New publications
Taking the stairs slowly helps you burn more calories
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Fighting excess weight is not an easy task, especially if a person is constantly overcome by laziness and all training and sports activities are carried out only in the mind. But you still want to have a slim figure, and your imagination draws a slimmer waist, a clear line of hips and, of course, a beautiful dress that fits all this beauty.
However, returning to reality, we must admit that dreams will remain dreams if you do not put at least a minimum of effort into building your new, toned and lean body. For those lazy people who want to, but are too lazy, there is a great way that will help burn calories and provide excellent endurance and strength training. Those who live in high-rise buildings and whose elevator is broken will be especially lucky, because there is nowhere to go, you have to stomp up the stairs.
Read also: Running backwards is more effective and useful
This is exactly what scientists from the University of Roehampton recommend doing – take the stairs more and use the lift less. However, their recommendations do not end there. Experts say that simply climbing is not enough – for such loads to have an effect, it is important to climb the stairs correctly.
Experts note that the main thing is not to skip steps and not to overcome flights of stairs by jumping and bounding. The fact is that if you do not skip steps, more calories are burned.
Although it takes more energy to climb two steps at a time rather than one, it will ultimately take more energy to climb the entire distance if you don't skip steps.
Scientists from the University of Roehampton have found that if you walk up five flights of stairs (a total of fifteen metres) five times a week, the average person will burn 302 calories if they take each step.
If you step over two steps at once, you burn only 260 calories.
"We were really surprised to find that it was much more efficient and beneficial to climb stairs slowly and not skip any, rather than taking two steps at a time or moving at a fast pace," says Dr Lewis Halsey, senior lecturer in comparative and environmental physiology.
Experts say that regularly climbing stairs is an excellent way to combat excess weight. The greater energy expenditure in the case of a gradual, unhurried climb also provides a longer period of time that is required for this. In addition, when overcoming a flight of stairs step by step, the rate of muscle contraction accelerates, which leads to an increase in the body's energy expenditure.
Previous research by scientists at the University of Ulster also found the effectiveness of stair climbing. Office workers who gave up using the lift and started taking the stairs regularly felt better and were able to lose weight.
They started climbing stairs once a week, then increased it to three times a week.
[ 1 ]