The number of calories burned during weight lifting depends on body weight, workout intensity, and exercise selection, but a typical estimate ranges from 100–300 calories per hour. A 155-pound person might burn roughly 150–200 calories in a 30-minute moderate-intensity session, while a 185-pound person could burn 180–240 calories in the same timeframe. Heavier individuals burn more calories due to greater energy demands.
Several factors influence calorie expenditure: lifting heavy loads with low repetitions burns more calories than light weights, compound movements like squats and deadlifts engage more muscle tissue and burn more than isolation exercises, and shorter rest periods between sets increase metabolic demand. The "afterburn effect" (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) means your body continues burning elevated calories for hours after lifting, though this contribution is often overstated—it typically adds 5–10% to the total workout burn.
Weight lifting burns fewer calories during the session than steady cardio, but builds muscle tissue, which increases resting metabolic rate over time. This long-term metabolic benefit makes resistance training valuable for weight management despite lower per-workout calorie burn. Individual variation is significant: fitness level, muscle mass, age, and genetics all affect how efficiently your body uses energy during exercise.