Average MET Values for Activities with Fitness Components (Activity intensities are 3 METs and higher.)
         
       
Activity type   Fitness components   Activity Headings
E = exercise   B = body composition   Bicycling
H = household   C = cardiorespiratory   Conditioning
O = occupational   F = flexibility   Dance
R = recreational   ME = muscular endurance   Fish & hunt
    S = muscular strength   Home
    P = performance related   Home repair
        Yardwork
        Music
        Work
        Running
        Sport
        Walking
        Water
        Winter
Activity Type Fitness Components METs Activity Heading Activity Description
R B,C,ME 8.5 Bicycling Bicycling, BMX or mountain
E B,C,ME 4 Bicycling Bicycling <10 mph. general, leisure to work or for pleasure
R B,C,ME 6 Bicycling Bicycling 10-11.9 mph, leisure slow, light effort
E B,C,ME 8 Bicycling Bicycling 12-13.9 mph leisure, moderate effort
E B,C,ME 10 Bicycling Bicycling 14-15.9 mph, racing or recreational, fast, vigorous effort
E B,C,ME 12 Bicycling Bicycling 16-19 mph, racing/not drafting or >19 mph drafting, very fast, general racing
E B,C,ME 16 Bicycling Bicycling >20 mph, racing, not drafting
E B,C,ME 5 Bicycling Unicycling
E B,C,ME 5 Bicycling Stationary cycling, general
E B,C,ME 3 Bicycling Stationary, 50 W, very light load
E B,C,ME 5.5 Bicycling Stationary, 100 W, light load
E B,C,ME 7 Bicycling Stationary, 150 W, medium load
E B,C,ME 10.5 Bicycling Stationary, 200 W, heavy load
E B,C, ME 12.5 Bicycling Stationary, 250 W, very heavy load
E B,F,ME,S 4.5 Conditioning General calisthenics, home exercise, light to moderate intensity, back exercises, pushups (calisthenic exercises can be designed for specific fitness components)
E B,C,F,ME,S 8 Conditioning Circuit training, general (can be designed for specific fitness components)
E B,ME,S 6 Conditioning Calisthenics (e.g., pushups, pullups, situps), heavy and vigorous
E B,ME,S 6 Conditioning Weight lifting (free weights, cybex, nautilus, or universal-type), power lifting or body building: vigorous effort). Resistance and repetitions are specific to muscular endurance or strength. Record only the time spent moving weights.
E B,C,F, ME, S 5.5 Conditioning Health club exercises, general: activity type is specific to the fitness component(s). Be specific to the type and amount of exercises.
E B,C,ME 6 Conditioning Stair-treadmill ergometer, general
E B,C,ME 9.5 Conditioning Rowing, stationary ergometer, general
E B,C,ME 3.5 Conditioning Rowing stationary, 50 W, light load
E B,C,ME 7 Conditioning Rowing stationary, 100 W, medium load
E B,C,ME 8.5 Conditioning Rowing stationary, 150 W, heavy load
E B,C,ME 12 Conditioning Rowing stationary, 200 W, very heavy load
E B,C,ME 13 Conditioning Rowing stationary, 250 W, very very heavy load
E B,C,ME 9.5 Conditioning Ski machine, general
E F,ME 6 Conditioning Slimnastics
E B,C,F,ME 4 Conditioning Stretching, hatha yoga
E B,C,F,ME 6 Conditioning Teaching aerobic exercise class
E B,ME,S 3 Conditioning Weight lifting (free, nautilus or universal type, light) or moderate effort, light workout, general
R B,C,ME 6 Dance Aerobic, ballet or modern
R B,C,ME 4.5  Dance Dancing, general
E B,C,ME 5 Dance Aerobic, low intensity
E B,C,ME 6 Dance Aerobic, general, medium intensity
E B,C,ME 7 Dance Aerobic, high intensity
E B,C,ME 8 Dance Aerobic, very high inetensity and high impact
R B,C,ME 5.5 Dance Ballroom, fast (e.g., disco, folk, square)
R   3 Dance Ballroom, slow (e.g., waltz, foxtrot, slow dancing)
R   4 Fish & hunt Fishing, general 
R   4 Fish & hunt Digging worms with shovel
R   5 Fish & hunt Fishing from river bank and walking
R   3.5 Fish & hunt Fishing from river bank, standing
R   6 Fish & hunt Stream fishing in waders
R   6 Fish & hunt Hunting, deer, elk, large game
R   5 Fish & hunt Hunting, general
R   6 Fish & hunt Hunting, pheasants or grouse
R   5 Fish & Hunt Hunting, rabbit, squirrel, prairie chick, rackoon, small game
H   4.5 Home Cleaning, heavy or major (e.g, wash car, wash windows, mop, clean garage), vigorous effort
H   3.5 Home Cleaning house or cabin, general
H   8 Home Carrying groceries upstairs
H   3.5 Home Food shopping with grocery cart
H   6 Home Moving furniture, household 
H   5.5 Home Scrubbing floors on hands and knees
H   4 Home Sweeping garage, sidewalk or outside of house
H   7 Home Moving houselhold items, carrying boxes 
H   3.5 Home Standing-packing/unpaking boxes, occasional lifting of household items, light to medium load.
