100 Bicep Curls: How Many Calories Do You Burn?
Find out exactly how many calories 100 bicep curls burn based on body weight and intensity. Includes tables for light, moderate, and vigorous curl variations.
100 bicep curls burn approximately 19–42 calories depending on your body weight and which intensity you perform. For a 70 kg person, the expected calorie burn is:
- Light Curls: ~29 calories
- Moderate Curls: ~26 calories
- Vigorous Curls: ~24 calories
These estimates use the MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) formula. Use our Bicep Curl Calorie Calculator to get a result personalised to your exact weight and intensity.
Calories Burned Doing 100 Bicep Curls by Body Weight
The tables below break down calorie burn for 100 reps across all three intensities and six common body weights.
Light Curls (MET 3.0, 12 reps/min)
Active time for 100 reps: 100 ÷ 12 ÷ 60 = 0.1389 hours (8.3 minutes)
| Body Weight | Calories Burned |
|---|---|
| 55 kg (121 lb) | 22.9 cal |
| 60 kg (132 lb) | 25.0 cal |
| 70 kg (154 lb) | 29.2 cal |
| 80 kg (176 lb) | 33.3 cal |
| 90 kg (198 lb) | 37.5 cal |
| 100 kg (220 lb) | 41.7 cal |
Moderate Curls (MET 4.0, 18 reps/min)
Active time for 100 reps: 100 ÷ 18 ÷ 60 = 0.0926 hours (5.6 minutes)
| Body Weight | Calories Burned |
|---|---|
| 55 kg (121 lb) | 20.4 cal |
| 60 kg (132 lb) | 22.2 cal |
| 70 kg (154 lb) | 25.9 cal |
| 80 kg (176 lb) | 29.6 cal |
| 90 kg (198 lb) | 33.3 cal |
| 100 kg (220 lb) | 37.0 cal |
Vigorous Curls (MET 5.0, 24 reps/min)
Active time for 100 reps: 100 ÷ 24 ÷ 60 = 0.0694 hours (4.2 minutes)
| Body Weight | Calories Burned |
|---|---|
| 55 kg (121 lb) | 19.1 cal |
| 60 kg (132 lb) | 20.8 cal |
| 70 kg (154 lb) | 24.3 cal |
| 80 kg (176 lb) | 27.8 cal |
| 90 kg (198 lb) | 31.3 cal |
| 100 kg (220 lb) | 34.7 cal |
How Long Does It Take to Do 100 Bicep Curls?
The time to complete 100 reps varies by intensity, as each type is performed at a different pace:
| Intensity | Reps per Minute | Time for 100 Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Light Curls | ~12 reps/min | ~8.3 minutes |
| Moderate Curls | ~18 reps/min | ~5.6 minutes |
| Vigorous Curls | ~24 reps/min | ~4.2 minutes |
These figures represent continuous active movement time — they do not include rest periods between sets. In practice, 100 reps might be split across 4–5 sets of 20–25 reps each, with 60–90 seconds of rest between sets, making the total workout time 12–20 minutes.
How Do 100 Bicep Curls Compare to Other Exercises?
100 bicep curls are a low calorie-burning activity. For context, a 70 kg person completing 100 reps of other common upper-body exercises burns:
| Exercise | 100 Reps (70 kg) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Moderate Bicep Curls | 25.9 cal | Isolation, small muscle group |
| Push-ups | ~35 cal | MET 3.8–4.0, moderate pace |
| Pull-ups | ~156 cal | MET 8.0, compound movement |
| Dips | ~156 cal | MET 8.0, compound movement |
| Burpees | ~93 cal | MET 8.0, full-body explosive |
The bicep curl's primary advantage is not calorie burn per rep — it is the unparalleled specificity of bicep loading. No other exercise isolates the biceps brachii and brachialis as effectively for hypertrophy.
Tips for Maximising Calories Burned Per Set
To increase the metabolic demand of your bicep curl sets without changing the rep count:
1. Slow down the eccentric (3-second descent) Lowering the weight slowly increases time under tension and total metabolic cost. A 3-second eccentric adds approximately 3 extra seconds of muscle activation per rep — significant over 100 reps.
2. Add progressive overload Progressing from light dumbbells to heavier resistance increases MET from 3.0 toward 5.0. Heavier curls performed at a slower pace burn more calories per rep.
3. Reduce rest between sets Shorter rest intervals (30–45 seconds vs 90 seconds) keep your heart rate elevated between sets, adding cardiovascular calorie burn on top of the muscular component.
4. Superset with a compound exercise Pairing bicep curls with pull-ups, rows, or push-ups between sets elevates overall session calorie burn while maintaining targeted arm development.
5. Use hammer curls or concentration curls Variations that increase time under tension or require more stabilisation can slightly raise the metabolic cost per rep.
The Calorie Formula Used
All values in this article use the MET formula:
Calories = MET × Weight (kg) × (Reps ÷ Reps_per_minute ÷ 60)
For 100 Moderate Bicep Curls at 70 kg:
Calories = 4.0 × 70 × (100 ÷ 18 ÷ 60) = 4.0 × 70 × 0.0926 = 25.9 kcal
For the most accurate personalised result, use our Bicep Curl Calorie Calculator.
Related Guides
- Bicep Curl Calorie Formula — Full breakdown of MET values and the calculation method
- Bicep Curl vs Pull-Up: Calories Burned — Isolation vs compound comparison
- Bicep Curl Muscles Worked — Primary and secondary muscle activation
- Bicep Curl Calorie Calculator — Personalised result for any rep count
- Pull-Up Calorie Calculator — Compare with compound pulling movements