45 minutes of
rock climbing
485 kcal 45 minutes of rock climbing burns approximately 485 calories for a 70 kg adult, based on a MET value of 8.8. Heavier bodies burn proportionally more: 624 kcal at 90 kg, 762 kcal at 110 kg.
SOURCE·2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities·REVIEWED JUL 2026
MET 8.8 × 3.5 × 70 kg ÷ 200 = 10.78 kcal/min × 45 min = 485 kcal
Source—2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities—code 15540—ACSM energy equation—retrieved 2026-07
How this is worked out
- Take the MET value for rock climbing from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities: MET 8.8, the median of its 7 measured variations (MET 5–10.5).
- Convert MET to a rate using the ACSM relationship: multiply by 3.5, then by body mass in kilograms, then divide by 200. That gives kilocalories per minute.
- Multiply the rate by the number of minutes actually spent.
- Round to whole kilocalories. Nothing else is applied — no age factor, no sex factor, no proprietary adjustment, because the underlying data does not support one.
kcal/min = MET × 3.5 × mass(kg) ÷ 200 kcal = kcal/min × minutes 8.8 × 3.5 × 70 ÷ 200 = 10.78 kcal/min 10.78 × 45 min = 485 kcal
45 minutes of rock climbing, by body weight
| Body weight | 45 minutes | Per minute |
|---|---|---|
| 50 kg (110 lb) | 347 | 7.7 |
| 60 kg (132 lb) | 416 | 9.2 |
| 70 kg (154 lb) | 485 | 10.8 |
| 80 kg (176 lb) | 554 | 12.3 |
| 90 kg (198 lb) | 624 | 13.9 |
| 100 kg (220 lb) | 693 | 15.4 |
| 110 kg (243 lb) | 762 | 16.9 |
| 120 kg (265 lb) | 832 | 18.5 |
SOURCE·2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities·REVIEWED JUL 2026
Questions
How many calories does 45 minutes of rock climbing burn?
About 485 kcal for a 70 kg adult at MET 8.8. At 60 kg it is 416 kcal and at 100 kg it is 693 kcal.
Is 45 minutes of rock climbing a good workout?
At MET 8.8 this is vigorous activity. Adults are advised to accumulate 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week, so 45 minutes is 60% of a week's target at that intensity.
A number this clean is a model. It does not know your gradient, your gear, the wind, or how hard you were actually trying.
MET from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities. General information only — not medical, fitness or nutrition advice. Calorie figures are population estimates and vary between individuals.
