Raking Leaves MET Value: What It Is and How to Use It
Raking leaves has a MET value of 4.0–5.0 according to the Compendium of Physical Activities. Learn what this means, how it compares to other yard work, and how to calculate your calorie burn.
Raking leaves has a MET value of 4.0 to 5.0 according to the Compendium of Physical Activities (Ainsworth et al., 2011), depending on intensity. For a 70 kg person, this translates to approximately 4.7–5.8 calories per minute or 280–350 calories per hour.
Use our Raking Leaves Calorie Calculator to get your exact result based on your weight and session length.
What Is a MET Value?
MET stands for Metabolic Equivalent of Task. It expresses how much energy an activity requires relative to sitting quietly at rest.
- MET 1.0 = sitting at rest (baseline)
- MET 2.0 = very slow walking or light housework
- MET 3.5 = brisk walking (3.5 mph / 5.6 km/h)
- MET 4.5 = moderate raking leaves
- MET 6.0 = jogging slowly, moderate cycling
- MET 10.0 = running at 10 km/h
A MET of 4.5 means raking leaves burns 4.5 times more energy than sitting still. This places moderate raking in the moderate-intensity aerobic zone — the range associated with cardiovascular health benefits and meaningful calorie expenditure.
Official MET Values for Raking Leaves
The MET values for raking leaves from the Compendium of Physical Activities:
Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Herrmann SD, et al. 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities: a second update of codes and MET values. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011;43(8):1575-1581.
| Intensity | MET Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Light | 4.0 | Small yard, light leaf coverage, relaxed pace |
| Moderate | 4.5 | Medium yard, typical fall coverage, steady pace |
| Vigorous | 5.0 | Large yard, heavy leaf coverage, fast pace |
The moderate MET of 4.5 applies to general raking in typical autumn yard conditions — the scenario most people encounter during a standard fall cleanup session.
How to Calculate Calories Using the MET Value
The calorie formula using MET is:
Calories = MET × Weight (kg) × Time (hours)
Example: 70 kg person, 45 minutes, moderate raking (MET 4.5)
Calories = 4.5 × 70 × (45 ÷ 60)
Calories = 4.5 × 70 × 0.75
Calories = 236 kcal
Example: 80 kg person, 1 hour, vigorous raking (MET 5.0)
Calories = 5.0 × 80 × (60 ÷ 60)
Calories = 5.0 × 80 × 1.0
Calories = 400 kcal
Calories Burned Raking Leaves by Weight and Duration (MET 4.5)
| Body Weight | 15 min | 30 min | 45 min | 60 min | 90 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 kg (121 lb) | 62 cal | 124 cal | 186 cal | 248 cal | 371 cal |
| 60 kg (132 lb) | 68 cal | 135 cal | 203 cal | 270 cal | 405 cal |
| 65 kg (143 lb) | 73 cal | 146 cal | 219 cal | 293 cal | 439 cal |
| 70 kg (154 lb) | 79 cal | 158 cal | 236 cal | 315 cal | 473 cal |
| 75 kg (165 lb) | 84 cal | 169 cal | 253 cal | 338 cal | 506 cal |
| 80 kg (176 lb) | 90 cal | 180 cal | 270 cal | 360 cal | 540 cal |
| 90 kg (198 lb) | 101 cal | 203 cal | 304 cal | 405 cal | 608 cal |
| 100 kg (220 lb) | 113 cal | 225 cal | 338 cal | 450 cal | 675 cal |
Raking Leaves MET vs Other Yard Work and Outdoor Activities
How does raking compare to other outdoor activities you might do across the seasons?
| Activity | MET Value | Calories / 30 min (70 kg) | Intensity Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slow walking (4 km/h) | 2.5 | 88 cal | Light |
| Gardening, general | 3.5 | 123 cal | Light–Moderate |
| Raking leaves (light) | 4.0 | 140 cal | Moderate |
| Brisk walking (6 km/h) | 4.0 | 140 cal | Moderate |
| Raking leaves (moderate) | 4.5 | 158 cal | Moderate |
| Lawn mowing (push mower) | 4.5 | 158 cal | Moderate |
| Raking leaves (vigorous) | 5.0 | 175 cal | Moderate–Vigorous |
| Snow shoveling (light) | 5.0 | 175 cal | Moderate–Vigorous |
| Landscaping / digging | 5.0 | 175 cal | Moderate–Vigorous |
| Snow shoveling (moderate) | 6.0 | 210 cal | Vigorous |
| Cycling (moderate) | 6.0 | 210 cal | Vigorous |
| Snow shoveling (heavy/wet) | 7.5 | 263 cal | Very Vigorous |
| Running (8 km/h) | 8.5 | 298 cal | Very Vigorous |
Key takeaways from this table:
- Moderate raking = brisk walking in calorie burn — many people underestimate yard work as exercise
- Vigorous raking ≈ light snow shoveling — the effort of heavy leaf coverage approaches that of clearing powder snow
- Snow shoveling has a higher MET ceiling — dense wet snow can reach MET 7.5+, well above any raking scenario
What Affects the Effective MET in Practice?
