The deadlift is a powerful full-body exercise, engaging the hamstrings, glutes, back, and core as you lift a loaded barbell from the floor. Because it recruits a large percentage of the body’s total muscle mass, the deadlift is associated with high caloric expenditure. Determining the precise number of calories burned during a deadlift session is complicated by the nature of resistance training and individual variability. The true energy cost depends on far more than just the duration of the workout.
Why Calorie Counts Are Not Fixed
Unlike steady-state activities like running or cycling, which are easily quantified by Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET) values, resistance training presents a complex measurement challenge. MET values measure the ratio of energy expended during an activity relative to the energy expended at rest. While deadlifting is generally assigned a MET value of around 6, this is only a rough average. The dynamic nature of weightlifting means the actual work performed varies drastically from one set to the next, making a simple time-based calculation inaccurate.
Online calculators and fitness trackers provide broad estimates based primarily on body weight and the total time spent lifting. These calculations fail to capture the mechanical work done, such as the actual weight lifted or the rest periods taken between sets. For instance, a person who spends an hour performing heavy sets with long rest periods will have a vastly different energy expenditure than someone who performs many light sets with minimal rest in the same hour. This inherent variability explains why there is no single, fixed “deadlift calorie number” that applies to everyone.
Specific Factors That Increase Calorie Burn
The total calories burned during the lifting session are primarily influenced by the lifter’s body mass and the overall volume of work performed. Individuals with greater body weight and higher muscle mass naturally expend more energy to move their body and the barbell. The actual load on the bar is a direct factor, as lifting a heavier weight requires more mechanical energy to overcome gravity.
Total training volume, the product of sets, repetitions, and weight lifted, is a significant determinant of acute energy use. Reducing the rest interval between sets transforms the session into a higher-intensity workout, forcing the heart rate to remain elevated. Shorter rest periods, such as dropping from three minutes to 60 seconds, increase the energy demand per unit of time, leading to a greater acute calorie burn. To maximize immediate energy expenditure, lifters can focus on increasing the weight or the number of sets and reps while minimizing recovery time.
Post-Workout Metabolism and EPOC
The full energy cost of deadlifting extends beyond the time spent actively lifting the weight, due to Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC). EPOC, often called the “afterburn effect,” represents the increased rate of oxygen and calorie consumption the body undergoes to return to its pre-exercise state. High-intensity resistance exercises, like heavy deadlifts, disrupt the body’s internal balance, triggering a prolonged recovery process.
This recovery phase requires energy to restore depleted muscle glycogen stores, replenish adenosine triphosphate (ATP) used for muscle contraction, clear metabolic byproducts like lactate, and repair microscopic muscle tissue damage. Because deadlifts recruit so much musculature, the body’s need for metabolic restoration is substantial. This prolonged process means the body continues to expend extra calories for hours, potentially up to 48 hours, after the workout is finished. While the immediate burn might be lower than some forms of steady-state cardio, the total caloric expenditure over the following day makes deadlifts an effective tool for metabolic impact.
Deadlifts Versus Other Exercises
When comparing the deadlift’s total energy expenditure to other common exercises, the distinction lies in the balance between acute and prolonged calorie burn. Steady-state cardio activities, such as running, typically result in a higher calorie burn during the session itself, averaging around 500 to 600 calories for a person weighing 175 pounds. However, these activities generate a minimal EPOC effect, meaning the calorie burn stops almost immediately after the exercise concludes.
In contrast, an hour of heavy deadlifting might burn between 400 and 500 calories acutely, but the resulting EPOC adds significant post-workout calories. Compared to isolation lifts, such as bicep curls or leg extensions, the deadlift’s engagement of the body’s largest muscle groups results in a greater metabolic disturbance and total energy demand. The compound nature and high intensity of deadlifts ensure they offer one of the highest total caloric outputs per minute of actual work among all strength training movements.