You can run a 5k but running up a flight of stairs tires you out? You can squat heavy and lunge with weights, yet walking up a couple of flights of steps makes it feel like a whole other workout? Here’s a workout that can actually challenge your body, endurance and actual strength and stamina. Climbing stairs is one of the best exercises when it comes to pure FAT BURN, strengthening the lower body, toning the butt, thighs, calves, losing inches from those love handles and belly as well as building great abs. Along with these benefits, it is the immense good it does for your lungs and Cardiovascular System.Why Should You Choose Climbing Stairs?
- It is totally free and just about all of us can get access to a set of stairs
- It leverages gravity and the heavier we are, the harder we’re forced to work and the more calories we burn
- It is a relatively intense exercise that quickly increases our heart rate and in doing so, can greatly improve our cardiovascular fitness
- It helps strengthen and shape our most common problem areas like calves, thighs, buttocks and tummy
- It is a very efficient way of burning maximum calories and is great for those of us with limited time to exercise
- It can easily be mixed with other exercises like walking, skipping and weight training to maximize results. Stair climbing workouts are easy to build progression into
- It can be done by almost anyone, regardless of fitness level
- Because it is weight bearing, it helps build bone strength
- It is low impact and safe for the knees, provided the correct technique is used and a pre-existing condition doesn’t exist
The way forward with exercise is quality over quantity. Too many people fix a ‘one hour’ workout in their mind and if they can’t find time for that ‘1 hour’, they just don’t do it. Aim for power workouts, 25-30 mins max, where you max out your reps, burn those muscles and really get your heart rate up. 35-40 minutes should include a great warm up and an extremely important cool down.
You can burn more calories walking/running up steps in 30 mins than a 1 hour run or walk, plus it challenges your body. Start off with a couple of flights, walk and run slowly. As you get better, run and then skip 2 steps at a time and run or walk.
In a nutshell, Walking:
- Burns More Calories: Stair climbing engages your body’s largest muscle groups to repeatedly lift your body weight up, step after step. Thus, using your muscles to carry your own weight is far higher to running when compared.
- Maximizes Your Cardio Efforts: It also raises your heart rate immediately, thus, maximizing your cardio benefits
- Increases Core Muscle Strength: Climbing stairs is a great way to amp your core muscle strength
- Tones & Sculpts Your Body: It also engages every major muscle in your lower body — glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, abs and calves to exercise and thus tones your body better
- Low Impact Workout: You don’t have to ideally sweat it out while climbing stairs. Just a few stairs every day will give you a good workout
Safety First: Never run down the stairs, be confident while running up and take a break when needed.
Start doing this regularly and soon, you will be running up flights of stairs, feeling fitter, younger, stronger and leaner!
If this article helped you, let us know your thoughts in the comments below! Don’t forget to share this article with your fellow fitness enthusiasts.
You can find more articles on fitness here. If you’re stuck indoors and don’t have access to stairs, you can join our certified experts for a live, interactive GOQii PRO session where you’ll get one-on-one guidance in real time. Book a class now through the GOQii App.
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Thanks for all this valuable information. I have two question for you. Is walking stairs enough to get big legs? Can I continue working out my legs at the gym after stairs? I consider that no matter how big arms, back, biceps, etc you have you’d look funny if you dont have big legs and gluteus.
best article on fitness i have ever read
I love the article thank you.
I am overweight. My goal is to run. I can run now but obviously it is not fun. I asked a few runners for tips and I have gracefully received coaching from them. But I hesitated running. And then I had the Aha-moment: don’t run, do stairs instead. It’s like running in the sense that it involves lifting your entire body weight minus the jumping part. It was the jumping that was making me hesitant. I did not know what “climbing stairs” amounted to. Now, thanks to this article I know. ????
Actually yes, what you can do is, skip every other step going up, as if you were doing lunges…I walk up and down 5 flights of stairs 2x a day, I do 4x in the Am and 4x before coming home. In the AM I do my every other step as if they were lunges, in the afternoon I do them on my toes to work my calves…and I can tell you my wife loves my lower half, I get plenty of eye looks wearing shorts and within 5 months you will notice a change not only in your cardio but your definition, and muscle mass. it wont increase drastically but you will be well defined with a nice pair of sexy legs :).
I’m
Doing this in my neighborhood stairs that connect one street to another one. They are like 120 steps. I’m doing this daily from 10 to 12 times. I do double steps 3 times .
Yes, I had hardly any leg muscles. Started walking at a incline on a treadmill for the last 6 months and have gained a lot of muscle . I usually do 60-70 minutes at 3.6-3.7 with an incline 10-15. 3-4 times a week.
