Stair Climbing Calorie Calculator

Climbing stairs burns 300-900+ calories per hour depending on pace and body weight. A 150 lb person burns approximately: 240 calories/hour at slow pace (4.0 METs), 480 calories/hour at moderate pace (8.0 METs), 600 calories/hour at fast pace (10.0 METs), and 900 calories/hour running stairs (15.0 METs). Stair climbing burns 2-3x more calories than walking on flat ground and is comparable to running. Heavier individuals burn more - a 200 lb person burns 30-35% more calories than a 150 lb person at the same intensity.

Yes, stair climbing is excellent for weight loss. A 20-minute moderate stair climbing session burns 160-300 calories and engages major leg muscles (glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves), building muscle that increases metabolism. Climbing stairs 5x per week for 30 minutes creates a weekly deficit of 1,200-2,250 calories (0.3-0.6 lbs fat loss). Benefits include: high calorie burn in short time, builds lean muscle mass, improves cardiovascular health, strengthens bones, and requires no equipment. For best results, combine stair climbing with strength training and a 500 calorie daily deficit.

A good stair climbing workout is 10-20 flights (120-240 steps) for beginners, 20-40 flights for intermediate, and 50+ flights for advanced exercisers. Health benefits begin at just 5 flights daily. For cardiovascular fitness, aim for 15-30 minutes of continuous climbing (45-90 flights at moderate pace). For reference: 10 flights = 1 city block vertically, 50 flights = typical high-rise building, 100 flights = Empire State Building halfway. Start with 5-10 flights, rest, repeat 3-5 times. Progress by adding flights or increasing pace, not duration initially.

Stair climbing and running each have unique advantages. Stair climbing benefits: lower impact (30-50% less than running), targets glutes and hamstrings more, burns similar calories (480-900 cal/hr vs 600-1000 cal/hr running), builds more lower body strength, and can be done indoors. Running benefits: higher peak calorie burn, better cardiovascular conditioning, more convenient, and natural movement pattern. Stair climbing is superior for: people with knee issues, building leg strength, small spaces, and those over 50. Running is better for: overall endurance, outdoor enjoyment, and higher intensity intervals. Both are effective - choose based on goals and joint health.