H   3 Home Implied walking-putting away household items-moderate intensity
H   9 Home Move household items upstairs, carrying boxes or furniture
 H   3 Home Walking-light, noncleaning (ready to leave, shut/lock doors, close windows, etc.
H   4 Home Walk/run playing with children-moderate
H   5 Home Walk/run-playing with children-vigorous
H   3 Home Child care: sitting/kneeling-dressing, bathing, grooming, feeding, occasional lifting of child-light effort
H   3.5 Home Showering, toweling off (standing), bathing, grooming, occasionaly (lifting child light effort)

H

   3 Home repair Airplane repair
 H   4.5  Home repair Automobile body work 
H   3 Home repair Automobile repair
H   3 Home repair Carpentry, general, workshop 
H   6 Home repair Carpentry, outside house (e.g., installing rain gutters) 
H   4.5  Home repair Carpentry, finishing or refinishing cabinets or furniture 
H   7.5 Home repair Carpentry, sawing hardwood 

H

   5 Home repair caulking, chinking log cabin
H   4.5  Home repair Caulking, except log cabin 
H   5 Home repair Cleaning gutters 
H   5  Home repair Excavating garage 
H   5 Home repair Hanging storm windows 
H   4.5  Home repair Laying or removing carpet 
H   4.5  Home repair Laying tile or linoleum 
H   5 Home repair Painting, outside house 
H   6 Home repair Painting, papering, plastering, scraping, inside house, hanging sheet rock, remodeling 
H   6 Home repair Roofing 
H   4.5  Home repair Scrape and paint sailboat or powerboat 
H   5 Home repair Spreading dirt with a shovel 
H   4.5  Home repair Wash and wax hull of sailboat, car, powerboat, airplane
H   3 Home repair Wiring and plumbing 
H   5 Yardwork  Carrying, loading or stacking wood, loading or carrying lumber 
H   6 Yardwork   Chopping wood, splitting wood 
H   5 Yardwork  Clearing land, hauling branches 
H   5 Yardwork  Digging, spading, filling garden 
H   6 Yardwork  Gardening with heavy power tools, tilling a garden 
H   5 Yardwork  Laying crushed rock 
H   5 Yardwork  Laying sod 
H   5.5 Yardwork  Mowing lawn, general 
H   6 Yardwork  Mowing lawn, hand mower 
H   4.5 Yardwork  Mowing lawn, walk, power mower 
H   4.5  Yardwork  Operating snow blower,walking 
H   4 Yardwork  Planting seedlings, shrubs 
H   4 Yardwork  Planting trees 
H   4 Yardwork  Raking lawn 
H   4 Yardwork  Raking roof with snow rake 
H   3 Yardwork  Riding snow blower 
H   4 Yardwork  Sacking grass or leaves 
H   6 Yardwork Shoveling snow by hand 
H   4.5  Yardwork Trimming shrubs or trees, manual cutter
H   3.5 Yardwork Trimming shrubs or trees, power cutter
H   4.5  Yardwork Weeding, cultivating garden
H   5 Yardwork Gardening, general
R   3 Yardwork Implied walking/standing-picking up yard, light
R   4 Music Drums
R   3.5 Music Trombone
R   3 Music Guitar, rock and roll and (standing)
R   4 Music Marching band, playing an instrument, baton twirling, walking
