The Olympic sports that burn the most calories
The world has spent nearly two weeks watching dozens of athletes take their physical abilities to the limit at the Paris Olympics, all vying for the coveted gold, silver and bronze medals.
But those of us spectating each sport from the comfort of our sofas may be wondering which one burns the most calories? And how would an Olympian’s sport compare to a gym workout?
To find out which Olympic sport burns the most calories, Dr Donald Grant, GP and senior clinical advisor at The Independent Pharmacy, examined various sports and compared them to common gym exercises like cardio and weightlifting.
He also took into account new events that were introduced in this year’s Olympics, including breakdancing and surfing.
He said: "Olympic sports are often high-intensity workouts that provide various physical benefits, helping burn calories and maintain physique.
"Events such as surfing and breakdancing are new inclusions in this year’s event – but what sports offer the highest amount of burned calories and how do these new sports compare?"
Dr Grant found that the triathlon was the sport that burnt the most calories, with a whopping 2,500 to 3,500 calories burnt during an Olympic-length triathlon.
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The triathlon race format at the Olympics consists of a 1,500m swim, a 40km cycle and a 10km run – so it’s no wonder the athletes burn a huge amount of calories completing it.
The other Olympic sports that burn the most calories include:
Triathlon: 2,500-3,500 calories
Boxing: 600-800 calories
Freestyle 1,500m swim: 150-350 calories
10,000m race: 400-600 calories
Breakdancing: 600 calories
Skateboarding: 500 calories
Surfing: 600 calories
Here’s what it would take for you to burn the equivalent number of calories in a gym workout, according to Dr Grant:
Triathlon
"Without a doubt, one of the most gruelling and challenging sports in the entire event is the triathlon – a three-part race requiring athletes to cycle, race and swim to the finish line. This year, both the men’s and women’s races were completed in under two hours, highlighting the intensity of this event.
"In terms of calories, an Olympic-length triathlon would burn around 2,500-3,000 calories, equivalent to a 3.5-5 hour high-intensity cardio session in the gym. This event is by far one of the most physically demanding when considering length, activity and calories burned."
Boxing
"Another physically demanding Olympic event is boxing. This sport is extremely accessible and a well-beloved part of many people’s workout routines. It’s easy to see why, as an hour of boxing can burn around 600-800 calories per hour, making it a great way to lose weight or stay fit.
"In the gym, this equates to an hour of high-intensity interval training or an hour of cycling - with both workout activities yielding a similar amount of calories lost."
Freestyle 1,500m swim
"Throughout the Olympics, viewers are blessed with a wide variety of swimming events and races. Due to the overall distance, the 1500-metre freestyle burns the most calories out of all swimming sports, burning around 150-350 calories in total.
"The intensity and distance make the 1500m freestyle an effective race for maintaining fitness – testing Olympians on their endurance. In the gym, half an hour of intense weightlifting or thirty minutes of high-intensity cardio would lead to around 300-350 burned calories."
10,000m race
"In terms of pure cardio, the 10,000m race puts Olympians to the test, challenging their ability to maintain pace over a long distance – consisting of 25 laps around an Olympic-sized running track.
"Throughout the race, competitors can expect to burn around 400-600 calories, fluctuating depending on weight. This is the equivalent of around an hour of swimming or 45-60 minutes of high-intensity cardio."
Breakdancing
"One of the more anticipated new events is breakdancing, offering a high-intensity workout and testing dancers on their technique, originality and musicality – among other factors. This new sport can burn around 600 calories per hour at its highest intensity. Around an hour or so of rigorous cardio in the gym."
Skateboarding
"Next, skateboarding requires a lot of physical exertion to maintain balance and pull off impressive tricks. An hour of trick skateboarding can be extremely beneficial, burning around 500 calories. This is the same as an hour of intense weightlifting in the gym."
Surfing
"Finally, following its 2020 debut, surfing remains a fairly new event. This water sport requires surfers to manage waves and pull off tricks, earning points for their respective countries. High-intensity surfing can be a great way to cut calories, burning around 600 each hour.
"Overall, there are some amazing events this year, putting athletes to the test through intense workouts. For anyone trying to recreate the exercise at home, an hour of certain gym routines such as high-intensity cardio or weight lifting can mimic the number of calories lost."
Read more about sport and health:
How to take up a new sport as an adult (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)
'Weekend warrior' workouts just as good as daily exercise, study shows (Yahoo Life UK, 3-min read)
Exercises to improve your gut health, from burpees to lunges (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)