The Compendium's MET values are population averages. Your actual MET will vary:
Leaf moisture and density: Wet, packed leaves after rain are much heavier than dry autumn leaves and require more force per stroke. Your effective MET on a wet-leaf day may be closer to 5.0–5.5 even at a moderate pace.
Raking tool: A wide, flexible leaf rake handles more material per stroke. A smaller or stiffer rake requires more strokes to cover the same area, increasing cadence and potentially MET.
Continuous vs intermittent effort: If you rake steadily without stopping, your average MET matches the activity estimates. Frequent pauses to catch your breath, bag leaves, or reposition reduce your average MET for the session.
Terrain and obstacles: Raking around flower beds, trees, and uneven ground increases coordination demands and may elevate effective MET compared to raking an open flat lawn.
Temperature: Cold weather increases thermogenic energy expenditure slightly. Raking on a brisk 5°C autumn day burns marginally more total energy than the same session at 20°C.
Is Raking Leaves Vigorous or Moderate Exercise?
According to the CDC/ACSM classification system:
- Light activity: MET < 3.0
- Moderate activity: MET 3.0–5.9
- Vigorous activity: MET ≥ 6.0
At MET 4.0–5.0, all raking intensities are classified as moderate-intensity aerobic exercise. This means raking counts toward the recommended 150 minutes per week of moderate physical activity that major health guidelines recommend for adults.
Even light raking (MET 4.0) exceeds the threshold for meaningful aerobic activity. An hour of raking is not a substitute for running, but it is legitimate exercise that most people fail to credit properly when evaluating their activity levels.
How Many METs Is a Good Yard Work Workout?
For general fitness and cardiovascular health, the target zone is MET 3.0–6.0. Raking leaves sits comfortably within that range at all intensity levels.
If you want to push yard work into the vigorous zone (MET ≥ 6.0), you would need to combine raking with heavier activities like:
- Hauling full leaf bags repeatedly (MET 5.0–6.0)
- Mulching or chipping leaves (MET 5.0–6.5)
- Snow shoveling later in the season (MET 5.0–7.5)
A fall yard cleanup that mixes raking, bagging, and hauling can approach an average MET of 5.5–6.0 across the session — making a 90-minute comprehensive cleanup a genuine vigorous-intensity workout.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MET value for raking leaves?
The MET value for raking leaves is 4.0 (light), 4.5 (moderate), or 5.0 (vigorous) according to the Ainsworth Compendium of Physical Activities (2011 edition).
How does the raking leaves MET compare to walking?
Brisk walking has a MET of approximately 3.5–4.0. Moderate raking (MET 4.5) is slightly more intense than brisk walking. Vigorous raking (MET 5.0) is equivalent to a fast walk or very slow jog.
Does raking qualify as vigorous exercise?
No. At MET 4.0–5.0, raking is classified as moderate-intensity exercise. Vigorous exercise is defined as MET 6.0 or above. Snow shoveling (MET 6.0–7.5) qualifies as vigorous; raking does not.
Is raking leaves good enough for cardiovascular health?
Yes. Moderate-intensity activities like raking contribute to cardiovascular fitness when performed regularly. The WHO recommends 150 minutes of moderate activity per week — a typical fall season with weekly raking sessions can meaningfully contribute to that target.
Related Tools and Guides
- Raking Leaves Calorie Calculator — Instant personalized calorie result
- Raking Leaves Calorie Formula — Full formula breakdown with tables
- How Many Calories Does Raking Leaves Burn? — Quick reference guide
- Raking Leaves vs Snow Shoveling Calories — Seasonal comparison
- Snow Shoveling Calorie Calculator — For winter yard work
- Lawn Mowing Calorie Calculator — For summer yard work