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Stairclimbing to Improve Cardiovascular Wellness

Commentary by  Dr. Donald Greig



Stair climbing is a highly effective exercise for burning calories and promoting weight loss compared to walking on flat surfaces. Here are several reasons why:

  1. Increased Intensity: Climbing stairs requires more effort than walking on flat ground. This elevated intensity leads to a higher heart rate, which in turn increases calorie expenditure. The body uses more energy to lift itself against gravity, making stair climbing a more vigorous workout.

  2. Muscle Engagement: Stair climbing engages multiple muscle groups, including the glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves. The greater muscle engagement not only burns more calories during the activity but also contributes to muscle building, which can raise the resting metabolic rate.

  3. Time Efficiency: Due to its higher intensity, stair climbing can achieve similar or greater calorie burn in a shorter amount of time compared to walking. This makes it a time-efficient option for those with busy schedules.

  4. Improved Cardiovascular Fitness: The intense nature of stair climbing can lead to better cardiovascular conditioning. Improved heart and lung function can enhance overall fitness, making it easier to perform daily activities and engage in other forms of exercise.

  5. Variety and Challenge: Incorporating stair climbing into a fitness routine adds variety and can be a more enjoyable challenge. This can lead to increased motivation and adherence to a regular exercise regimen.

In summary, stair climbing not only burns more calories per minute than flat walking but also promotes greater muscle engagement and cardiovascular benefits, making it a superior.

Article by Stephen Wade

Want to burn calories? Climbing stairs might be the most effective exercise for you

Runner, Yuri Yoshizumi, competes during a race of Stairclimbing World Championships in Osaka, western Japan

If you’re trying to lose weight and want a new way to do it, stair-climbing as a regular exercise — or just adding a few flights a day — might be for you.

It’s accessible, and research shows it’s more effective than walking on level ground.


“Overall, it is a fact that stair-climbing gets you fit faster and consumes more calories,” said Lauri van Houten, vice president of the International Skyrunning Federation, which oversees a wide range of disciplines that involve vertical climbing.


This includes disciplines like mountain running above 2,000 meters (about 6,500 feet) or events like the Stairclimbing World Championships.


These competitions are for the very fit, but we’re talking here about adding a few minutes of stair-climbing as a daily routine and raising awareness about its effectiveness for all ages.

“How many calories will I burn is the question everyone wants to know,” van Houten said. “Here’s the good news: The overall energy expenditure of the exercise depends on your weight. Therefore, the more you weigh, the more you burn.”


Stair-climbing burns calories — fast

Research shows you burn about 20 times more calories going up stairs than walking on flat ground. Even going down stairs you burn roughly five times more, the muscles being worked to slow the body’s descent.


That might be all you need to know if you are trying to lose weight.


Dr. Alberto Minetti, a physiologist and biomechanist at the University of Milan, has done extensive research of human locomotion — including stair-climbing.


“It is an exercise everybody can do,” Minetti told The Associated Press. “You always have stairs nearby you — free of charge compared to a gym.”


Minetti did the math to explain why going up stairs is so effective for burning calories in a short amount of time.


“To move 1 kilogram of body mass over 1 horizontal meter, you expend 0.5 calories,” he said. “If you move 1 kilogram of body mass vertically on stairs it’s 10 calories. So it’s 20 times the calories moving vertically rather than horizontally.”


Trained as a physician, Minetti has spent his career in research rather than treating patients. He suggested “watching your speed” for the not-so-young and beginners. He does his own stair-climbing at his third-floor residence in Milan. He said he often takes a few deep breaths before ascending, which makes him feel fresher at the top.


In a scientific study, Minetti makes the point that using the arms in stair-climbing adds extra power. Handrails offer safety, too.


The journal notes that handrails are available in most stairwells in skyscrapers, which maximizes “the muscle mass involved and, consequently, the mechanical/metabolic power of the ascent” by getting the arms involved.


“They are relatively small muscles in the arms, but better than nothing,” Minetti said.



Stairs are everywhere

Athletes compete during a race of Stairclimbing World Championships in Osaka, western Japan

If stair-climbing was an Olympic sport, Suzy Walsham would own a handful of gold medals.


She’s won 10 races up New York’s Empire State Building — officially 1,576 stairs. She’s claimed titles in more than 100 international stair races, and was once regarded as the No. 1 woman in the discipline.


Five times, the Australian has won climbs up the Eiffel Tower.


This was all too easy, apparently.


When she was living in Singapore, Walsham climbed up her 29-story building — 37 consecutive times. It took over four hours, riding the elevator down each time after reaching the top with short breaks for coffee or water. She covered a vertical distance of 3,200 meters (10,500 feet).


But let’s get grounded. What are the advantages of stair-climbing as a regular exercise routine for the rest of us?


“You get a lot of bang for your buck,” Walsham told the AP. “Many people struggle to run as they age. The impact of running gets harder on the joints. But stair training is a great alternative.”


Stairs are everywhere — one flight, two flights at home, inside skyscrapers, in stadiums and arenas, at work, in shopping malls, in the subway.


One giant advantage of stair-climbing is it doesn’t take much time. It’s easy to build up, adding a few flights of stairs every day or week, and it improves balance.


On the down side, it’s not very scenic, particularly in the stairways of towering skyscrapers.



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