It is a common misconception among people that fitness means gymming. To lose weight and fit in your favorite dress, you do not always need to invest in a gym or fitness class membership. Stairs can be turned into an excellent cardio workout to begin your weight loss journey, and the objective can be achieved even by performing simple tasks like climbing stairs. You can perform different exercises on stairs like lunges and squats or can simply climb up and down. This article provides a detailed look at how stair climbing can be an effective method for weight loss, its benefits, and how to maximize results.
The Benefits of Stair Climbing
Stair climbing offers a multitude of health benefits, making it a popular choice for those seeking an accessible and effective workout.
One of the exercise methods that brings many health benefits and is currently chosen by many people is climbing stairs. In fact, stair climbing exercises also help us lose weight effectively, improve physical strength, increase resistance, prevent diseases, especially very good for the cardiovascular system, improve the quality of life, and prolong life.
- Burns Excess Fat: Climbing stairs is a form of exercise that helps burn excess fat and increase muscle mass in the legs, thighs, hips, and tighten the abdominal muscles. Walking up stairs is a high-intensity exercise that consumes calories and burns excess fat very effectively.
- Weight Loss: To effectively lose weight, in addition to limiting high-calorie foods, one must engage in physical activities to burn calories. Effective weight loss from climbing stairs is also evident in scientific studies on the natural reduction of belly fat, where climbing stairs for 10 minutes can burn an average of 100 calories, equivalent to walking for 20 minutes.
- Reduces Stress: Climbing stairs helps relieve stress, especially for office workers who sit in front of a computer for long periods. Climbing stairs for 5 to 10 minutes can help reduce stress, recharge energy, improve mental alertness, and enhance work quality and efficiency. It also helps the body burn calories and limits the accumulation of excess fat when sitting for too long.
- Increases Longevity: A study in the US showed that your lifespan increases by 15 seconds for every floor climbed. Climbing stairs for 20 minutes daily can add 3 years to your life. Regular stair climbing can lead to fat loss, and improve blood pressure, cholesterol levels and insulin sensitivity, researchers reported in 2023.
- Increases Bone Density: Climbing stairs helps increase bone density and develop the musculoskeletal system, as the body is constantly moving when we have the habit of climbing stairs daily.
- Good for Cardiovascular Health: Like other physical exercises, climbing stairs for weight loss also improves and benefits coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, and stroke (especially, climbing stairs for 10 minutes a day can reduce the risk of stroke by 30%). Climbing stairs was also linked with a lower risk of heart attack, heart failure and stroke.
Calories Burned and Weight Loss Timeline
The amount of calories you will burn depends on the intensity of the workout and timing. The amount of fat burned depends on the intensity and duration of the exercise. If you are climbing stairs slowly, you will burn fewer calories, and conversely, if you climb quickly, you will burn calories faster. In general, a person can burn 500 calories by running on the stairs for 30 minutes.
To lose weight, it is important to create a calorie deficient, which can be achieved by eating fewer calories and burning more calories by engaging in physical activity. Specifically, to lose about 500 grams of weight, a calorie deficit of 3,500 is needed. If you exercise every day for 30 minutes then you will be able to see some weight loss in two to four weeks. Effective weight loss can be seen within the first two to four weeks when exercising for 30 minutes daily.
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Optimizing Your Stair Climbing Workout
To maximize the benefits of stair climbing for weight loss, consider the following factors:
- Time: The most important thing is timing. You cannot expect to lose weight by climbing 100 stairs in a day. Instead, aim to climb stairs for at least 15 minutes daily. Start slowly in the first week, then gradually increase the timing. However, be persistent and exercise regularly at least 4-5 days a week to form a habit.
- Intensity: The intensity of your workout matters as much as your timing. The harder we work out, the faster we will see the desired weight loss results. To reap the benefits from any exercise, you have to push your limit.
- Variety: You need to diversify your workout routine by incorporating exercises like inclined push-ups, shoulder presses, and step-ups while climbing and descending stairs. These exercises will help you burn more calories and create excitement, avoiding boredom.*Short, crisp, and effective-climbing stairs is a science-backed way to lose weight Ladies, if you think, I am giving too much credit to climbing stairs, you’ve got to know that several studies including one published in The Korean Journal of Sports Medicine, have gone at lengths about the weight loss benefits of stair climbing. Climbing stairs burn more calories than cycling and treadmill.