I am grateful for this information. Too much sitting on my job and not enough time in a day. I really thank you because I need this secret to fast weight control or reduction and too many others are just selling ideas, pills ect. for profit.
Thank you and I hope this works.
Mike
sir,
i am climbling stairs for past one week, i climb about 180 steps per time , i am using it for 3 times in a day will i reduce my lower body weight
100%
I lost 10kgs just by walking upstairs in condos construction ofcourse with some diet
hey dave how long did it take u to lose that 10kg?
Hey man/woman maybe you could give me some tips or a great diet?
Just eat clean natural foods like fruits veggies and lean meat like chicken and fish. Stay away as much as possible from pasta, cake, bread, ice cream and candies. Fry foods or any unhealthy fast food. Al least 5 to 6 days a week. You can have something you lined in the weekends .
Yeah you will but it will take a long time to reach your goal. Maybe start at 180 steps x 3 times then start increasing it, maybe every week or every two weeks another 10 steps
I started climbing the stairs today, my legs feel wobbly and i feel like i walk with artificial legs, lol
My legs are my problem area and always have been my entire life. My legs always look out of shape and flabby even though I can bike ride and walk for miles. Any excess weight I carry, ends up on my legs so I have muscle but too much fat on my legs also. How many flights of stairs should I be climbing per day to sculpt my legs hips and butt? I live in an apartment building with stairs so this is something I can do every day but I need to know how much I need to do to see the appearance of my legs improve a lot.
P.S. I probably should have included my age, I am 52
I started climbing the stairs 30 days back. at day 1 to 7th day I did 9 floors in the morning and 9 Floors in the evening then and from 7th day I increased to 12 floors like that this is the 30th day now my total count per day is 18 floors in the morning and 18 floors in the evening and in the intervals of every 3 floors I am doing some push ups. My doubt is am I correct and am I correct if i am thing to increase more floors which could lead to total of 60 floors per day. Anyhow I have taken 1 day gap when I felt little pain. If you can clear my doubt I will be thankful to you…
If you climb up a floor and climb down then while climbing down the body metabolism would be at same rate as that of climbing up.. Is this statement true
I started adding climbing up the stairs in my daily workout,i used to climb up from our parking -6 to 8th floor. Now its my 3rd night climbing up from -6(basement parking) to 22nd floor roof top,it sounds like crazy,but no its not. I justwalk and not run,but still sweat a lot upon reaching the top.
How much weight did you lose … And salute your hardwork…..
For last couple of months I restarted climbing stairs @ 100 floors a day inside my house as exercise. What you suggest.
Regards.
Girish
I climb stairs two flights for an hour what shoud l expect physicaly
I did that for 3 months. With a healthy diet at a caloric deficit, you lose fat all around and your entire lower body gets a natural toned look. I expect better results as I’m starting to implement stair lunging. After mastering that, I will get a weighted vest and I’m guessing the added weight will bring some bulk to my legs.
Very detailed and practical information provided. May God bless you for the good work done selflessly.
I am 65 years old and want to build up my aerobic by using stairs. I am basically starting over, but have no heart or body conditions ( yet…). I have 13 steps in my home that I want to use. What routine would make the most sense starting out and then progressing forward with?
Ive just clocked 102 floors in 45 mins . Feels faaabulous!
I do 80 storeys every other day and gym workouts the days in between. Stairs was the best addition I made to my regimen
I do the exact same thing. Feels very good . But sometimes my legs need that extra rest day. I’m 34
I started stair climbing about 3 years ago to maintain fitness for canyoning and hiking. The workout ive fallen into takes 30mins and consists of 60-65 flights of stairs up and down (a flight being 30 steps). I do these 3 or 4 times a week. The sets i do are:
5x flights walk every step
5x flights walk but skip every other step
15 sec drink break
Repeat
Tips:
Don’t rush or jump down stairs.
Always step up with your heel on the ground (i seemed to strain my knee a lot more often when i used to step up on the ball of my foot)
Practice regularly will make it easier. If you do it only once a week each session will remain as difficult as the first.
Set a pace and try to maintain it. It get easier over time.
Warm up and down with leg stretches.
Drink plenty of water.
You heat up fairly quickly so do what you need to to remain cool. (Fan, wet cloth etc.)
Best information. 5 stars to this site.
Doing at least 800 stairs a day, hope it tones my legs and I reduce some weight from my upper legs
You have to eat the right amount of calories and proteins to reach your goal!
