Activity to Step Conversion – Calculator
Want to convert activity to steps for a clearer picture of your daily movement? Whether you cycle, swim, lift weights or dance, you can easily convert your workout into its step equivalent. This makes it simpler to compare activities and track your total activity level.
Many activity trackers and wellness challenges are step-based, but not everyone exercises by walking or running. With our calculator, you can quickly convert to steps from virtually any activity.
Calculator – Convert Activity to Steps
Quick Guide: Common Activities in Steps
| Activity | 30 minutes ≈ steps |
|---|---|
| Cycling (moderate pace) | 3,500 steps |
| Swimming (moderate intensity) | 4500 steps |
| Yoga | 1 500 steps |
| Strength training | 2 000 steps |
| Running (8 km/h) | 4 000 steps |
| Badminton | 4 000 steps |
| Dance | 3 000 steps |
Note: these are approximate values. The exact conversion depends on intensity, your body weight, and how the activity is performed.
How does activity to step conversion work?
Converting activity to steps is based on energy expenditure, not literal steps. The core idea is to compare the energy cost of different activities against walking.
MET values
The calculation uses MET values (Metabolic Equivalent of Task). One MET represents the energy you expend at rest (e.g., sitting quietly).
When you convert exercise to steps, the activity’s MET value is compared to walking. Body weight also affects results—in general, someone weighing 90 kg expends about 25–30% more energy than someone at 70 kg doing the same activity.
Our converter shows estimates for an average person around 70 kg (≈154 lb). These simplifications make it easy to quickly compare activities, but your personal result will vary by weight, fitness and intensity—still, it provides a solid ballpark estimate.
Complete Activity-to-Step Conversion Table
Use this comprehensive table to convert activity to steps. Values are based on 30 minutes of activity for a person weighing about 70 kg (≈154 lb).
| Activity | Intensity | 30 min ≈ steps |
|---|---|---|
| Aerobics | Low intensity | 3,200 steps |
| Aerobics | Moderate intensity | 4,000 steps |
| Aerobics | High intensity | 4,800 steps |
| Badminton | Match | 4,000 steps |
| Basketball | Match | 5,000 steps |
| Bowling | Social | 2,000 steps |
| Boxing | Low intensity | 4,400 steps |
| Boxing | Moderate intensity | 5,200 steps |
| Boxing | High intensity | 6,000 steps |
| CrossFit | High intensity | 5,000 steps |
| Cross-trainer (elliptical) | Moderate intensity | 4,000 steps |
| Cycling | Easy (15 km/h) | 2,500 steps |
| Cycling | Moderate (20 km/h) | 3,500 steps |
| Cycling | Vigorous (25 km/h) | 5,000 steps |
| Dance | Low intensity | 2,500 steps |
| Dance | Moderate intensity | 3,500 steps |
| Dance | High intensity | 4,000 steps |
| Football (soccer) | Match | 5,500 steps |
| Golf | With cart | 2,000 steps |
| Golf | Without cart | 3,500 steps |
| Floorball | Match | 5,500 steps |
| Ice hockey | Low intensity | 3,200 steps |
| Ice hockey | Moderate intensity | 4,000 steps |
| Ice hockey | High intensity | 4,800 steps |
| Jogging | Easy (7 km/h) | 3,500 steps |
| Kayaking | Moderate | 3,000 steps |
| Rock climbing | Low intensity | 3,600 steps |
| Rock climbing | Moderate intensity | 4,400 steps |
| Rock climbing | High intensity | 5,200 steps |
| Cross-country skiing | Low intensity | 3,000 steps |
| Cross-country skiing | Moderate intensity | 3,800 steps |
| Cross-country skiing | High intensity | 4,600 steps |
| Running | Moderate (9 km/h) | 4,500 steps |
| Running | Vigorous (11 km/h) | 5,500 steps |
| Mountain biking | Low intensity | 3,000 steps |
| Mountain biking | Moderate intensity | 3,800 steps |
| Mountain biking | High intensity | 4,600 steps |
| Pilates | Moderate | 2,000 steps |
| Walking | Slow (4 km/h) | 2,000 steps |
| Walking | Normal (5 km/h) | 3,000 steps |
| Walking | Brisk (6 km/h) | 3,500 steps |
| Rowing | Moderate intensity | 4,500 steps |
| Swimming | Easy freestyle | 4,000 steps |
| Swimming | Moderate freestyle | 5,000 steps |
| Swimming | Vigorous | 6,000 steps |
| Ice skating | Low intensity | 2,800 steps |
| Ice skating | Moderate intensity | 3,600 steps |
| Ice skating | High intensity | 4,400 steps |
| Spinning (indoor cycling) | High intensity | 5,500 steps |
| Squash | Low intensity | 3,600 steps |
| Squash | Moderate intensity | 4,400 steps |
| Squash | High intensity | 5,200 steps |
| Nordic walking | Low intensity | 2,400 steps |
| Nordic walking | Moderate intensity | 3,200 steps |
| Nordic walking | High intensity | 4,000 steps |
| Stretching | Light | 1,200 steps |
| Strength training | General | 2,000 steps |
| Strength training | Vigorous | 3,000 steps |
| Tennis | Match | 4,500 steps |
| Downhill skiing | Low intensity | 3,000 steps |
| Downhill skiing | Moderate intensity | 3,800 steps |
| Downhill skiing | High intensity | 4,600 steps |
| Hiking | Low intensity | 2,800 steps |
| Hiking | Moderate intensity | 3,600 steps |
| Hiking | High intensity | 4,400 steps |
| Water aerobics | Moderate | 3,500 steps |
| Volleyball | Match | 3,500 steps |
| Yoga | Hatha/gentle | 1,500 steps |
| Yoga | Vinyasa/power | 2,500 steps |
| Zumba | High intensity | 4,000 steps |
When conversion is useful (and when it isn’t)
Converting activity to steps can be a helpful tool, but it has both benefits and limitations.
