Climbing stairs may be the most effective exercise for you

(TOKYO) — If you’re trying to lose weight and are looking for a new way to do it, climbing stairs regularly — or just a few flights of stairs a day — might be for you.

It’s accessible and research shows it’s more effective than walking on flat ground.

“In general, it is a fact that stair climbing helps you get fit faster and burn more calories,” said Lauri van Houten, vice president of the International Skyrunning Federation, which oversees a wide range of disciplines involving vertical climbing.

These include disciplines such as mountain climbing above 2,000 meters (about 6,500 feet) or events such as the World Stair Climbing Championships.

These competitions are aimed at the fittest of the fittest, but we’re talking about adding a few minutes of stair climbing to your daily routine and raising awareness of its effectiveness for all ages.

“How many calories will I burn is the question everyone wants to know,” Van Houten said. “Here’s the good news: The total energy expenditure of exercise depends on your weight. So the more you weigh, the more you burn.”

Climbing stairs burns calories — fast

Research shows that you burn about 20 times more calories walking up stairs than walking on flat ground. Even going down stairs burns about five times more calories because the muscles are used to slow the body’s descent.

That may be all you need to know if you want to lose weight.

Dr. Alberto Minetti, a physiologist and biomechanist at the University of Milan, has conducted extensive research on human locomotion, including stair climbing.

“It’s an exercise that anyone can do,” Minetti told The Associated Press. “You always have stairs nearby — free compared to a gym.”

Minetti calculated why climbing stairs is so effective for burning calories in a short time.

Read more: What is the minimum amount of exercise I am allowed to do?

“To move 1 kilogram of body weight 1 horizontal meter, you use 0.5 calories,” he said. “If you move 1 kilogram of body weight vertically up the stairs, that costs 10 calories. So it’s 20 times as many calories if you move vertically instead of horizontally.”

Minetti, who trained as a doctor and has dedicated his career to research rather than treating patients, suggested “watching your speed” for the not-so-young and beginners. He does his own stair climbing in his third-floor apartment in Milan. He said he often takes a few deep breaths before going up, which helps him feel fresher when he gets to the top.

In a scientific study, Minetti states that using the arms while climbing stairs adds extra power. Handrails also provide safety.

The magazine notes that most skyscraper stairwells have handrails, which “maximize the muscle mass involved and, consequently, the mechanical/metabolic power of the ascent” by involving the arms.

“They are relatively small muscles in the arms, but better than nothing,” Minetti said.

Stairs are everywhere

If stair climbing were an Olympic sport, Suzy Walsham would have a handful of gold medals.

She has won 10 races up the Empire State Building in New York — officially 1,576 stairs. She has claimed titles in more than 100 international stair races and was once considered the No. 1 woman in the discipline.

The Australian won the Eiffel Tower climb five times.

Apparently this was all too easy.

While living in Singapore, Walsham climbed her 29-story building 37 times in a row. It took her more than four hours, taking the elevator down each time she reached the top, with short breaks for coffee or water. She covered a vertical distance of 3,200 meters (10,500 feet).

But let’s ground ourselves for a moment. What are the benefits of stair climbing as a regular exercise routine for the rest of us?

Read more: TIME Exercise Guide

“You get a lot of bang for your buck,” Walsham told the AP. “A lot of people struggle with running as they get older. The impact of running gets harder on the joints. But stair climbing is a great alternative.”

Stairs are everywhere: one flight of stairs, two flights of stairs at home, in skyscrapers, in stadiums and arenas, at work, in shopping malls, in the subway.

A great advantage of stair climbing is that it doesn’t take much time. It’s easy to build up, adding a few flights of stairs each day or week, and it improves your balance.

The downside is that it doesn’t really look picturesque, especially in the stairwells of the towering skyscrapers.

Climbing stairs can be incorporated into your daily routine

Yuri Yoshizumi won the women’s division of the World Stair Climbing Championships in her hometown of Osaka, Japan last year, climbing 285 meters (935 feet) (1,610 steps) and completing the climb in 10 minutes, 20.06 seconds.

Read more: 9 Ways to Take More Steps Every Day

“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 pretty hard, so it’s pretty tough. But it’s good for you to strengthen your muscles and your cardiovascular system in a short amount of time.”

She mentioned another advantage, especially since she lives in a big metropolis like Osaka.

“It is possible to do it in the city,” she said. “Just using the stairs instead of the escalators at (subway) stations and department stores is a good way to get some exercise.”