Stair climbing calories burned add up fast because you lift your whole body with each step. At a brisk 70 steps a minute, 100 stairs take under two minutes and burn about 12 kcal at 55 kg and 19 kcal at 85 kg. Climbing slowly burns about half as much per minute.
Coming down uses far less energy than going up but works the thigh muscles hard as brakes, which is why legs can feel sore after a long descent.
Quick numbers
100 stairs up, 70 kg, brisk
about 15 kcal1,000 stairs, 70 kg
about 154 kcal10 min fast climbing, 70 kg
about 108 kcalStair machine, 30 min, 70 kg
about 331 kcalMET
4.0 slow, 8.8 fast
Calories burned climbing stairs by count
| Stairs | Time at 70 a minute | 55 kg | 70 kg | 85 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 1.4 min | 12 | 15 | 19 |
| 200 | 2.9 min | 24 | 31 | 37 |
| 500 | 7.1 min | 61 | 77 | 94 |
| 1,000 | 14.3 min | 121 | 154 | 187 |
A typical floor in an Indian apartment block has about 16 to 20 steps, so 100 stairs is roughly five or six floors.
Stair climbing calories burned by time
| Activity | MET | 10 min, 60 kg | 10 min, 75 kg | 30 min, 60 kg | 30 min, 75 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Climbing stairs, slow | 4.0 | 42 | 52 | 126 | 158 |
| Climbing stairs, fast | 8.8 | 92 | 116 | 277 | 347 |
| Stair machine, moderate | 9.0 | 94 | 118 | 284 | 354 |
Few people can climb fast nonstop for 30 minutes; real sessions mix climbing with walking down or rests.
Climbing 100 stairs a day
Taking 100 stairs every day instead of the lift adds about 100 kcal a week for a 65 kg person. It sounds small, but stair climbing is also linked with better leg strength and heart fitness, and short bursts through the day are easy to fit in. Five or six floors a day is a good habit for office and apartment life.
Stair machine vs real stairs
A stair machine at the gym keeps a steady pace and lets you set time and effort, at about 9 MET for a moderate pace. Real stairs include turns and landings and give a natural break on the way down. Holding the machine's rails tightly lowers the effort a lot; touch them lightly for balance only.
Doing it safely
- Use the handrail on real stairs, especially going down.
- Place the whole foot on each step.
- Start with two or three floors and build up.
- Wear shoes with good grip.
- Climb at a pace where you can still speak a short sentence; slow down if you have to gasp.
Stair climbing is demanding on the heart and knees. If you have heart disease, breathlessness on mild effort, or knee arthritis, ask your doctor before using stairs as a workout.
Stairs in your plan
Mix stair climbing with walking on other days, and rank every option in the calorie burn calculator. Daily steps, including stairs, appear on the step calorie page.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories does climbing 100 stairs burn?
About 12 to 19 kcal at a brisk pace.
What do 1,000 stairs burn?
About 121 to 187 kcal.
How many calories do 500 stairs burn?
About 61 to 94 kcal.
Is climbing stairs better than walking?
Per minute it burns about twice as much as brisk walking. It is harder on the knees, so mix the two.
How many calories does a stair machine burn?
About 284 to 354 kcal in 30 minutes at a moderate pace.
Does walking down stairs burn calories?
Yes, but only about a third as much as going up.
Sources
- Compendium of Physical Activities