When conversion works well
Challenges: In team or family step challenges, it’s fairer when everyone can count their preferred activities.
Overall activity goals: Seeing all movement summarised as a single step number can be motivating.
Comparing days: It’s easier to compare a walking day with a swimming day when both are expressed in steps.
Motivation: Some people find it motivating to see how different activities “count” toward their daily goal.
When conversion has limitations
Strength training is undervalued: Energy use during lifting may be lower than cardio, but its effects on metabolism and muscle aren’t captured by step conversion.
Intensity isn’t exact: Two people “cycling for 30 minutes” can expend very different energy depending on resistance and pace.
Misses activity-specific benefits: Different workouts yield different benefits—4,000 “steps” from swimming builds different strength and mobility than 4,000 walking steps.
May skew focus: You might prioritise “collecting steps” over variety and training quality.
A complement, not a replacement
Treat step conversion as a way to see the big picture of your activity—not as the only health metric. A balanced routine includes varied activities, regardless of how many “steps” they generate.
Beyond steps: other options for wellness challenges
Many use step conversion in workplace or friend challenges. But steps are just one way to track activity and wellbeing—and not always the most inclusive.
Points-based systems that include more than steps
An alternative to pure step counting is a points system where different activities and health behaviours earn points. Instead of focusing only on movement, participants can score for workouts and walks as well as good sleep, mindfulness and social activities. A daily points target adds flexibility—one day you might hit it with a workout and a walk; another day with yoga, meditation and an early bedtime. This approach includes more aspects of wellbeing and lets everyone succeed in their own way.
Mental health and mindfulness
Physical activity is only one part of wellbeing. Many teams now value challenges focused on mental health—meditation, stress management, sleep quality and mindfulness. Someone might walk 5,000 steps and also take ten minutes for breathing exercises—both contribute to overall wellbeing.
For organisations looking to go further
If you’re planning workplace wellness challenges, digital platforms make it easy to build varied programmes. ReachingApp, for example, offers movement-based wellness challenges that go beyond step counting and mental-wellness challenges focused on mindfulness and stress management. The key is choosing a format that engages your group—whether it’s measured in steps or not.
FAQ: Activity to Step Conversion
Quick answers about how the calculator and step equivalents work.
How does activity-to-step conversion work?
It estimates steps from energy expenditure. Each activity has a MET value; we compare that to walking and express the result as an equivalent number of steps.
How accurate are the step equivalents?
They’re approximate. Results vary with intensity, body weight, fitness level and how you perform the activity. Treat them as helpful estimates, not exact counts.
What body weight do you assume?
Our chart and calculator use a baseline of about 70 kg (≈154 lb) to make comparisons simple.
How many steps is 30 minutes of common activities?
Approximate examples:
- Cycling (moderate) ≈ 3,500 steps
- Swimming (moderate) ≈ 4,500 steps
- Yoga ≈ 1,500 steps
- Strength training ≈ 2,000 steps
- Running (8 km/h) ≈ 4,000 steps
- Badminton ≈ 4,000 steps
- Dance ≈ 3,000 steps
When is conversion useful—and when isn’t it?
Useful for step challenges, comparing different workouts and tracking overall activity. Less useful for capturing training quality or the unique benefits of strength work, mobility and skill-based sports.
Is this the same as counting actual steps?
No. It’s an energy-based estimate expressed in “step equivalents” to make activities comparable.