O   3.5 Music Marching band, drum major (walking)
O   4 Work Bakery, general
O   6 Work Building road (including hauling debris, driving heavy machinery)
O   3.5 Work Carpentry, general
O   8 Work Carrying heavy loads, like bricks
O   8 Work Carrying moderate loads up stairs, moving boxes (16-40 pounds)
O   6.5 Work Coal mining, drilling coal, rock
O   6.5 Work Coal mining, erecting supports
O   6 Work Coal mining, general
O   7 Work Coal mining, shoveling coal
O   5.5 Work Construction, outside remodeling
O   3.5 Work Electrical work, plumbing
O   8 Work Farming, bailing hay, cleaning barn, poultry work
O   3.5 Work Farming, chasing cattle, nonstrenuous
O   4 Work Farming, feeding small animals
O   4.5  Work Farming, feeding cattle
O   8 Work Farming, forking straw bales
O   3 Work Farming, milking by hand
O   5.5 Work Farming, shoveling grain
O   12 Work Fire fighter, general
O   11 Work Fire fighter, climbing ladder with full gear
O   8 Work Fire fighter, hauling hoses on ground
O   17 Work Forestry, ax chopping, fast
O   5 Work Forestry, ax chopping, slow
O   7 Work Forestry, barking trees
O   11 Work Forestry, carrying logs
O   8 Work Forestry, felling trees
O   8 Work Forestry, general
O   5 Work Forestry, hoeing
O   6 Work Forestry, planting by hand
O   7 Work Forestry, sawing by hand
O   4.5  Work Forestry, sawing power
O   9 Work Forestry, trimming trees
O   4 Work Forestry, weeding
O   4.5  Work Furriery
O   6 Work Horse grooming
O   8 Work Horse racing, galloping
O   6.5 Work Horse racing, trotting
O   3.5 Work Locksmith
O   3 Work Machine tooling, operating a lathe
O   5 Work Machine tooling, operating punch press
O   4 Work Machine tooling, tapping and drilling
O   3 Work Machine tooling, welding
O   7 Work Masonry, concrete
O   4 Wprk Masseur, masseuse (standing)
O   7 Work Moving, pushing heavy objects, 75 lbs or more (desks, moving van work
O   4.5  Work Orange grove work
O   8 Work Police, making an arrest (standing)
O   8.5 Work Shoveling, digging ditches
O   9 Work Shoveling, heavy (more than 16 lbs./min)
O   6 Work Shoveling, light (less than 10 lbs/min)
O   7 Work Shoveling, moderate (10-15 lbs./min)
O   3 Work Standing; light moderate/heavy (assemble/repair heavy parts, welding, stocking, auto hitch/twisting)
O   4 Work Standing: moderate/heavy (lifting more than 50 lb, masonry, painting, paper hanging)
O   5 Work Steel mill, fettling
O   5 Work Steel mill, forging
O   8 Work Steel mill, hand rolling
O   8 Work Steel mill, merchant mill rolling
O   11 Work Steel mill, removing slag
O   7.5 Work Steel mill, tending furnace
O   5.5 Work Steel mill, tipping molds
O   8 Work Steel mill, working in general
O   4 Work Taloring, pressing
O   6.5 Work Truck driving, loading and unloading truck (standing)
O   6 Work Using heavy power tools such as pneumatic tools (jackhammers, drills, etc.)
