Walking has long been considered a form of national activism because it is easy to do, safe, and anyone can start. But if your goal is to lose weight and burn excess fat quickly, walking is sometimes not enough "weight". A small change, climbing stairs, can make a big difference to your figure and health.
According to Dr. Mickey Mehta, a fitness trainer and general health expert in India, moving vertically makes the body work much harder than walking on flat land. “Stepping the stairs forces muscles to lift the entire body weight against gravity. This is what causes energy consumption to skyrocket in a short time,” he analyzed.
Why does climbing stairs burn more calories than walking?
Unlike walking, where movement is quite smooth, climbing stairs creates continuous resistance. Each step is a time when the body has to strain itself to lift higher. Data from Harvard Health Publishing shows that climbing stairs can burn nearly three times more calories than walking at an average speed.
Dr. Mickey Mehta said that when climbing stairs, the heart rate increases rapidly, and metabolism is activated more strongly. “Just 8-10 minutes of climbing stairs can bring a fat burning effect equivalent to a much longer walk. This is an ideal choice for busy people,” he said.
High intensity in a short time also helps the body enter a state of heat generation, the process of burning calories to generate energy. If maintained regularly, this habit can help reduce persistent excess fat, especially in the thighs and hips, when combined with a balanced diet.
How does climbing stairs affect muscles and heart?
Not only is it a fat burning exercise, stair climbing is also considered a form of natural strength training. Each step of climbing activates a series of muscle groups in the lower body: the anterior thigh muscle, posterior thigh muscle, buttock muscle and calf muscle. As a result, the legs become firmer and healthier, while also supporting the hip and knee joints well.
A study published in the journal BioMed Research International shows that regularly climbing stairs helps improve muscle strength and bone metabolism, bringing long-term benefits to the motor system. “This is why many people find their gait straighter and posture much better when making climbing stairs a habit,” Dr. Mehta emphasized.
Regarding cardiovascular health, climbing stairs is called "vertical cardio". Research in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise shows that just 30 minutes of climbing stairs per week has significantly improved heart health. Notably, a study published in the journal Atherosclerosis (September 2023) showed that climbing about 5 floors of stairs per day can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by nearly 20%.
Walking is still very necessary to maintain endurance, reduce stress and protect joints, however, if you want to burn fat quickly and increase strength, climbing stairs is a more effective option. The smartest way is to combine both: walking on a day off or relaxing, climbing stairs for short but heavy workouts.
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