Bicep Curl Calorie Calculator — How Many Calories Do Bicep Curls Burn?
Calculate how many calories bicep curls burn based on your body weight, number of reps, and intensity. Uses MET-based formula from the Compendium of Physical Activities.
Bicep Curl Exercise Data
MET Value: 4 — Moderate Curls
~18 reps per minute · Est. 1.1 min active time
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About the Bicep Curl Calorie Calculator
Learn more about the calculator and its creator
Jonas
I built this calculator to help gym-goers understand the calorie cost of arm isolation work and how it compares to compound upper-body exercises.
Bicep curls burn approximately 3–5 calories per minute depending on intensity and body weight. A 70 kg person performing Light Curls burns ~3.5 calories per minute (MET 3.0), Moderate Curls ~4.7 cal/min (MET 4.0), and Vigorous Curls ~5.8 cal/min (MET 5.0).
Calories Burned by Rep Count and Body Weight
The table below shows estimated calories burned for Moderate Curls (MET 4.0, 18 reps/min)
across common rep counts and body weights. Formula: Calories = 4.0 × Weight (kg) × (Reps ÷ 18 ÷ 60).
| Reps | 60 kg (132 lbs) | 70 kg (154 lbs) | 80 kg (176 lbs) | 90 kg (198 lbs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 reps | 2.2 kcal | 2.6 kcal | 3.0 kcal | 3.3 kcal |
| 20 reps | 4.4 kcal | 5.2 kcal | 5.9 kcal | 6.7 kcal |
| 30 reps | 6.7 kcal | 7.8 kcal | 8.9 kcal | 10.0 kcal |
| 50 reps | 11.1 kcal | 13.0 kcal | 14.8 kcal | 16.7 kcal |
| 100 reps | 22.2 kcal | 25.9 kcal | 29.6 kcal | 33.3 kcal |
Calorie Burn by Intensity
Different curl intensities carry different MET values. Light curls use a slow tempo and light weight; vigorous curls use fast tempo or heavy resistance, raising metabolic demand.
| Intensity | MET | Cal/min (70 kg) | Cal per 20 reps (70 kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light Curls | 3.0 | 3.5 kcal | 5.8 kcal |
| Moderate Curls | 4.0 | 4.7 kcal | 5.2 kcal |
| Vigorous Curls | 5.0 | 5.8 kcal | 4.9 kcal |
Light Curls: 20 reps at 12/min = 20/12/60 = 0.0278h → 3.0 × 70 × 0.0278 = 5.8 kcal. Moderate Curls: 20 reps at 18/min = 20/18/60 = 0.0185h → 4.0 × 70 × 0.0185 = 5.2 kcal. Vigorous Curls: 20 reps at 24/min = 20/24/60 = 0.0139h → 5.0 × 70 × 0.0139 = 4.9 kcal.
How the Bicep Curl Calorie Calculator Works
This calculator applies the MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) formula from the Compendium of Physical Activities (Ainsworth et al.):
Calories = MET × Weight (kg) × Time (hours)
Because bicep curls are counted in reps rather than minutes, the active time is derived from the rep count and the estimated pace for each intensity:
Time (hours) = Reps ÷ Reps_per_minute ÷ 60
Example:
A 70 kg person performs 20 Moderate Curls at 18 reps/min:
- Time = 20 ÷ 18 ÷ 60 = 0.0185 hours
- Calories = 4.0 × 70 × 0.0185 = 5.2 kcal
Why Bicep Curls Burn Few Calories
Bicep curls are an isolation exercise targeting a small muscle group (biceps brachii, brachialis, forearms). Compound exercises like pull-ups or dips recruit multiple large muscle groups simultaneously — back, chest, shoulders, arms — which significantly increases oxygen consumption and calorie burn per minute.
The MET range of 3.0–5.0 for bicep curls reflects light-to-moderate intensity. Pull-ups and dips typically use MET 8.0, burning roughly twice the calories per minute. Bicep curls are best used for arm hypertrophy and strength development; for fat loss, pair them with compound lifts or cardio.
Their primary value is arm hypertrophy, not energy expenditure. A 70 kg person doing 100 moderate bicep curls burns approximately 26 calories — comparable to about 3 minutes of brisk walking.
Input Parameters
-
1
Body Weight
Enter your weight in kg (metric) or lbs (imperial). The calculator converts automatically. Heavier individuals burn more calories for the same number of reps.
-
2
Number of Reps
Enter the total reps performed across all sets. Use the quick-pick buttons for 10, 20, 30, or 50 reps, or type any value up to 300.
-
3
Intensity
Choose Light Curls (MET 3.0), Moderate Curls (MET 4.0), or Vigorous Curls (MET 5.0). Each has a different metabolic demand and estimated pace.
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Bicep Curl Calorie Formula
Deep dive into MET values and the calculation method
100 Bicep Curls Calories
Exact calorie tables for 100 reps
Bicep Curl vs Pull-Up Calories
Isolation vs compound calorie comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Bicep curls burn approximately 3–5 calories per minute depending on intensity and body weight. At Moderate intensity (MET 4.0), a 70 kg person burns about 4.7 cal/min. Light curls (MET 3.0) burn ~3.5 cal/min; Vigorous (MET 5.0) burn ~5.8 cal/min for the same person.
100 Moderate Bicep Curls burn approximately 22–37 calories depending on body weight. At MET 4.0 and 18 reps/min, a 60 kg person burns ~22 cal, a 75 kg person burns ~28 cal, and a 90 kg person burns ~33 cal. Vigorous curls burn significantly more per 100 reps.
Bicep curls are a low-calorie isolation exercise — their primary value is arm hypertrophy, not energy expenditure. They burn far fewer calories than compound exercises like pull-ups (MET 8.0) or dips (MET 8.0). For calorie burning, prioritise compound movements.
Bicep curls use MET values of 3.0 (light), 4.0 (moderate), and 5.0 (vigorous), based on resistance training data from the Compendium of Physical Activities. The formula is: Calories = MET × Weight (kg) × Time (hours).
Pull-ups burn significantly more calories than bicep curls — approximately 9.3 cal/min vs 4.7 cal/min for a 70 kg person at moderate intensity. Pull-ups are a compound exercise engaging back, core, and arms; bicep curls isolate only the biceps.
How many calories do bicep curls burn?
How many calories do 100 bicep curls burn?
Do bicep curls burn many calories?
What MET value is used for bicep curls?
Bicep curls vs pull-ups: which burns more calories?
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