TempoLife › Features › Exercise library with calorie burn › squats
Bodyweight squats
Bodyweight squats is a 5.0 MET exercise. At 75 kg that is about 6.6 kcal a minute, or 131 kcal in 20 minutes. Form cues, common mistakes and how to progress.
StrengthKit: NoneWorks: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, core
Calories burned by body weight
| Body weight | kcal/min | 10 min | 20 min | 30 min | 45 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 kg | 4.8 | 48 | 96 | 144 | 217 |
| 65 kg | 5.7 | 57 | 114 | 171 | 256 |
| 75 kg | 6.6 | 66 | 131 | 197 | 295 |
| 85 kg | 7.4 | 74 | 149 | 223 | 335 |
| 95 kg | 8.3 | 83 | 166 | 249 | 374 |
How to do it well
- Feet about shoulder width, toes slightly out
- Sit back and down, knees tracking over the toes
- Chest tall, weight through the mid-foot
- Go as deep as you can keep a neutral spine
Common mistakes
- Heels lifting off the floor
- Knees collapsing inward
- Bouncing out of the bottom
Make it harder or easier
Progression. Hold a weight at the chest, or pause three seconds at the bottom.
Regression. Squat to a chair and stand up.
Form notes are general coaching guidance, not treatment. If a movement causes pain, stop and speak to a clinician or a qualified coach.
What ten minutes is worth
Ten minutes of bodyweight squats costs about 66 kcal at 75 kg. In energy terms that is close to 1 279 steps of brisk walking. The comparison is energetic only: your phone counts steps, not effort.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories does bodyweight squats burn?
At 75 kg, about 6.6 kcal a minute — roughly 131 kcal in 20 minutes and 295 in 45. Multiply by your own weight over 75 kg to adjust.
What is the MET value of bodyweight squats?
5.0, from the 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities (Compendium 02052, calisthenics, moderate). That means it costs about 5.0 times your resting energy use.
How many steps is it worth?
Ten minutes is worth roughly 1 279 brisk-walking steps in energy terms. It is an energy comparison, not a step count your phone will record.
Source: 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities (Ainsworth et al.) — Compendium 02052, calisthenics, moderate · checked 2026-09-02
Related exercises
Push-ups
MET 8.0 · 10.5 kcal/min at 75 kg
Lunges
MET 5.0 · 6.6 kcal/min at 75 kg
Glute bridge
MET 3.5 · 4.6 kcal/min at 75 kg
Pull-ups
MET 8.0 · 10.5 kcal/min at 75 kg
Dips
MET 8.0 · 10.5 kcal/min at 75 kg
Deadlift
MET 6.0 · 7.9 kcal/min at 75 kg
All exercises · Calories burned by activity · Daily calorie needs
Log this session in two taps
TempoLife records the workout, reads your heart rate from Health Connect and puts the result next to what you ate that day.