Why stairs are a hard workout
Climbing stairs means lifting your whole body against gravity with every step. That makes it one of the most intense everyday activities: a fast climb is rated about 8.8 METs, more than twice the cost of walking at 3 mph. Short bouts add up, and a building’s stairwell needs no gym membership.
How the estimate works
- Calories = MET × weight in kg × hours
- MET values from the Compendium of Physical Activities: 4.0 for a slow, steady climb, 8.8 for a fast climb, 9.0 for a stair machine, 15.0 for running up stairs
- Height climbed = floors × floor height
- Steps ≈ height ÷ 7 inches, a typical riser height
- Energy to lift your body = weight × g × height ÷ 20% efficiency, the bare minimum the climb itself costs
Worked example
A 180 lb person climbs fast for 15 minutes and goes up 20 floors of 10 feet.
- Calories: 8.8 × 81.6 kg × 0.25 h = 180 calories, or about 720 per hour at that pace.
- Height: 20 × 10 ft = 200 ft, about 343 steps.
- Per floor: about 9 calories across the whole session.
- Lifting the body alone accounts for about 58 of those calories; the rest goes into the descents, the landings and a heart working hard.
Calories by pace and weight
For 15 minutes:
| Pace | 130 lb | 160 lb | 190 lb | 220 lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slow (4.0 MET) | 59 | 73 | 86 | 100 |
| Fast (8.8 MET) | 130 | 160 | 190 | 220 |
| Stair machine (9.0 MET) | 133 | 163 | 194 | 225 |
| Running up (15.0 MET) | 221 | 272 | 323 | 374 |
Famous climbs
The race up the Empire State Building covers 86 floors and 1,576 steps; the fastest runners finish in about 10 minutes. Many US cities hold stair climbs for charity in skyscrapers, which are a good goal to train for.
Safety and technique
- Start slowly, especially if you are new to exercise or have heart or knee problems. Stair climbing raises your heart rate quickly.
- Use the handrail for balance, not to pull yourself up, and keep your whole foot on the step.
- Going down costs about a third as much energy as going up but puts more strain on the knees. Many people take the elevator down.
- Stair machines are easier on the joints because there is no descent, but leaning on the rails lowers the real effort.