Calories burned bouldering
What a session burns, from your bodyweight and how long you climbed. The rests between attempts change it more than anything, so you get both ends.
Where the numbers come from
The 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities, the table researchers use to estimate what an activity burns. It puts bouldering at 8.8 METs, hard climbing at 7.3 and easy climbing or traversing at 5.8. One MET is about 1 kcal per kilo of bodyweight per hour, so the sum is METs × kilos × hours.
Standing between attempts is 1.3 METs, so how long you rest changes the total more than anything else.
More climbing in the same hour comes from shorter rests on easier problems:
- Circuit climbing: Climb an easy circuit problem after problem, max 1 min rest between problems.
- 4x4: 4 boulders, each climbed 4 times within 4 min, then 4 min rest. 16 climbs.
- Up-and-down boulders: 5 easy boulders, 2 laps each: climb up, then all the way back down. 1 min rest.
Keep the full rests on your hard attempts, though. How long to rest between boulder attempts explains why.
In the Blok Sessions app
Every session logged, and saved to Apple Health
Log a session in Blok Sessions and it goes in your logbook with its minutes, exercises, boulders and how hard it felt. Switch on Apple Health and each one is saved there as a climbing workout too, next to everything else you do.
Get it on the App StoreOr plan in your browser
Planning and logging are free with an account. See what Pro adds.
Questions
How many calories does bouldering burn?
Bouldering is 8.8 METs, so a 70 kg climber burns about 616 kcal in an hour of climbing without a break. Gym sessions have long rests, and with half the hour spent standing between attempts it's about 354 kcal.
Why is my watch showing a different number?
A watch estimates from your heart rate, which jumps on hard moves even when you hardly move. The Compendium's values are averages measured in studies. Both are estimates, so pick one and compare sessions with it.
Does a heavier climber burn more?
Yes. The estimate scales with bodyweight, because moving more weight up the wall takes more energy.
How do I burn more calories bouldering?
Spend more of the session climbing: shorter rests on easy problems, like circuits or a 4x4. Keep the full rests on your hard attempts, or you trade calories for worse climbing.
Not sure what to train next?
Answer seven questions about your climbing and get a plan built from your answers. Free.
Seven questions · about a minute