I am 63 and RUN up 1,200 steps every day the weather provides. It is outside at the mall and is 192 steps to top. I take 5 small breaks (I walk 120 normal steps while drinking water) I want to run a marathon. Do you think this will help?
I want to know if it is safe for a person who has severe back bone issues as some pple say that if u hav spine issues u will worsen it by climbing stairs??? Pls help asap and also i had a c section a year ago wth a grl.
Nice article! I live in a 24-storey building and climb it 4 times in a row every other day, 4 x 24 = 96 and then 5 more to pass 100 (1’616 stairs under 30min). Been doing this for 6 months and it changed my life, I feel much more healthy and stronger. Associated with a solid weight lifting program on the other days and it’s easily the best training I’ve experienced in the last 15 years! Keep up the good work!
I moved into a new apt with stairs. Use them everyday. I feel that my breathing is better after one year. My legs feel stronger and I’ve increased my water intake. How do I know if and are getting a workout.
How many steps should we up and down in a time?
Great information indeed. Incidentally, I also do 50 storeys up & down. Running while going up, walking while coming down. I found it more rewarding than doing 1 hour cardio in the gym. It also doubles up as excellent warm up during weight training days.
I had a great experiance in stair climbing I started before two month back
300 step/Twice a day =600 step/day
I lose around 12Kg weight and around 1inch fat layer from my body.
Very Good for Lowering bad clostrol Good body tone
Is it really true?
This is a big lie
What about stair walking for rhabing a sprained ankle?
Climbing works on so many levels.
I climb 16 storey building up and down and walk around 5kms (occasionally) will that be helpful for losing weight?
I have just started on climbing stairs I feel good
hope it does not harm my knees
Hi my name is bobfina and im 42 years old. And i have hypothroidism. I am having trouble liaing weight. I have 3 beautiful children and i want to live to be hundred. I had cut out the carbs and the sodas for good. Coffee i do have in the morning. I also take medication for my condition. And i also take vitamins . I weight maybe 175lbs and my goal is to lose 20lbs and ti look tone. Will the stairs work for me. What should i also avoid eating to get my results. Can i also uae leg weights for stairs ?
Hi! Keep going on the stairs 5 days a week. Take the weekend off. Add a floor once a week, keep track of how many floors you do every day, and every four weeks take a half week or 5 days off to rest. Then start again at your previous number of stairs, and add more floors as you can. Eat a high protein high vegetable diet. In fact, if all you eat are vegetables, meat, eggs, nuts and fruit and drink only water (NO sugar, no processed carbs or fast food, not junk food, no desserts), you’ll lose those 20 lbs easily. Good luck.
very informative !
I’m almost 61 & the highest stairs I can find is 5 stories which is 5 flights of 18 steps. I do the 5 flights about 15 times in 45 minutes 3 times a week although I did it 21 times today. Sometimes when I’m crunched for times I’ll do 12-15 carrying 13 pounds in 30 minutes. How am I looking?
Very informative post. I think a lot of people overlook the stair climbing workout and opt for the gym. But this is a simple workout that’s free and it has a lot of benefits as well. Thank you for sharing this, Luke.
Climbing stairs 3 x 12 lead me to better flexibility and also i built up my leg muscles little bit.
I read this article right after I climbed 19 floors and let me tell you that I felt great both after stair climbing and reading this article.
Two weeks ago I added something new to my daily workouts, amazing resuts…, my weekly 6 day workouts,…I do my daily workout at the YMCA, 3 days of swimming and alternate 3 days of weights and core machines, now each day I follow my workouts 6 days a week, with walking up and down a flight of steps at YMCA 6 times to equal 6 flights of stairs………it is making a big difference in my life…it takes a extra push to walk the stairs at the end of my workouts, but it has been rewarding, in fact now I look forward to the steps by the way I am 70 years young!
Kaip idomu!
I do 300 steps/thrice a day/5 times a week.
I only started 2 weeks ago.
Will I lose weight ?
Thank you for this amazing advise. I have been wanting to exercise , but too lazy to even begin. I am 49 years old and have a slim built but in need toning and heart strengthening. I just began walking up the six flights in my building x3 . I feel so good and the best part after reading this article is the way my body will change and how strong and fit I will become.
Very warm regards,
Monique
The picture of the stairs looks like Mount Trashmore in Virginia Beach!! Love walking there!!
I do a 20 minute brisk walk outside and then come home and go up and down my stairs at least 20 times. It has helped to make my body leaner through my waste, belly and hips. Not to mention my calves are as hard as a rock. Consistency is key….4-5 times a week. The whole work out only takes me about 35 minutes per work out. Soon, I am going to add small 5-lb hand weights to tone my arms at the same time. The beauty of this, it will not add any time to the 35 min. Good Luck all.
