Just how many calories does mermaiding burn?

**AniaR** · 07-05-2016, 10:35 AM

I have been trying to research just how many calories we burn if we are actively swimming in our tails.

After researching it seems like snorkelling is a good bench mark as it's similar to mermaid swimming. You will swim, paddle, float on the surface, occasionally go down and come back up, and have a varied pace the entire time you do it.

This calculator actually spits our a more conservative number as other ones will range about 200 calories higher, but I think it gives a good example for an average.

Keep in mind, you'd likely burn more if you're doing more tasks (such as flips and tricks) for a longer time, compared with if you're just hanging out on the surface for a kid's party. You'd likely burn more if you created a bit more drag, or if giving rides etc.

But hey, it's a good number to start with!

https://www.fitwatch.com/caloriesbur...eling&mets=5.0

**Mermaid Jaffa** · 07-05-2016, 11:04 AM

I read somewhere, it burns 700 calories.

**Merman Storm** · 07-05-2016, 11:31 AM

I assume you mean calories per hour? (As an engineer, I always like to make sure everyone uses the correct units of measure.)

Here is a list http://www.nutristrategy.com/caloriesburned.htm

I think snorkeling would be easier than tail swimming as with snorkeling you never have to get your head out of the water to breathe. Maybe leisurely swimming is a good comparison? That is listed as around 400 cal/h, although note the variation with weight.

**Echidna** · 07-05-2016, 03:14 PM

Tailswimming burns much more than snorkeling.
For one, added drag from the tail; second, different swimming technique.

Dolphinkick should be closer to butterfly.
Sadly, underwater dolphin is listed nowhere, nor is apnoe freediving.

**AniaR** · 07-05-2016, 04:32 PM

I read somewhere, it burns 700 calories.

There's no official measurement

I assume you mean calories per hour? (As an engineer, I always like to make sure everyone uses the correct units of measure.)

if anyone actually clicked the link, you see you calculate by adding in your specific weight, and the amount of time you spend doing it, based on the average. but you know, whatever

Tailswimming burns much more than snorkeling.
For one, added drag from the tail; second, different swimming technique.

And I disagree, tail swimming would only burn more than snorkelling depending on how active you are. in some cases, it can burn less. That much was figured out when we did our study and measured the force exerted between regular swimming, monofin swimming, and tail swimming. if you're doing a party and just floating around on the top chatting with kids, you are not burning as many calories compared to if you are *actively* swimming, diving, and or working on movements. Thus why I suggested this as a good baseline average, as it would be in the middle. You could obviously change the calulation and account for more or less rigerous movements.

I feel like no one bothered to actually read the entiery of what I wrote before commenting. i literally addressed all this stuff in my OP

**AniaR** · 07-05-2016, 04:34 PM

This is also the calculator recommended on most free diving forums, as I recently researched it for a blog post on free diving.

**Echidna** · 07-05-2016, 06:15 PM

true, I was referring to the way I tailswim (which is doing laps in the fast lane with very little breathup time in between).

Just a few days ago, I tried to calculate how much I burn on average, but since freediving and underwater dolphin is mentioned nowhere, I can only guess.

"tailswimming" that consists of floating around in the shallows chatting with people is obviously another story.

**Mermaid Jaffa** · 07-06-2016, 06:03 AM

Ooo! I just did mine! I swim for two hours when I go, with hour break in between but I put in two hours anyway. And my weight. I am nearly right when I said it burns 700 calories. The calculator said, 683 calories.

I did read it, I just didn't take it in.

**Mermaid Whisper** · 08-12-2016, 01:27 AM

I went tailswimming for an hour and a half on Wednesday to start working on my technique. I apparently burned about 911 calories. Guess I need to go swimming more often!

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