Physical activity of any sort is a great way to burn some calories, and there are numerous benefits to engaging in any type of exercise. Not all forms of exercise are equal though, and you may wonder how many calories you burn when ice skating compared to walking or other physical activities.
The average person will burn around 490 calories per hour if they skate at a steady pace (under 6 mph). On the other hand, walking burns 200 to 360 calories per hour. The number of calories burned during either activity is dependent on your height, weight, and your level of intensity.
The total number of calories an activity burns is dependent on many factors. While it’s nice to give concrete numbers to understand the potential weight loss effects of an exercise, reality is often more complicated. In the article below, we’ll examine some of these numbers and what affects them.
Table of Contents
How Many Calories Does Ice Skating Burn?
The average person will burn roughly 490 calories per hour of ice skating, but this is true only if you’re skating at a slow pace. You can increase the number of calories you burn by going faster or performing advanced skating techniques that require more strength and balance.
More vigorous forms of skating increase the demands on your body. For example, speed skating dramatically increases the number of calories burned. In fact, speed skating for an hour would burn a whopping 1140 calories. More intense exercise results in more calories burned per hour.
As you get more skilled at ice skating, you’ll be able to push yourself a lot harder. This will translate to more total calories burned. In many ways, ice skating is the opposite of cycling. As you get better at cycling, you burn fewer calories because your body becomes more efficient at it. As you get better at ice skating, on the other hand, the demands on your body increase.
Does Ice Skating Burn More Calories Than Walking?
Ice skating burns more calories than walking for the same length of time. The caveat, though, is that walking doesn’t require special equipment and it’s more accessible than ice skating. All you need is a pair of shoes to go for a walk, whereas you need to buy skates to go out on the ice.
Walking burns around 300 calories per hour, but this number varies hugely depending on your weight because a heavier person will use more energy than someone who’s lighter. The speed you walk at also changes the total number of calories burned. If you’re a fast walker, you’ll burn a lot more calories than a slow walker.
However, while walking is more accessible and doesn’t require any special training, you must spend hours walking around to get anywhere near the same level of energy expenditure. In terms of pure calorie-burning power, ice skating is a lot more efficient: An hour on the rink is almost the equivalent of two hours on a vigorous hike.
Does Ice Skating Burn More Calories Than Running?
Ice skating can burn more calories than running, but it ultimately depends on your running pace. Running burns between 350 and 570 calories per hour, so a person running a mile every 13 minutes would burn fewer calories than someone running a mile every 6 minutes.
In terms of total calories burned, ice skating and running are comparable. Running edges out ice skating a little bit and burns slightly more calories if you run at a fast pace. The problem is that to burn the greatest number of calories, a person would have to run at high speeds for a long time.
On paper, running is a very good way to lose weight because you can burn close to 600 calories an hour. But a person who wants to lose weight, especially if they’re a bit out of shape, is going to struggle to run for an hour straight. In reality, they’re most likely going to have bursts of running followed by stretches of walking.
Engaging in a high-impact, vigorous activity like running can also lead to injury, especially if you’re haven’t exercised in a while. While it’s good to challenge yourself and great for your health to lose excess weight, a high-intensity activity like running could potentially do more harm than good.
Does Ice Skating Burn More Calories Than Roller Blading?
Ice skating likely will not burn more calories than rollerblading. Rollerblading burns around 530 calories per hour. It’s a very similar activity to ice skating, but you’ll burn slightly more calories because rollerblading on concrete requires you to use more force to propel yourself forwards.
Rollerblading can be a good way to burn excess calories. Like running, it’s a strenuous activity but it doesn’t have the same high impact, making it much easier on the joints. The only drawbacks to rollerblading are finding a good spot to do it and the potential for serious injury if you fall on the concrete at high speeds.
Depending upon where you are in the world, there might not be many spaces dedicated solely to rollerblading. It’s possible to skate around parks and urban areas, but you won’t be able to reach the speeds required for maximum calorie burn. At slower paces, there’s not much difference between rollerblading and walking.
Is Ice Skating Good For Weight Loss?
Ice skating is good for weight loss. Ice skating burns roughly the same number of calories as running does (around 490 per hour). Ice skating is without a doubt a vigorous workout, but its benefits combine to turn it into a weight loss tool that’s hard to beat.
Ice skating is a strenuous form of exercise, but the nature of ice skating makes it a form of low-impact activity, like swimming. The act of having to stabilize your body and maintain your balance at the same time works to strengthen your joints and connective tissues.
Many people who stick with ice skating will find they enjoy it more and more over time, rather than finding it an activity that drains their willpower. Ice skating becomes something you can look forward to. The weight loss is just a nice side effect.
Finally, ice skating can be a great way to make friends or a great way for a group of friends to exercise together. There are people of all levels of ability at most ice rinks and having access to a support group of peers can be invaluable for your weight loss journey.
Final Thoughts
Ice skating burns more calories per hour than walking. The number of calories burned (490) by ice skating is comparable to running and rollerblading. Ice skating is a vigorous activity that forces you to work on your strength and balance, which helps you burn calories and lose weight.