O   8 Work Using heavy tools (not power) such as shovel, pick, tunnel bar, spade
O   3.5 Work Walking on job, 3.5 mph, in office, moderate speed, not carrying anything
O   3 Work Walking on job, 3.5 mph, in office, brisk speed, not carrying anything
O   3 Work Walking, 2.5 mph, slowly and carrying light objects less than 25 lbs
O   4 Work Walking, 3.0 mph, moderately and carrying objects less than 25 lbs
O   4.5  Work Walking, 3.5 mph, briskly and carrying objects less than 25 lbs
O   5 Work Walking or walk downstairs or standing, carrying objects about 25-49 lbs
O   6.5 Work Walking or walk downstairs or standing, carrying objects about 50-74 lbs
O   8.5 Work Walking or walk downstairs or standing, carrying objects about 75-99 lbs
O   8.5 Work Walking or walk downstairs or standing, carrying objects about 100 lbs and over
O   3 Work Working in scene shop, theater actor, backstage, employee
E B,C,ME 6 Running Jog/walk combination (jogging component of less than 10 min)
E BC,ME 7 Running Jogging, general
E B,C,ME 8 Running Running, 5 mph (12 min/miile)
E B,C,ME 9 Running Running, 5.2 mph (11.5 min/mile)
E B,C,ME 10 Running Running, 6 mph (10 min/mile)
E B,C,ME 11 Ruinning Running, 6.7 mph (9 min/mile)
E B,C,ME 11.5 Running Running, 7 mph (8.5 min/mile)
E B,C,ME 12.5 Running Running, 7.5 mph (8 min/mile)
E B,C,ME 13.5 Running Running, 8 mph (7.5 min/mile)
E B,C,ME 14 Running Running, 8.6 mph (7 min/mile)
E B,C,ME 15 Running Running, 9 mph (6.5 min/mile)
E B,C,ME 16 Running Running, 10 mph (6 min/mile)
E B,C,ME 18 Running Running, 10.9 mph (5.5 min/mile)
E B,C,ME 9 Running Running, cross-country
E B,C,ME 8 Running Running, general
E B,C,ME 8 Running Running, in place
E B,C,ME 15 Running Running, stairs, up
E B,C,ME 10 Running Running, on a track, team practice
E B,C,ME 8 Running Running, training, pushing wheelchair, marathon wheeling
E B,C ,ME 3 Running Running, wheeling, general
R P 3.5 Sport Archery (nonhunting)
R P 7 Sport Badminton, competetive
R P 4.5  Sport Badminton, social singles and doubles, general
E B,C,ME 8 Sport Basketball, game
E B,C,ME 6 Sport Basketball, nongame, general
O B,C,ME 7 Sport Basketball, officiating
R P 4.5  Sport Basketball, shooting baskets
R B,C,ME 6.5 Sport Basketball, wheelchair
R P 12 Sport Bowling
E B,C ,ME 6 Sport Boxing, in ring, general
E B,C,ME 9 Sport Boxing, punching bag
E B,C,ME 7 Sport Boxing, sparring
R B,C,ME 7 Sport Broomball
R P 5 Sport Children's games (hopscotch, 4-square, dodgeball, playground apparatus, t-ball, tetherball, marbles, jacks, arcade games)
R P 4 Sport Coaching: football, soccer, basketball, baseball, swimming, etc.
