcal | 314 kcal |
Example and Notes
Example: At 180 lb (about 81.6 kg), four sets of ten reps at three seconds per rep give two active minutes. Three 60-second rests add three minutes. At 4.5 active MET and 1.5 recovery MET, the estimate is 19.3 gross kcal over five minutes, or 12.1 net kcal after subtracting a 1-MET resting estimate. Cable-stack load is not an input.
Why the number looks low: A short lifting block can contain more recovery time than active rep time. The result estimates energy during the entered block; it does not quantify strength gains or post-exercise energy use.
Time mode vs sets mode: Time mode applies one average MET to the entire block, including rests. Sets mode applies the chosen lifting MET to rep time and a separate recovery MET between sets. Neither mode measures personal metabolism or automatically infers intensity from machine load.
Accuracy: Individual energy use can differ substantially from a population-based MET estimate; no universal percentage-error range is established here. Gross energy includes resting metabolism; net energy subtracts a standard 1-MET baseline. Do not use the estimate as a workout or calorie-intake prescription.