Sample 15-Minute Stair Workout Routine
Here is how an ideal 15-minute stair workout routine would look like.
- Warm-up (2 minutes): Start with a warm-up by climbing up and down the staircase for 2 minutes. Simple exercises like rotating the shoulder, wrist, leg, hip, and knee joints will help stretch the muscles and prevent injuries during exercise. To climb stairs without fatigue and achieve high weight loss efficiency, we should warm up thoroughly.
- Moderate Pace (5 minutes): Slowly pick up the pace and move faster for the next 5 minutes. The speed and posture when climbing stairs will differ from walking on flat ground due to the incline of the stairs. The body's center of gravity will shift to the steps, and the body will lean slightly forward to maintain balance. The spine should be straight, with the chest pushed forward. Start with a slow, moderate speed and gradually increase the intensity. Avoid increasing the intensity by more than 10%, especially avoid taking multiple steps at once or skipping the warm-up phase, which can put pressure on the knees and lead to joint degeneration. Climbing stairs too quickly can lead to falls, so climb at a safe, moderate pace. Additionally, try to maintain a steady breathing rhythm.
- Rest (1 minute): Take 1-minute break.
- Fast Pace (5 minutes): Climb the stairs at a fast pace for 5 minutes.
- Cool Down (2 minutes): In the last 2 minutes, again slow down to bring your body temperature back to normal.
Important Considerations for Safe Stair Climbing
Stair climbing exercises for weight loss are generally simple and safe for us, but there are also risks involved. Therefore, keep the following points in mind when climbing stairs to ensure effective and safe weight loss:
- Hydration: When climbing stairs, the body loses a lot of water through sweat, so bring water to replenish during breaks.
- Professional Guidance: When starting the stair climbing exercise, consult a personal trainer or have a trainer monitor your progress to achieve the desired weight loss goal.
- Health Conditions: If you are at risk of cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure or a fast heart rate, it is advised not to climb stairs as it can be dangerous. Staircases are often deserted, making it difficult to call for help. In this case, you should opt for regular aerobic exercises or walking.
- Proper Attire: Choose sweat-absorbing, flexible, and comfortable sportswear to stay cool and dry while climbing stairs.
- Appropriate Footwear: Shoes are also essential for effective stair climbing, protecting the feet and reducing the risk of ankle injuries. Shoes with good foot cushioning will reduce the body's pressure on the feet.
- Environment: The environment also affects the enthusiasm and interest in the workout.
Addressing Common Concerns
- Climbing stairs burns more calories than running. The number of calories burned depends on body weight and the duration of stair climbing.
- Will climbing stairs make my calves bigger? Women often worry that climbing stairs for weight loss will make their calves bigger, but in reality, climbing stairs will tone and firm the calf muscles, making them look slightly bigger but not significantly.
- How many minutes of stair climbing per day is ideal? Depending on your free time and physical condition, set a reasonable workout duration. Climbing stairs for 15 to 25 minutes daily can burn nearly 200 to 300 calories and reduce excess fat. Climb stairs when you feel stressed, in the morning before work, or in the evening after work. Avoid climbing stairs immediately after eating to prevent stomach discomfort.
Stair Climbing in Daily Life
Climbing stairs doesn’t need to be one long workout - you can get the same benefits if you do several shorter stair climbing bouts spaced hours apart, both experts emphasize. Always take stairs over the elevator or escalator to build activity into your day, Jaworski adds.
“You can use (stair climbing) for a workout, absolutely, but you should also use it as a lifestyle choice and take those stairs whenever you have the chance,” she says.
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Stair stepper machine vs. real stairs
Climbing a real set of stairs requires more effort than a stair stepper at the gym since the rolling stairs or pedals on a machine force you to move and give you a bit of an assist, Jaworski says.
“The actual real stairs are going to give you a little bit of a harder workout,” she notes. “You’re going to feel it more quickly than you would on a machine.”
Real stairs also allow for more workout variations rather than just climbing in one direction on a machine, Cherney adds.
But a stepper machine is still a good workout, the experts note.
Is going down the stairs a good workout?
The experts have different opinions.
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Some say no since going down the stairs can be harder on the knees, and "the climbing component that really is what is going to give you the most benefit," Jaworski says.
Others say yes because the leg muscles are still working, though in a different manner, Cherney says. But the cardio is less intense because you're working with gravity.