R P 5 Sport Cricket (batting, bowling)
R P 4 Sport Curling
R P 6 Sport Drag racing, pushing or driving a car
E P 6 Sport Fencing
R P 9 Sport Football, competitive
R P 8 Sport Football, touch, flag, general
R P 3.0  Sport Frisbee playing, general
R P 3.5 Sport Frisbee, ultimate
R P 4.5  Sport Golf, general
R P 5.5 Sport Golf, carrying clubs
R P 3 Sport Golf, miniature, driving range
R P 5 Sport Golf, pulling clubs
E P 3.5 Sport Golf, using power cart
R P 4 Sport Gymnastics, general
R P 4 Sport Hacky sack
R P 12 Sport Handball, general
R P 8 Sport Handball, team
R P 3.5 Sport Hang gliding
R P 8 Sport Hockey, field
R P 8 Sport Hockey, ice
R P 4 Sport Horseback riding, general
R P 3.5 Sport Horseback riding, saddling horse
R P 6.5 Sport Horseback riding, trotting
R P 3 Sport Horseshoe pitching, quoits
R P 12 Sport Jai alai
R P 10 Sport Judo, jujitsu, karate, kick boxing, tae kwon do
R P 4 Sport Juggling
R P 7 Sport Kickball
R P 8 Sport Lacrosse
R P 4 Sport Moto-cross
R B,C,ME 9 Sport Orienteering
R B,C,ME 10 Sport Paddleball, competitive
R B,C,ME 6 Sport Paddleball, casual, general
R P 8 Sport Polo
R P 7 Sport Racquetball, competetive
R P 7 Sport Racquetball, casual, general
R P 11 Sport Rock climbing, ascending rock
R P 8 Sport Rock climbing, repeling
E B,C, ME 12 Sport Rope jumping, fast
E B,C, ME 10 Sport Rope jumping,moderate, generat
E B,C,ME 8 Sport Rope jumping, slow
R B,C,ME 10 Sport Rugby
R P 3 Sport Shuffleboard, Lawn bowling
R P 5 Sport Skateboarding
R P 7 Sport Skating, roller
R P 3.5 Sport Sky diving
R P 7 Sport Squash, social
E B,C,ME 10 Sport Soccer, competition
R P 7 Sport Soccer, casual, general
R P 5 Sport Softball or baseball, fast or slow pitch, general
R P 4 Sport Softball, officiating
R P 6 Sport Softball, pitching
R P 12 Sport Squash
R P 4 Sport Table tennis, ping pong
R P 4 Sport Tai, chi
R P 7 Sport Tennis, general, low skill level
R P 6 Sport Tennis doubles
R P 8 Sport Tennis, singles
R P 3.5 Sport Trampoline
R P 5 Sport Vollyball, competetive, higer skill loevel
R P 4 Sport Vollyball, competetive in gymnasium
R P 3 Sport Vollyball, noncompetetive; 6-9 member team
R P 8 Sport Vollyball, beach
E P 7 Sport Wallyball, general
E B,C,ME 6 Sport Wrestling, (one match = 5 min)
E B,C,ME 8 Sport Wallyball, general
E B,C,ME 7 Walking Backpacking, general
E B,C,ME 3.5 Walking Carrying infant or 15-lb load (e.g., suitcase), level ground or downstairs
E B,C, ME 4 Walking Walking on job, 3.5 mph, in office, brisk speed, not carrying anything
E B,C, ME,S 9 Walking Carrying load upstairs, general
E B,C, ME 5 Walking Carrying 1- to 15 lb load, upstairs
E B,C, ME,S 6 Walking Carrying 16- to 24 lb load, upstairs
E B,C, ME,S 8 Walking Carrying 25- to 49 lb load, upstairs
E B,C, ME,S 10 Walking Carrying 50- to 74 lb load, upstairs
E B,C, ME,S 12 Walking Carrying 74+ lb load, upstairs
E B,C, ME 7 Walking Climbing hills with 0- to 9 lb load
E B,C, ME,S 7.5 Walking Climbing hills with 10- to 20 lb load
E B,C,ME,S 8 Walking Climbing hills with 21-to 42 lb load
E B,C,ME,S 9 Walking Climbing hill with 42+ load
E B,C,ME 3 Walking Walking downstairs
R B,C,ME 6 Walking Hiking, cross country
E B,C, ME 6.5 Walking Marching, rapidly rapidily, military, race walking
R P 8 Walking Rock or mountain climbing
E B,C,ME 8 Walking Up stairs, using or climbing up ladder
E B,C,ME 4 Walking Using crutches
E B,C,ME 3 Walking Walking, 2.5 mph, downhill
E B,C,ME 3.5 Walking Walking, 3.0 mph, level, moderate pace, firm surface
