How to Use the Tai Chi & Qigong Calorie Calculator
Tai chi and qigong involve no explosive movement, yet they precisely coordinate breathing, posture, and weight shifting in a way that steadily engages lower-body endurance and balance. This calculator multiplies your body weight and practice duration by a MET (metabolic equivalent) value for your practice type, estimating calories burned during your session. Deeper, faster movement and heavier body weight both push the total burn higher.
Practice type is split into three levels. Qigong, which focuses on breathing and holding static postures, sits at the lowest intensity, MET 2.5. Tai chi at a standard pace runs at MET 3.0, while advanced tai chi — with lower stances, wider steps, and a faster continuous flow — places more load on the muscles and reaches MET 4.0. Choose whichever level best matches your practice style for a more accurate estimate.
This is an average-based estimate; actual burn depends on how low you sink into stances and your individual strength level. Tai chi and qigong are valued more for flexibility and balance gains than raw calorie burn, so if weight management is your goal, consider pairing them with other cardio activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes — calorie burn per minute is low, but tai chi is known for improving lower-body muscular endurance, balance, and flexibility. Practicing consistently supports overall fitness.
Qigong is lower intensity. Qigong, which focuses on breathing and holding static postures, sits at MET 2.5, while continuous-movement tai chi runs about MET 3.0-4.0.