From the opening face-off to the final buzzer, lacrosse is a quick-paced game full of shooting, passing and physicality. As with many sports, it helps you burn hundreds of calories over the course of the game. If you're already in shape, playing lacrosse can help you maintain your fit physique; if you're not in shape, a recreational lacrosse league might be the answer to your fitness goals.
Lacrosse Game Workout
The large size of a lacrosse field plays a role in the calories a player burn during play. Lacrosse players can run up to 5 miles over the course of a game. The exact distance a player can expect to run depends on such factors as the player's position, time spent on the field and the team's coaching strategy.
Lacrosse Calories Burned
Lacrosse players burn calories at a unique rate throughout the game based on their body weight and muscle mass. Lacrosse games are 60 minutes in length, but you won't burn calories at an elevated rate for 60 minutes, due to the frequent substitutions that are a key element of the game. If a 180-pound player plays 20 minutes of the 60-minute game, he'll burn around 230 calories. A player of the same weight who plays 25 minutes of the game will burn 288 calories.
Although your weight partially dictates how many calories you'll burn during a 60-minute lacrosse game, your position also plays a key role. The more active your position requires you to be, the more calories you'll burn. Midfielders, for example, are tasked with contributing significantly to the offensive and defensive side of the ball, which equates into significant running and exertion. Someone who plays this position will burn calories at a faster rate than, for example, someone who plays defense.
Comparable Team Sports
When you're eager to take up a team sport to maintain an active body, lacrosse is only one way of keeping in shape. Lacrosse burns calories at a faster rate than such team sports as softball, baseball and doubles tennis, according to data on the website NutriStrategy. The site notes such team sports as competitive football, soccer and rugby burn calories at a faster rate than lacrosse. Competitive basketball, flag football, ice hockey and competitive volleyball burn calories at the same rate as lacrosse.