The average person will burn 350-600 calories per hour from cheerleading & gymnastics.
The number of calories burned cheerleading will depend on your weight, and the intensity and duration of the routine.
Calculator
How many calories are burned cheerleading?
Formula
Calories burned per minute = (MET x body weight in Kg x 3.5) ÷ 200
“MET” is a measurement of the energy cost of physical activity for a period of time. You can find an activity’s MET on the chart above.
A task with a MET of 1 is roughly equal to a person’s energy expenditure from sitting still at room temperature not actively digesting food.
A task with a MET of 2 uses twice as much energy as a task with a MET of 1. A task with a MET of 10 uses 10 times as much energy as a task with a MET of 1.
MET values “do not estimate the energy cost of physical activity in individuals in ways that account for differences in body mass, adiposity, age, sex, efficiency of movement, geographic and environmental conditions in which the activities are performed. Thus, individual differences in energy expenditure for the same activity can be large and the true energy cost for an individual may or may not be close to the stated mean MET level as presented in the Compendium.” (as quoted from the main page of the Compendium of Physical Activities).
Example
A cheerleader weighs 180 pounds (81.65kg) and cheerleads at the competitive level (MET value of 6.0) for 1 hour.
Calories burned cheerleading (per minute) = (6.0 x 81.65 x 3.5) ÷ 200 = 8.57
Calories burned cheerleading (for 60 minutes) = 8.57 x 60 = 514
Sources and more resources
- Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Herrmann SD, Meckes N, Bassett Jr DR, Tudor-Locke C, Greer JL, Vezina J, Whitt-Glover MC, Leon AS. The Compendium of Physical Activities Tracking Guide. Healthy Lifestyles Research Center, College of Nursing & Health Innovation, Arizona State University. Retrieved May 11, 2015, from the World Wide Web.
- https://sites.google.com/site/compendiumofphysicalactivities/
- Arizona State University Healthy Lifestyles Research Center – Compendium of Physical Activities – Sports – Provides MET values for sports activities, including cheerleading.
- Learn about “MET” and the compendium of physical activities from Arizona State University, University or South Carolina, and Wikipedia. There is a summary of general physical activities defined by intensity from the CDC and the Harvard School of Public Health.
- Recommendations on physical activity for health from the Harvard School of Public Health and the WHO.
- Find out about the health benefits of cheerleading with “Top 10 Benefits of Cheerleading!” by Sophie of Dancemania, “6 Benefits of Cheerleading” by City Academy, and “10 amazing benefits of being a cheerleader” by Evolve All Stars.
- Learn the basics of cheerleading with Skills & Drills (Cheerleading) by Teamsnap, “Tips for Cheerleading Beginners” by Realbuzz, “Beginner Cheerleading Jumps” by YouTube’s MonkeySee, and “Cheer Basics” by YouTube’s TC2.
- Prevent injury with “Cheerleading Injuries and How to Prevent Them” by UPMC Sports Medicine, “Safety Tips: Cheerleading” reviewd by Amy W. Anzilotti of KidsHealth.org, and “Preventing Cheerleading Injuries” by Stop Sports Injuries.
- Move up to expert cheerleading level with “Expert Coaching Tips: Advice from 5 NFL Cheerleading Coaches” by Stephanie of the lineup, “Advanced Cheerleading: Tips & Techniques: Individual Stunt Sequences in Cheerleading” by YouTube’s expertvillage.
- Get started in coaching cheerleading with “Coaching Tips” by the Iowa Cheerleading Coaches’ Association, “New Coach’s Survival Guide” by Varsity.com, and “3 Ways to Maximize Practice Time: The Tips Every Coach Should Know” by OmniCheer.
- The largest cheerleading forums we know of are The Fierce Board, UK Cheersport, and Reddit’s r/cheerleading.