I office is located in 8th floor, i started climbing stairs 5 to 6 month’s back , initially it was tough but now I am used to it, and helps me a lot. and will continue for years to come.
Finally found an article with perfect and complete information about climbing benefits! Climbing staircase has become my comfort workout as I climb around 1400steps in a session. I prefer not to climb down as one tends to jerk while doing so. I find climbing better than running as it is low impact ..just remember to maintain correct posture n footing .. Aim high, reach far ,go climb !!!
I walked down 6 flights. I am Sore today! So, I found out it’s good for me! I’m 58, quit smoking almost 4 years ago and have gained weight. I am so bummed about how I look and feel! So I’m heading for the stairs to hopefully revitalize me.
Very informative! I climb stairs whenever I got to college. Thanks for sharing!
The least this Luke could do was to give some time into responding to queries. Bad form, Luke.
Your article give different way to remain fit like article on Stair Climbing Is The Best Exercise. You article point out amazing tips which is free of cost to stay fit and healthy. Written in simple way with important point mentioned which can be apply in day to day routine. Thank you for writing on this topic.
We lived (hubby is 74, a bit portly, and diabetic; I am slightly chubby tho’ normal blood sugar etc)…in a NY apt that was a converted brownstone. (Translation: no elevator.) a three flight walk up. I did it for over 40 years, never gave it a thought. When Ric and I married and he moved in with me in 2008 – he started stair climbing as well. Eleven years into the marriage (AND the stair climbing – LOL!!) Another great benefit – if you happen to be diabetic, this activity helps kick your metabolic, sugar digestion system in healthy gear. Along with diet changes and the proper meds, you will find that keeping your blood sugar # and A1C’s a much easier task. Just that overall physical activity really makes a difference. Now, we are lkving in New Orleans and our new place is THREE AND A HALF FLIGHTS UP. But, since we are so used to stair climbing, it’s no big deal. Now, the first week it was a bit of a chore. But as we pace ourselves and, have settled into the routine? It’s great!!
I urge anyone who is thinking of stair climbing as part of a fitness regime – check with your Doc, and then go for it!!
This article is an inspiration for those who don’t have time to exercise,but want to do so. Stair climbing is what we do daily. and it i really effective. And I also choose to go with stairs, not lift r elevator.
WOw!!!, amazing, this is exactly what i always to do
I am loving everything I am reading here and I wanted to add my own little nugget.
My friend lives on the 8th floor of a condo where I recently vacationed at. Every day for 2 weeks I climbed 8 flights of stairs, two steps at a time, 2-4 times a day depending on how often we went out. What a rush!
I attribute this feat to working out on an indoor rower for 8 months prior and this insanity to being a regular gym rat.
I just turned 60 and I feel remarkably light and energetic.
CLIMB STAIRS because IT MATTERS!!
oSandi
Good one
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Its been a week since i begun stairs climbing
I’m seeing some difference when it comes to my belly
I love stair climbing! I live in Toronto, ON, and one day I will do the CN Tower stair climb
I have a question: I sometimes stair climb for an hour and a half, is that bad?
Hi! nice blog thanks for share this information.
Hey, I recently started doing this 12k walk along the cost where I live it includes possibly 3 sets of stairs , maybe about 80 stairs total, I don’t necessarily want my legs to get bigger in size at all maybe just slimmer toned.. do I need to be concerned here or no ?
I am 65 years old and I climb stairs (9 inch steps) twice a day for 15 mins each time, once before lunch and once before dinner. I have been doing this for a year. Before I started, my blood pressure was mildly high (130/90). Now my BP before bedtime is 100/70. My weight at 5ft 8in tall is 165lbs. As long as your legs (and knees) can take it, it is a great exercise for the elderly, as well as everyone else. It definitely gets this old heart pumping and my legs, behind, abs, and stomach are in great shape.
Thank you sir for useful tips. Some doubts in mind. I am climbing stairs 60 up and 60 down in my society. Which is 4 floor society. I do it for 30 times in the morning. My age is 47 I don’t have any Medical problem. Only back pain when woke up in the morning.
Some advices not to do it it will give you knee problem or lungs problem. Please let me know what I am doing is right or wrong. I have little fat on stomach.
My height 5.4 inch weight was 67 kgs before lockdown now it is 62kgs. Waist 34 now it is 32.
I feel good. But will it creates issues in older age.
Vikrant
This is exactly what I was looking for. This information is helpful.
I had to read it twice. Very nice.