1 Hour Raking Leaves Calories: How Much Do You Burn?
Raking leaves for 1 hour burns 240–450 calories depending on body weight and intensity. A 70 kg person burns 280–350 calories per hour. Full table by weight and intensity inside.
Raking leaves for 1 hour burns approximately 280–350 calories for a 70 kg (154 lb) person, depending on intensity. At light effort (MET 4.0), you'll burn around 280 calories; at vigorous effort (MET 5.0) covering a large yard with heavy leaf coverage, you'll burn around 350 calories. Heavier individuals burn proportionally more.
Use the Raking Leaves Calorie Calculator to get your personalized result based on your exact weight and raking intensity.
Calories Burned Raking Leaves for 1 Hour by Body Weight
Light Raking — 1 Hour (MET 4.0)
Small yard, thin leaf layer, relaxed pace.
| Body Weight | Calories Burned (60 min) |
|---|---|
| 55 kg (121 lb) | 220 cal |
| 60 kg (132 lb) | 240 cal |
| 65 kg (143 lb) | 260 cal |
| 70 kg (154 lb) | 280 cal |
| 75 kg (165 lb) | 300 cal |
| 80 kg (176 lb) | 320 cal |
| 85 kg (187 lb) | 340 cal |
| 90 kg (198 lb) | 360 cal |
| 100 kg (220 lb) | 400 cal |
Moderate Raking — 1 Hour (MET 4.5)
Medium yard, typical fall coverage, steady pace.
| Body Weight | Calories Burned (60 min) |
|---|---|
| 55 kg (121 lb) | 248 cal |
| 60 kg (132 lb) | 270 cal |
| 65 kg (143 lb) | 293 cal |
| 70 kg (154 lb) | 315 cal |
| 75 kg (165 lb) | 338 cal |
| 80 kg (176 lb) | 360 cal |
| 85 kg (187 lb) | 383 cal |
| 90 kg (198 lb) | 405 cal |
| 100 kg (220 lb) | 450 cal |
Vigorous Raking — 1 Hour (MET 5.0)
Large yard, dense leaf coverage, fast raking pace.
| Body Weight | Calories Burned (60 min) |
|---|---|
| 55 kg (121 lb) | 275 cal |
| 60 kg (132 lb) | 300 cal |
| 65 kg (143 lb) | 325 cal |
| 70 kg (154 lb) | 350 cal |
| 75 kg (165 lb) | 375 cal |
| 80 kg (176 lb) | 400 cal |
| 85 kg (187 lb) | 425 cal |
| 90 kg (198 lb) | 450 cal |
| 100 kg (220 lb) | 500 cal |
All Intensities Side-by-Side (70 kg Reference)
| Intensity | MET | Cal/min | 30 min | 60 min | 90 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light Raking | 4.0 | 4.7 | 140 cal | 280 cal | 420 cal |
| Moderate Raking | 4.5 | 5.25 | 158 cal | 315 cal | 473 cal |
| Vigorous Raking | 5.0 | 5.83 | 175 cal | 350 cal | 525 cal |
For a 70 kg person, the difference between light and vigorous raking over one hour is 70 calories — meaningful but not dramatic. The bigger variable is your body weight, not your raking speed.
How 1 Hour of Raking Compares to Snow Shoveling and Lawn Mowing
One of the most common questions is how raking stacks up against other outdoor chores. Here is the comparison for a 70 kg person over 1 hour:
| Activity | MET | Calories / 60 min (70 kg) |
|---|---|---|
| Lawn Mowing (push mower) | 4.5 | 315 cal |
| Raking Leaves (light) | 4.0 | 280 cal |
| Raking Leaves (moderate) | 4.5 | 315 cal |
| Raking Leaves (vigorous) | 5.0 | 350 cal |
| Snow Shoveling (light powder) | 5.0 | 350 cal |
| Snow Shoveling (general) | 6.0 | 420 cal |
| Snow Shoveling (heavy/wet) | 7.5 | 525 cal |
| Brisk Walking (6 km/h) | 4.0 | 280 cal |
| Gardening (general) | 3.5 | 245 cal |
Key takeaway: moderate raking burns the same calories as pushing a lawn mower at comparable effort. Snow shoveling, however, burns significantly more because you are lifting and throwing heavy wet snow rather than sweeping light leaves.
Is 1 Hour of Raking a Good Workout?
Yes — one hour of raking leaves provides genuine cardiovascular and muscular benefit:
Cardiovascular: At MET 4.5, moderate raking is classified as moderate-intensity aerobic activity by the World Health Organization. A 60-minute session earns you 60 minutes toward your 150 minutes/week target of moderate exercise.
Muscles engaged: Raking is an upper-body-dominant activity that works the:
- Shoulders (deltoids) — driving the rake forward and pulling it back
- Lats and rhomboids — pulling the rake through accumulated leaves
- Core (obliques) — the rotational twisting action of each rake stroke
- Legs — continuous walking, stepping, and repositioning throughout the yard
Practical calorie burn: For a 70 kg person doing a full fall cleanup — including raking, bagging, and hauling — total calorie burn over 90 minutes can reach 400–525 calories, making it a legitimate substitute for a moderate gym cardio session.
Calories Per Minute While Raking
For shorter raking sessions, these per-minute rates help you estimate quickly:
| Body Weight | Light (MET 4.0) | Moderate (MET 4.5) | Vigorous (MET 5.0) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 kg | 4.0 cal/min | 4.5 cal/min | 5.0 cal/min |
| 70 kg | 4.7 cal/min | 5.25 cal/min | 5.83 cal/min |
| 80 kg | 5.3 cal/min | 6.0 cal/min | 6.67 cal/min |
| 90 kg | 6.0 cal/min | 6.75 cal/min | 7.5 cal/min |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many calories does raking leaves burn in 1 hour?
A 70 kg (154 lb) person burns approximately 280–350 calories raking leaves for 1 hour, depending on intensity. At light effort (MET 4.0), that's 280 calories; at vigorous effort (MET 5.0), it's 350 calories.
Is raking for 1 hour equivalent to a workout?
Yes. At moderate intensity, 1 hour of raking qualifies as moderate-intensity aerobic exercise and meets the intensity threshold for cardio exercise according to major health guidelines. It is comparable to 1 hour of brisk walking.
How many calories does raking leaves burn compared to mowing?
At moderate effort, raking (MET 4.5) and pushing a lawn mower (MET 4.5) burn equivalent calories per hour. A 70 kg person burns around 315 calories per hour at both activities.
Related Tools and Guides
- Raking Leaves Calorie Calculator — Personalized estimate by weight and duration
- Raking Leaves Calorie Formula — How the MET calculation works
- Raking Leaves vs Snow Shoveling Calories — Seasonal comparison
- Snow Shoveling Calorie Calculator — For winter yard work
- Lawn Mowing Calorie Calculator — For summer yard work