Dip Calorie Calculator — How Many Calories Do Dips Burn?
Calculate how many calories dips burn based on your body weight, total reps, dip type, and pace. Covers parallel bar dips, bench/tricep dips, and weighted dips using MET-based methodology.
By Jonas Lindemann · Updated · How we build our calculators
5–15
20–50
100+
Exercise Parameters
MET Value: 8 — Parallel Bar Dip
~12 reps per minute at moderate pace · Est. 1.7 min active time
17kcal
Calories Burned
8.32kcal/10
Per 10 Reps
1.7m
Est. Active Time
8MET
Metabolic Equivalent
Exercise: Parallel Bar Dip — Moderate pace
Compound upper-body push exercise targeting chest, triceps, and anterior shoulders
This is approximately 0.83% of a 2000 kcal daily diet.
Strength bonus: Dips build large upper-body muscle mass, which raises your resting metabolic rate — burning additional calories throughout the day.
Note: MET-based calorie estimates assume continuous effort at a consistent pace. Rest periods between sets are not included. Accuracy: ±25–35%.
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About the Dip Calorie Calculator
Learn more about the calculator and its creator
Jonas
Dips are one of the most effective upper-body exercises for both strength and calorie burn. I built this calculator to help athletes track the true energy cost of their dip workouts with scientific accuracy.
How Dip Calories Are Calculated
Dips are a compound upper-body pushing exercise performed by lowering and raising the body between two parallel bars, a bench, or rings. They are one of the most calorie-intensive upper-body bodyweight exercises because they move a significant proportion of total body weight through a large range of motion, recruiting the chest, triceps, and anterior deltoids simultaneously.
This calculator uses the MET-based calorie formula from the Compendium of Physical Activities. MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) measures how much energy an activity demands relative to rest (1 MET ≈ 1 kcal per kg of body weight per hour).
The Dip Calorie Formula
Calories = MET × Weight (kg) × Time (hours)
Since dips are counted in reps, the calculator converts rep count to active time using the estimated pace (reps per minute), then applies the MET formula:
Time (hours) = Reps ÷ Reps per Minute ÷ 60
MET Values by Dip Type
| Dip Type | MET Value | Pace (Moderate) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parallel Bar Dip | 8.0 | ~12 reps/min | Full bodyweight dip, chest & triceps |
| Bench / Tricep Dip | 5.5 | ~18 reps/min | Feet on floor or elevated bench, easier variation |
| Weighted Dip | 9.5 | ~8 reps/min | Additional load via weight belt, plate, or vest |
Calories Burned per 10 Reps by Body Weight
| Dip Type | 60 kg (132 lbs) | 70 kg (154 lbs) | 80 kg (176 lbs) | 90 kg (198 lbs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parallel Bar Dip (moderate) | 6.7 | 7.8 | 8.9 | 10.0 |
| Bench / Tricep Dip (moderate) | 3.1 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 4.6 |
| Weighted Dip (moderate) | 11.9 | 13.9 | 15.8 | 17.8 |
Calories Burned by Duration — Parallel Bar Dips (MET 8.0)
| Duration | 60 kg (132 lbs) | 70 kg (154 lbs) | 80 kg (176 lbs) | 90 kg (198 lbs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 minute | 8.0 | 9.3 | 10.7 | 12.0 |
| 5 minutes | 40 | 47 | 53 | 60 |
| 10 minutes | 80 | 93 | 107 | 120 |
Example Calculation
A 75 kg (165 lbs) person performs 50 parallel bar dips at moderate pace (12/min):
- MET = 8.0
- Weight = 75 kg
- Time = 50 ÷ 12 ÷ 60 = 0.0694 hours
- Calories = 8.0 × 75 × 0.0694 = 41.7 kcal
Why Dips Burn More Calories Than Isolated Exercises
- Compound movement: Chest, triceps, and anterior deltoids all work simultaneously
- Large range of motion: Full lowering and pressing through complete joint range
- Supporting full body weight: Unlike push-ups where feet touch the floor, parallel bar dips suspend the entire body
- High mechanical demand: Peak chest activation occurs in the stretched position, requiring significant force production
Important Disclaimer
Calorie estimates using MET values carry a margin of error of approximately ±25–35%. Actual calorie burn depends on individual fitness level, body composition, and technique. Note that these calculations cover only active rep time — rest periods between sets are not included. For weighted dips, the calculator uses body weight only; the added load increases muscular demand but its exact calorie contribution is not separately quantified in standard MET tables.
Frequently Asked Questions
Parallel bar dips burn approximately 0.67–1.0 calories per rep depending on body weight and pace. A 70 kg person burns about 0.78 kcal per parallel bar dip at moderate pace. Bench/tricep dips burn significantly less — about 0.31–0.46 kcal per rep — because the feet remain on the floor, reducing the weight lifted.
100 parallel bar dips at moderate pace burn approximately 67–100 calories depending on body weight. A 60 kg person burns about 67 calories; a 70 kg person burns about 78 calories; an 80 kg person burns about 89 calories; a 90 kg person burns about 100 calories. For bench dips, these figures are roughly 60% lower.
Parallel bar dips have a MET value of approximately 8.0 (vigorous calisthenics) from the Compendium of Physical Activities. Bench/tricep dips have a lower MET of around 5.5 because the feet support some body weight. Weighted dips reach MET 9.5 due to the added resistance.
Dips and push-ups burn similar calories per minute (both MET 8.0 at vigorous intensity), but dips burn significantly more per rep because each rep takes longer. A single parallel bar dip takes about 5 seconds vs. 3.5 seconds for a push-up, making dips approximately 40% more calorie-intensive per rep.
Yes. Weighted dips have a MET of approximately 9.5 and are performed at a slower pace (fewer reps per minute), resulting in significantly higher calories per rep than bodyweight dips. If you can perform weighted dips safely, they offer both greater strength gains and increased calorie burn.
Bench/tricep dips burn approximately 60% fewer calories per rep than parallel bar dips. At moderate pace, a 70 kg person burns about 0.36 kcal per bench dip vs. 0.78 kcal per parallel bar dip. This is because bench dips keep the feet on the floor, significantly reducing the weight that must be lifted.