If you are trying to lose weight, control your weight, or just trying to stay in shape, then you are probably always looking for more fun and engaging things to do to burn calories. Exercise is not always exciting, so if you can find something enjoyable to help you get through it, then all the better. The simple fact is that your weight loss will always be a matter of the calories you bring in and the calories you bring out.
The keys are eating right and exercising right. Basketball is an incredibly popular sport that can be played anywhere there is a hoop. It looks like a great aerobic activity. The question is: how many calories does basketball playing burn? The answer to this will depend on several factors. Here is a quick guide.
How Much You Play
Playing basketball means that you are using a lot of muscles in your body and performing a lot of athletic moves. You will be jumping, running, changing directions quickly, passing and shooting the ball, and even battling with other players for rebounds. These will all burn calories, and the amount of time spent doing these things will dictate how many calories you burn. The other thing to consider is how you go about playing. Are you standing around waiting for someone to pass to you, or are you driving play, making an effort to get the ball, and running up and down the court? The harder you play, the more calories you will burn.
Your Current Weight
The more weight you carry, the more energy your body will expend trying to move you around. Your muscles need energy to move, and they will work harder if they have to support extra weight. This is like a car. Larger cars, or cars that are full of heavy items, will burn fuel faster than lighter cars.
Game Type
There are different ways to play basketball, and there are different levels of calorie burning that go with each. For instance, you might just be standing around and shooting at the hoop by yourself. Yes, you are working those arms, and yes, you will move around a little. You probably aren’t sprinting, though, nor are you putting the maximum effort in.
Then there are half-court games like 1 on 1 up to 3 on 3. There is not as much sprinting in these games because there isn’t the length of the court to run. You will not be running any fast breaks. With a full-court game, you will run fast breaks and you will expend more energy and calories running up and down the court.
By taking all of these factors into play we can start to answer that question from the beginning: how many calories does playing basketball burn? Of course, these can only be estimates, since every body is different, and what is high intensity for some may not be high-intensity for others. In general, if you weight 150 lbs, you can expect to lose around 400 calories playing an hour-long half-court game of basketball. If you weigh up to 250 lbs, the calories lost could be around 660.
With a full-court game, those numbers go up to approximately 600 calories for a person weight 150 lbs and 920 for a 250 lbs person. Even shooting hoops on your own in your driveway is a good activity. You can burn around 250 calories if you weight 150 lbs, and up to 450 calories if you weigh 250 lbs.
Weight Loss Targets
In general, if you are trying to lose weight, there are some general targets you can hit for a relatively predictable weight loss schedule. The average human weighing 150 lbs will burn about 4000 calories each day just by existing. If you can cut your calorie intake by 250 a day and add basketball playing, you should be able to lose about 20 lbs in as little as 6 weeks.
This might sound overly simple, but it really is, at least in theory. Weight loss is about the calories you consume and the calories you expend. By eating more nutritious foods, you will lower the number of calories you ingest. You need to also be concerned with the right nutrients and vitamins as well. The more you exercise, the larger that caloric deficit will get. Not only that, but the more muscle you have, the more calories you will expend in your day-to-day life.
Playing basketball can be a valuable part of any weight-loss program or aerobic program. The key is to understand what your limits are when playing basketball and to play within them. If you need to, make sure to consult with a doctor before playing to make sure it is safe. If you are new to the game or have not played in many years, then you could cause more harm by trying to keep up with players who are in better shape.