Many tennis players also are avid runners. Of course, some prefer one to the other. But for those that like both physical activities equally, what burns more calories per hour, Tennis or running? Let’s take a look at what the data shows us.
How many calories do you burn playing Tennis?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, someone weighing 150 lbs will burn about 422 calories per hour playing doubles Tennis. We also validated this with Captain Calculator’s Tennis calorie burn calc. It came out to about 430 calories burned for someone playing doubles Tennis for an hour and 573 calories burned while playing singles Tennis. So, taking the average of both studies, we get approximately these figures.
Again, these figures all depend on how intensely & competitively you are playing either sport, so these are just approximations.
How many calories do you burn running?
For consistency, let’s assume the same 150 lb person is going for a 1-hour run. Like in our calorie estimate for Tennis, much will depend on the intensity of a person’s run. Again, we have to make a few assumptions about things like speed. Let’s assume that when we say running, we are talking about a high-intensity jog averaging about 7 miles per hour throughout your run, which aligns with many average estimates for men and women.
At this pace and this weight, a man will burn an average of about 715 calories, and a woman will burn an average of 625 calories. So let’s conclude that the average person at 150 lbs will burn 675 calories at this pace.
Tennis vs. Running Calories Burned: A comparison.
On average, you’ll burn slightly more running for 1 hour straight than playing Tennis for an hour. But, of course, many other factors are at play, including how fast you are running and what intensity you are playing Tennis.
| CALORIES BURNED PER 1-HOUR OF ACTIVITY FOR A 150 LB PERSON | Tennis | Running (average of 7 miles-per-hour) |
| Singles: | 573 kcal | 675 kcal |
| Doubles: | 422 kcal | 675 kcal |
Which is healthier for you – running or Tennis?
Both running and Tennis are great forms of exercise that offer numerous health benefits. However, which is healthier depends on your fitness goals, preferences, and physical condition.
Running is a high-impact cardiovascular exercise that can help improve your endurance, strengthen your heart, and burn calories. It can also help increase bone density and improve joint mobility. However, running can be hard on the joints, especially if you have existing injuries or conditions.
On the other hand, Tennis is a lower-impact activity that can improve cardiovascular health, hand-eye coordination, and overall fitness. Tennis can also help improve your balance and flexibility and provide a social and fun environment to exercise. However, Tennis may burn fewer calories than running and may not be as effective for building bone density.
Ultimately, the best exercise for you is what you enjoy and can maintain over time. Both running and Tennis can be great for your health, so choosing the one you find most enjoyable and fits your lifestyle and goals is essential.
Conclusion
Running might be a better option if you are strictly looking to burn calories to lose weight because you only need yourself to run, as opposed to Tennis, where you must depend on a partner to play. Going on a 1-hour long run whenever you want is much easier to bake into your life than relying on another person’s schedule. On average, you burn more calories; running makes it better for burning calories.