02:10
Faizan
Next time you're faced with the choice to take the stairs or the elevator, ditch the laziness and put one foot in front of the other. The health benefits of walking and climbing the stairs are many and include cardiovascular health, improved respiratory functioning, weight loss, stronger muscles and decreased risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and certain cancers. Although stair climbing burns more calories than walking, both exercises are considered effective aerobic activities.
Aerobic Activity Basics
Aerobic activity -- also called cardiovascular or cardio activity -- is any activity that elevates your heart and respiration rate. Aerobic exercises, like walking and stair climbing, require your muscles to move in a coordinated and rhythmic fashion. During aerobic exercise, your muscles use oxygen for fuel. The harder you exercise aerobically, the more your heart and lungs have to work to pump oxygen into your muscles. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults perform at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week to maintain good health. If you're aiming to lose weight, you might need to exercise for longer than 150 minutes per week or increase the intensity of your workouts to burn extra calories
Take a Walk
The ancient father of modern medicine, Hippocrates, once stated "walking is a man's best medicine." Unfortunately, modern man has traded his two legs for cars, elevators and moving walkways. In a meta-analysis of scientific studies on the health benefits of walking, Harvard Health Press found that walking -- even at a slow pace of just two miles per hour -- can bring health benefits. In fact, walking for an average of nine miles per week can add years to your life. Walking may not burn as many calories as climbing the stairs, but it's a solid choice for an aerobic activity if you're just getting started exercising, are an older adult or need a gentle aerobic activity.
Stairway to Heaven
Stair climbing is considered both an aerobic and strength-training exercise. As you climb the stairs -- even at a moderate pace -- you'll burn two to three times more calories than you would by walking on a level surface. You'll even burn 50 percent more calories than walking on an incline. As your leg muscles work to propel your body upward, you'll strengthen your calf, hamstrings, quadriceps and glute muscles. Walking up the stairs is a taxing aerobic activity though, so if you're not very fit, you might want to stick with walking until your fitness level improves.
Crunching the Numbers
According to the Harvard Health Press, in a 30-minute exercise session walking at a comfortable pace of 3.5 miles per hour, a 155-pound person can expect to burn 150 calories. Of course, you'll burn more calories the faster you walk or if you walk on an incline. For climbing the stairs, a 155-pound person can expect to burn 225 calories during a 30-minute exercise session of continuous climbing. You'll burn a third less calories on the way down than on the way up though, so if you're looking to burn more calories, exercise on the stair step machine or walk up several flights of stairs in an office, apartment building or stadium.
Aerobic Activity Basics
Aerobic activity -- also called cardiovascular or cardio activity -- is any activity that elevates your heart and respiration rate. Aerobic exercises, like walking and stair climbing, require your muscles to move in a coordinated and rhythmic fashion. During aerobic exercise, your muscles use oxygen for fuel. The harder you exercise aerobically, the more your heart and lungs have to work to pump oxygen into your muscles. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults perform at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week to maintain good health. If you're aiming to lose weight, you might need to exercise for longer than 150 minutes per week or increase the intensity of your workouts to burn extra calories
Take a Walk
The ancient father of modern medicine, Hippocrates, once stated "walking is a man's best medicine." Unfortunately, modern man has traded his two legs for cars, elevators and moving walkways. In a meta-analysis of scientific studies on the health benefits of walking, Harvard Health Press found that walking -- even at a slow pace of just two miles per hour -- can bring health benefits. In fact, walking for an average of nine miles per week can add years to your life. Walking may not burn as many calories as climbing the stairs, but it's a solid choice for an aerobic activity if you're just getting started exercising, are an older adult or need a gentle aerobic activity.
Stairway to Heaven
Stair climbing is considered both an aerobic and strength-training exercise. As you climb the stairs -- even at a moderate pace -- you'll burn two to three times more calories than you would by walking on a level surface. You'll even burn 50 percent more calories than walking on an incline. As your leg muscles work to propel your body upward, you'll strengthen your calf, hamstrings, quadriceps and glute muscles. Walking up the stairs is a taxing aerobic activity though, so if you're not very fit, you might want to stick with walking until your fitness level improves.
Crunching the Numbers
According to the Harvard Health Press, in a 30-minute exercise session walking at a comfortable pace of 3.5 miles per hour, a 155-pound person can expect to burn 150 calories. Of course, you'll burn more calories the faster you walk or if you walk on an incline. For climbing the stairs, a 155-pound person can expect to burn 225 calories during a 30-minute exercise session of continuous climbing. You'll burn a third less calories on the way down than on the way up though, so if you're looking to burn more calories, exercise on the stair step machine or walk up several flights of stairs in an office, apartment building or stadium.
Posted in: Running
