How many calories does an hour of Nordic walking burn?

At 70 kg about 280 kcal at a moderate pace and about 345 kcal briskly – total energy including resting metabolism.

Is Nordic walking worth it compared with normal walking?

For the burn, a little: about 10 to 15 % more per hour. The bigger difference is that upper body and arms are trained too.

How long do I need to Nordic walk for 500 kcal?

At 70 kg just under 1 hour 50 minutes at a moderate pace, just under an hour and a half briskly.

Calories burned by sportCalories burned

Calories burned Nordic walking

By Thomas Freimoser · Updated: October 26, 2026

Nordic walking is walking with poles – and the poles bring shoulders and arms into play. That burns a little more than normal walking, without the strain of jogging.

Short answer

At 70 kg you burn about 280 kcal per hour Nordic walking at a moderate pace and about 345 kcal briskly.

kcal per hour by pace and body weight

Pace / variant	55 kg	70 kg	85 kg	100 kg
moderate4.3 MET · Code 17302	250	280	310	345
brisk5.3 MET · Code 17304	305	345	385	425

Example person: 35 years, 172 cm · total energy including resting metabolism · rounded to 5 kcal · MET values: Compendium 2024.

Calculate for your bodyHeight, age and sex shift the values by up to 20 %.

What raises the burn

The poles count: Nordic walking is 4.3 to 5.3 MET in the Compendium, normal and brisk walking 3.8 and 4.8 MET – so about 10 to 15 % more with poles.
Pace counts: from moderate to brisk the burn rises by about 23 %.
Sustainable: the feet carry the main load, shoulders and arms work along. The planner allows up to 8 hours a day.

Frequently asked questions

How many calories does an hour of Nordic walking burn?: At 70 kg about 280 kcal at a moderate pace and about 345 kcal briskly – total energy including resting metabolism.
Is Nordic walking worth it compared with normal walking?: For the burn, a little: about 10 to 15 % more per hour. The bigger difference is that upper body and arms are trained too.
How long do I need to Nordic walk for 500 kcal?: At 70 kg just under 1 hour 50 minutes at a moderate pace, just under an hour and a half briskly.

In comparison

Similar burn at 70 kg, from the calmest to the most intense variant:

Rowing machine325–475 kcal/h
Nordic walking280–345 kcal/h
Strength training230–390 kcal/h
Walking195–360 kcal/h

And for the 10K Burn Challenge?

With Nordic walking alone it would take 3.6 hours to burn 1,000 kcal. The planner shows how a whole day of 5,000 to 10,000 kcal comes together.

Build a day in the planner

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<a href="https://10kburn.com/en/kalorienverbrauch/nordic-walking">Calories burned Nordic walking – 10K Burn Challenge</a>

For healthy, trained adults only. Burning 10,000 kcal in a day is extreme. Drink, eat, rest – and stop immediately at any warning sign. Safety & methodology