Calorie Expenditure In Weight Training Vs. Rowing

In general, you can burn more calories performing cardiovascular exercises, such as rowing, compared with resistance exercises, such as weight training. However, the actual amount of calories you’ll burn performing each exercise depends on the intensity and duration of your workout, and your body size. Heavier people will generally burn more calories than people who weigh less, exercising at the same intensity and duration. Weightlifting can help increase your lean body mass, which can help you burn extra calories throughout the day because muscle burns more calories than fat does.

Background

If you’re rowing or weight training to lose excess body weight, increasing your calorie expenditure or reducing your daily calorie intake can help you achieve your weight-loss goals. To lose weight safely and effectively, and keep the weight off long-term, the American Dietetic Association recommends creating a calorie deficit of 500 to 1,000 calories per day, which can lead to weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds per week. You can perform rowing exercises on a boat to burn calories, however most people who row for exercise do so on a stationary rowing machine.

125-pound Person

If you weigh 125 pounds, you’ll burn fewer calories exercising than a larger person exercising at the same duration and intensity. According to Harvard Medical School, if you weigh 125 pounds, you can burn about 180 calories per hour lifting weights at a moderate pace, about 360 calories per hour weightlifting at a vigorous pace, about 420 calories per hour rowing on a stationary machine at a moderate pace and about 510 calories per hour rowing on a stationary machine at a vigorous pace.

155-pound Person

Recent data published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that the average U.S. adult woman weighs about 163 pounds and the average U.S. adult man weighs about 190 pounds. According to Harvard Medical School, if you weigh 155 pounds, you can burn about 224 calories per hour lifting weights at a moderate pace, about 446 calories per hour weightlifting at a vigorous pace, about 520 calories per hour rowing on a stationary machine at a moderate pace and about 632 calories per hour rowing on a stationary machine at a vigorous pace.

185-pound Person

If you weigh 185 pounds, you can burn a significant amount of calories weightlifting or rowing for one hour each day. According to Harvard Medical School, if you weigh 185 pounds, you can burn about 266 calories per hour lifting weights at a moderate pace, about 532 calories per hour weightlifting at a vigorous pace, about 622 calories per hour rowing on a stationary machine at a moderate pace and about 754 calories per hour rowing on a stationary machine at a vigorous pace.