E B,C,ME 4 Walking Walking, 3.5 mph, level, brisk, firm surface
E B,C, ME 6 Walking Walking 3.5 mph, uphill
E B,C, ME 4 Walking Walking 4 mph, level, firm surface, very brisk pace
E B,C, ME 4.5  Walking Walking 4.5 mph, level firm surface, very, very, brisk
E B,C, ME 3.5 Walking Walking, for pleasure, work brisk, walking the dog
E B,C, ME 5 Walking Walking, grass track
E ME 4 Walking Walking, to work or class
R ME 4 Water Canoeing on camping trip
R ME 7 Water Canoeing partaging
E B,C ,ME 3 Water Canoeing, rowing, 2-3.9 mph, light effort
E B,C, ME 7 Water Canoeing, rowing, 4-5.9 mph, moderate effort
E B,C,ME 12 Water Canoeing, rowing, > 6 mph, vigorous effort
R B,C,ME 3.5 Water Canoeing for pleasure, general
E B,C,ME 12 Water Canoeing in competition, crew or sculling
R P 3 Water Diving, springboard or platform
R B,ME 5 Water Recreational kayaking (not competitive)
R ME 4 Water Paddleboat
R P 3 Water Sailing, boat and board sailing, windsurfing, ice sailing, general
R P 5 Water Sailing, in competition
R P 3 Water Sailing, Sunfish/Laser/Hoby Cat, keel boats, ocean sailing, yachting
R P 6 Water Skiing, water
R P 7 Water Skimobiling
R P 16 Water Skin diving, fast
R P 12.5 Water Skin or scuba diving, moderate
R P 7 Water Skin or scuba diving, general
R P 12 Water Skin or scuba diving, high skill level
R P 5 Water Snorkeling
R P 3 Water Surfing, body or board
R P 4.5  Sport Water vollyball, general
E B,C ,ME 10 Water Swimming laps, freestyle, fast, vigorous (e.g., 50 yards in 50 seconds), note: All swimming activitites are subject to high variations in MET units based on skill level.
E B,C ,ME 9 Water Swimming laps, freestyle, moderate (e.g., 50 yards in 70 seconds)
E B,C ,ME 8 Water Swimming backstroke, general
E B,C ,ME 10 Water Swimming breaststroke, general
E B,C ,ME 11 Water Swimming, butterfly, general
E B,C ,ME 11 Water Swimming, crawl, fast (75 yards per minute), vigorous, skilled swimmer
E B,C ,ME 8 Water Swimming, crawl, slow (50 yards per minute) somewhat light intensity
E B,C ,ME 6 Water Swimming, lake, ocean, river
E B,C ,ME 6 Water Swimming leisurely, not lap swimming, general
E B,C ,ME 8 Water Swimming sidestroke, general
P B,C ,ME 8 Water Swimming, synchronized
E B,C ,ME 10 Water Swimming, treading water, fast vigorous effort
E B,C ,ME 4  Water Swimming, treading water, moderate effort, general
E P 10 Water Water polo
R P 3 Water Water volleyball
E P 4 Water Water aerobic, water calisthenics
E P 5 Winter Whitewater rafting, kayaking, or canoeing
R   6 Winter Moving ice house (setup/drill holes, etc.)
E P 5.5 Winter Skating, ice 9 mph or less
E P 7 Winter Skating, ice, general
E P 9 Winter Skating ice, rapidly, more than 9 mph
E P 15 Winter Skating, speed, competetive
R P 7 Winter Ski jumping (climb up carrying skis)
R P 7 Winter Sking, general
E B,C,ME 7 Winter Skiing, cross-country, 2.5 mph, slow or light effort, ski walking
E B,C,ME 8 Winter Skiing, cross-country, 4-4.9 mph, moderate speed and effort
E B,C,ME 9 Winter Skiing, cross-country, 5-7.9 mph, brisk speed, vigorous effort
E B,C,ME 14 Winter Skiing, cross-country, >8 mph, racing
E B,C,ME 16.5 Winter Skiing, cross-country, hard snow, uphill, maximum
R P 5 Winter Skiing, downhill, light effort
R P 6 Winter Skiing downhill, moderate effort, general
R P 8 Winter Skiing, downhill, vigorous effort, racing
R P 7 Winter Sledding, tobogganing, bobsledding, luge
R B,C,ME 8 Winter Snow shoeing
R P 3.5 Winter Snowmobiling