What Are the Average Steps Per Minute for Different Exercises? Menu Verywell Fit Nutrition Weight Management Nutrition Facts Nutrition Basics Diets Meal Plans Meal Delivery Services View All News Fitness and Nutrition What to Buy How We Test Products Fitness Gear Nutrition Products Tools Recipe Nutrition Calculator Weight Loss Calorie Goal BMI Calculator Body Fat Percentage Calculator Calories Burned by Activity Daily Calories Burned Pace Calculator About Us Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Search Walking Beginners What Are the Average Steps Per Minute for Different Exercises? Pedometer Step Equivalents for Elliptical, Biking, and Other Activities By Wendy Bumgardner Wendy Bumgardner Wendy Bumgardner is a freelance writer covering walking and other health and fitness topics and has competed in more than 1,000 walking events. Learn about our editorial process Updated on December 11, 2020 Reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by nutrition and exercise professionals. Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Michele Stanten Reviewed by Michele Stanten Michele Stanten is a walking coach, certified group fitness instructor, and running coach. She is the author of Walk Off Weight and The Walking Solution. Learn about our Review Board Print Ezequiel Gimenez / Stocksy If you forgot to wear your pedometer or if you want to give yourself pedometer step credit for a wider range of activities, there are a few ways you can determine the step equivalents. One tool is a chart that compares metabolic equivalent for task (MET) for various activities and converts them into steps per minute. In some cases, your activity will register steps on a pedometer, activity monitor, or phone app. But the chart might give you more steps per minute because the activity you are doing is a higher intensity exercise (it burns more calories per minute than walking). Average Steps per Mile Here are some quick rules of thumb for steps per mile for walking and running, as measured by researchers. 1 mile = 2,200 average steps walking at a pace of 20 minutes per mile1 mile = 1,800 average steps jogging at 12 minutes per mile1 mile = 1,600 steps running at 10 minutes per mile1 mile = 1,400 steps running at 8 minutes per mile1 block = 200 average walking steps Elliptical Trainer Step Equivalents Is doing a mile on an elliptical the same as walking a mile? It is difficult to give accurate step equivalents for using an elliptical trainer because there is a wide variation in the calories burned by different people using the same settings. One study, published in 2006, found that the calorie burn was overestimated by most elliptical machines. Looking at METs, elliptical activity is roughly equivalent to brisk walking: Light intensity elliptical training: 4.6 METs, aligns with walking 3.75 mph, or 127 steps per minuteModerate intensity elliptical training: 4.9 METs, aligns with walking 4.0 mph, or 132 steps per minuteVigorous intensity elliptical training: 5.7 METs, aligns with walking 4.3 mph, or 137 steps per minute Steps Per Minute Equivalents These step equivalents are based on metabolic equivalent for task (MET), which allows comparisons of the amount of exertion required for different activities. However, since the movements are very different, the estimates are rough. "For non-rhythmic activities (where walking or running would be an example of a rhythmic, patterned movement), step estimates are not going to be accurate over a period of time," says Elroy Aguiar, PhD, assistant professor of exercise science at the University of Alabama. "There are so many variables that would change step rate when these activities are continued for five, ten, or twenty minutes or more." Bear that in mind as you consider these step equivalents. Step Equivalents by Minute of Activity Activity MET Steps in 1 minute Jumping rope 11.8 180 Bicycling fast 10.0 170 Swimming laps (vigorous intensity) 9.8 165 Skiing, cross country (moderate to vigorous) 9.0 160 Stair-climbing machine 9.0 160 Rowing machine (vigorous) 8.5 153 Step aerobics 8.5 153 Basketball game 8.0 150 Circuit training (vigorous) 8.0 150 Backpacking 7.8 149 Dancing (square, folk, country) 7.8 149 Bicycling (moderate intensity) 7.5 147 Aerobic dance (moderate to vigorous) 7.3 146 Squash 7.3 146 Tennis (singles) 7.3 146 Racquetball 7.0 145 Inline skating or roller skating 7.0 145 Soccer 7.0 145 Swimming laps (moderate) 5.8 138 Skiing (downhill) 5.3 134 Hiking 5.3 134 Water aerobics 5.3 134 Kayaking 5.0 132 Softball, baseball, kickball (recreational) 5.0 132 Aerobic dance (low intensity) 5.0 132 Rowing machine (moderate) 4.8 130 Golf (no cart) 4.8 130 Circuit training (moderate intensity) 4.3 122 Bicycling under 10 mph 4.0 119 Table tennis 4.0 119 Gardening or raking leaves 3.8 115 Canoeing 3.5 112 Weight-lifting 3.5 112 House cleaning 3.3 110 Pilates 3.0 105 Tai chi 3.0 105 Bowling 3.0 105 Yoga 2.8 95 More Ways to Track Physical Activity When you're participating in an activity that doesn't lend itself well to step tracking, consider measuring your efforts in another way. For example, it's easy to log how many minutes you were active. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, "for substantial health benefits, adults should do at least 150 minutes to 300 minutes a week of moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes to 150 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity... spread throughout the week." Another option is to look at calories burned. This calculator helps you determine how many calories you are likely to burn while participating in various physical activities. If you are trying to lose weight or maintain a weight loss, knowing the number of calories you're expending, as well as consuming, can help you monitor energy balance. 4 Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Hoeger WWK, Bond L, Ransdell L, Shimon JM, Merugu S. One-mile step count at walking and running speeds. ACSMs Health Fit J. 2008;12(1):14. doi:10.1249/01.FIT.0000298459.30006.8d Mier CM, Feito Y. Metabolic cost of stride rate, resistance, and combined use of arms and legs on the elliptical trainer. Res Q Exerc Sport. 2006;77(4):507-13. DOI: 10.1080/02701367.2006.10599385 Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Herrmann SD, et al. 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities: a second update of codes and MET values. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011;43(8):1575-81. doi:10.1249/mss.0b013e31821ece12 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2018. Additional Reading Bassett DR, Wyatt HR, Thompson H, Peters JC, Hill JO. Pedometer-measured physical activity and health behaviors in U.S. adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2010;42(10):1819-25. doi:10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181dc2e54 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. Get in step with your health. Updated November 2019. Miller R, Brown W, Tudor-Locke C. But what about swimming and cycling? How to "count" non-ambulatory activity when using pedometers to assess physical activity. J Phys Act Health. 2006;3(3):257-266. doi:https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.3.3.257 By Wendy Bumgardner Wendy Bumgardner is a freelance writer covering walking and other health and fitness topics and has competed in more than 1,000 walking events. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit Related Articles How Many Calories Can You Burn While Walking? How Many Calories Do You Burn Walking a Mile? What Is Moderate-Intensity Exercise and How Much Do You Need? How Many Steps Do People Walk a Day on Average? How Many Walking Calories You Burn Per Minute How Vigorous Intensity Exercise Can Be the Best for Your Health How Many Steps Are There in a Mile? Learn Your Pace With Our Running Pace Calculator Why You Aren't Losing Weight With Walking Why You Should Add Cardio to Your Workout Routine Use a Chart to Convert Your Steps Into Calories The Right Walking Speed to Burn Fat and Build Aerobic Fitness Calculating the Calories Burned During Exercise for Weight Loss What's the Ideal Pace for Brisk Walking? How Much Do You Need to Exercise to Lose Weight? What All Gym Goers Should Know About MET When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. 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