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How Does Archery Burn Calories?

If you̵7;re looking for a new hobby or have previous experience with archery, you̵7;ll find joy in knowing that the sport certainly burns some calories. While it isn̵7;t too physically demanding and probably won̵7;t help you dramatically shed pounds, you can enjoy an afternoon of archery as part of your regular workout regimen.

  1. Activity Involved

    • Archery isn̵7;t a strenuous cardio workout that gets your heart pumping, but it is a form of exercise that burns calories. Target archery requires you to stand in place and shoot at targets at various distances and locales. While you̵7;re not moving around a lot, you are carrying a pack of arrows, as well as a bow, making you lift some weight. Plus, while you̵7;re aiming at the target, you̵7;ll hold up the bow and arrow for several seconds until you̵7;re ready to release. If you̵7;re not used to the weight, your arms will feel the burn. Field archery also requires you to shoot at targets, although you̵7;ll be walking around to do so -- possibly on some type of course.

    Calories Burned

    • As with any form of activity, the more you weigh, the more calories you utilize. So if you weigh around 125 pounds, you̵7;ll burn roughly 105 calories from 30 minutes of archery target practice. But if you weigh closer to 155 pounds, you̵7;ll shave off 130 calories, and as much as 155 calories if you are at a weight of 185 pounds.

    Warming Up and Cooling Down

    • You̵7;ll also burn calories from your afternoon of target practice if you warm your body up ahead of time and then do some sort of cool-down activity afterward. Just 15 minutes of walking and light stretching uses up 60 calories at a weight of 125 pounds. If you weigh 155 pounds or 185 pounds, you̵7;ll burn off 75 and 90 calories in 15 minutes, respectively.

    Losing Weight

    • You have to create a deficit of 3,500 calories in order to lose 1 pound of body weight, explains MayoClinic.com. Either burn off all those calories -- about 500 a day to lose a pound a week -- or burn a few and cut some calories with your diet. Shave 200 calories from your daily diet and then burn 300 calories with exercise, for example. Since a half-hour of archery doesn̵7;t use up that many calories, go for a run beforehand. Keeping a steady pace of 5 mph for 30 minutes -- or a 12 minute mile -- burns 240 calories at 125 pounds, 300 calories at 155 pounds and 355 calories if you weigh 185 pounds. You̵7;ll get the cardio your heart craves and then head off to get some toning while shooting a bow and arrow.

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