Except translation, this story has not been edited by achinews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.
TOKYO (AP) — If you’re trying to lose weight and want a new way to do it, climbing stairs as a regular exercise — or just adding a few flights a day — might be for you.
It is accessible, and research shows that it is more effective than walking on level ground.
“Overall, it’s a fact that stair climbing gets you fitter faster and burns more calories,” says Lauri van Houten, vice president of the International Skyrunning Federation, which oversees a wide range of disciplines that relating to vertical climbing.
This includes disciplines such as mountain running over 2,000 meters (around 6,500 feet) or events such as the Stair Climbing World Championships.
These competitions are for the very fit, but we are talking here about adding a few minutes of stair climbing as a daily routine and raising awareness about its effectiveness for all ages.
“How many calories will I burn is the question everyone wants to know,” says van Houten. “Here’s the good news: The overall energy expenditure of the exercise depends on your weight. So, the more you weigh, the more you burn.”
Climbing stairs burns calories – fast
Research shows that you burn around 20 times more calories going up stairs than walking on level ground. Even going down the stairs you burn about five times more, with the muscles being worked to slow the descent of the body.
That might be all you need to know if you’re trying to lose weight.
Dr Alberto Minetti, a physiologist and biomechanist at the University of Milan, has done extensive research into human locomotion – including stair climbing.
“It’s an exercise that everyone can do,” Minetti told The Associated Press. “You always have stairs nearby – free compared to a gym.”
Minetti did the math to explain why going up the stairs is so effective for burning calories in a short period of time.
“To move 1 kilogram of body mass over 1 meter horizontally, you expend 0.5 calories,” he said. “If you move 1 kilogram of body mass vertically on the stairs, it’s 10 calories. So 20 times the calories move vertically rather than horizontally.”
Trained as a doctor, Minetti has spent his career in research rather than treating patients. He suggested “watch your speed” for the not-so-young and beginners. He does his own stair climbing in his third floor home in Milan. He said he often takes a few deep breaths before taking off, which makes him feel fresher at the top.
In a scientific study, Minetti makes the point that using the arms when climbing stairs adds extra power. Guides also offer safety.
The journal notes that most staircases in skyscrapers have handrails, which maximize “the muscle mass involved and, consequently, the mechanical/metabolic power of the ascent” by having the arms take part.
“They are relatively small muscles in the arms, but better than nothing,” Minetti said.
There are stairs everywhere
If stair climbing were an Olympic sport, Suzy Walsham would own a handful of gold medals.
She has won 10 races up the Empire State Building in New York – officially 1,576 steps. She has claimed titles in more than 100 international stair races, and was once considered the No. 1 woman in the discipline.
Five times, the Australian has won the climb up the Eiffel Tower.
This was too easy, I guess.
When she lived in Singapore, Walsham climbed up her 29-story building – 37 times in a row. It took over four hours, riding the elevator down each time after reaching the top with short breaks for coffee or water. It covered a vertical distance of 3,200 meters (10,500 feet).
But let’s get started. What are the benefits of stair climbing as a regular exercise routine for the rest of us?
“You get a lot of bang for your buck,” Walsham told the AP. “A lot of people have trouble running as they get older. The effect of running is getting harder on the joints. But stair training is a great alternative.”
Stairs are everywhere – one flight, two flights at home, inside skyscrapers, in stadiums and arenas, at work, in shopping malls, in the subway.
One huge advantage of stair climbing is that it doesn’t take much time. It’s easy to build up, adding a few steps each day or week, and improves balance.
On the down side, it is not very scenic, especially in the steps of tall skyscrapers.
Stair climbing can be worked into your daily routine
Yuri Yoshizumi won the women’s division last year at the World Stair Climbing Championships in her native Osaka, Japan, a 285-meter (935-foot) climb – 1,610 steps – which she finished in 10 minutes, 20.06 seconds.
“Stair climbing is an easy sport for beginners and the general public to get into,” Yoshizumi told the AP in an email. “Elite athletes push themselves quite hard, so it’s quite difficult. But it’s good for you to strengthen your muscles and your cardiovascular system in a short period of time.”
He added another advantage, especially living in a big metropolis like Osaka.
“It can be done in the city,” he said. “Using the stairs instead of the escalators at (subway) stations and department stores is a good way to get some exercise.”
(Except translation, this story has not been edited by achinews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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