How Many Calories Does Ashtanga Yoga Burn?

Ashtanga Yoga calories by weight & duration

The 422 cal/hr figure is an estimate for a 155 lb person using a MET of 6, and your actual burn will shift based on your weight, how much of the sequence you complete, and how consistently you maintain the breath rhythm. Log your sessions in the Mariposas app to track how your calorie expenditure accumulates across practices over time.

Calculated as MET (6) × body weight (kg) × hours. How this works.

What to expect in a ashtanga yoga class

A first Ashtanga session almost always begins with Sun Salutations A and B, repeated several times to warm the body before moving into standing poses. The pace feels relentless to most newcomers because you are expected to move on each breath rather than pause to adjust or rest. In a Mysore-style class (the traditional format), a teacher circulates and gives you hands-on adjustments while each student moves at their own pace through the sequence. In a led class, the teacher calls the Sanskrit names and breath counts aloud, which can feel disorienting until you start to recognize the pattern after a few sessions.

Tips for your first ashtanga yoga class

• Learn Sun Salutation A before your first class. Even a rough version of the sequence gives you a reference point, so you spend less mental energy trying to figure out where your feet go and more time actually breathing.
• Chaturanga is the pose that bites most beginners. Dropping to your knees to lower down with control is far better than collapsing with straight legs, and your shoulder joints will thank you for it over the long term.
• Count your breaths out loud or under your breath for the first few sessions. Ashtanga uses a five-breath hold in most standing poses, and losing count is the fastest way to rush or drift.
• Arrive a few minutes early and tell the teacher it is your first time. In a Mysore class especially, the teacher needs to know your experience level so they can prioritize where to give you attention and keep the adjustments appropriate.

What affects how many calories ashtanga yoga burns

The MET value of 6 puts Ashtanga in roughly the same aerobic territory as a brisk cycling session or a sustained swim, and the calorie figure scales directly with body weight, so a heavier person will burn more than the 422 cal/hr estimate shown for a 155 lb person. Effort has a big influence too: someone rushing through Sun Salutations, holding Chaturanga (a low push-up position) for full breath counts, and not skipping poses will sustain a much higher heart rate than someone who takes Child's Pose frequently or shortens the sequence. Heat in the room and how deeply you engage the bandhas (internal muscular locks) also affect how hard your cardiovascular system works.

Three things move your number most: body weight (a heavier body burns more for the same activity, that's why the table runs from 125 to 225 lb), duration (calories scale with time), and intensity. A ashtanga yoga you push hard burns more than an easy one, because effort is what the MET value of 6 represents, an average for this activity. Your fitness level and how much you rest between efforts shift it too, so treat these as a solid estimate rather than an exact count.

How we calculate ashtanga yoga calories

Every number here uses the standard energy-expenditure formula: calories ≈ MET × body weight (kg) × time (hours). The MET value of 6 for ashtanga yoga comes from the published Compendium of Physical Activities, the same reference researchers and fitness trackers use. We convert your weight to kilograms and multiply through, no fudge factors. See our methodology for the full formula and sources.