Yoga Calorie Burn

How yoga calorie burn is calculated

We use MET values from the Compendium of Physical Activities: Hatha 2.5, gentle Iyengar 2.3, Vinyasa flow 3.5, Ashtanga 4.0, Power yoga 5.0, Bikram (hot yoga) 5.0–6.0. Calories = MET × weight (kg) × time (hours). Even Hatha — often dismissed as “not exercise” — sustains a meaningful burn over an hour because the holds engage stabiliser muscles.

Worked example

A 65 kg adult attending a 60-minute Vinyasa class at a Bengaluru studio burns 3.5 × 65 × 1.0 = ~228 kcal — comparable to a 35-minute walk. A 70 kg practitioner doing 60 minutes of Surya Namaskar at home (12 sets, ~5.5 MET intensity) burns close to 385 kcal. International Yoga Day enthusiasts who do a 90-minute Ashtanga session burn around 420 kcal at 70 kg — roughly the same as 30 minutes of cycling.

When to use this

• Choosing between Hatha and Vinyasa for weight-loss goals
• Estimating weekly caloric output across 3–5 yoga sessions
• Planning a maintenance regimen that pairs yoga with walking or cycling
• Comparing studio class vs at-home Surya Namaskar burn

For a head-to-head with walking, use the walking calorie tool, and pair both with the TDEE calculator to set a realistic daily target.