There are a few things that are undeniably important for your health:eating a well-balanced diet,drinking a good amount of water, gettingquality sleep, and of course,regular movement. A weekly dose ofcardio can help with weight loss, as well as yield other science-backed benefits likepreventing muscle lossandimproving mental clarity.
The good news is there are plenty of different ways toget your heart rate upsuch asrunning,swimming, dancing, recreational sports and more. However, one of the easiest and most accessible forms of exercise is走. When it comes to the difference between climbing stairs and walking on an incline, here’s what you need to know:
THE BENEFITS OF WALKING UP STAIRS
THE BENEFITS OF WALKING UP STAIRS
The great thing about stairs is they’re readily available. You canwalk up and down flights in your own homeorhit the stairclimberinside a gym. One note: Inside your fitness facility, you’ll probably find both a StairMaster and a StepMill.A StepMill is a set of rotating stairs which the user must climb. Think of this similar to steps you may climb inside of your own home. The StairMaster, on the other hand, is much more comparable to anelliptical— where your feet don’t come off of the pedals during your workout.
“Stair climbing can be a very good way to increase lower body strength and improve your cardiovascular condition,” says Rocky Snyder, a certified strength and conditioning specialist. “By stepping up on a higher platform (compared to walking on a flat surface) theimpact on the body is reduced. This includes all of the load-bearing joints such as the ankles, knees, hips and spine.”
Science agrees: Incorporating a lower body-focused cardio workout into your routine can help increase your endurance, giving you a 17% bump inVO2 max(the maximum amount of oxygen you can take in during exercise), according toresearch published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Climbing stairs has a MET (which stands for “metabolic equivalent task,”) value of 4.0 at a slow pace and 8.8 at a brisk one, according to theCompendium of Physical Activity. To calculate the number of calories burned, you multiply METs by weight (in kilograms) and time (in hours).
THE BENEFITS OF WALKING HILLS
THE BENEFITS OF WALKING HILLS
Similar to stair climbing,走up an inclinereduces the impact on the body. One catch: If you’re doing this on a treadmill, you’ll want tomake sure you’re not holding onto the railing, as this lessens the effects of the workout.
“Depending on the grade of incline will determine how high a person needs to lift their stepping leg,” says Snyder. “Compared to stair climbing, walking up an incline may not require as much flexion at the hip or knee. So, for people with joint issues in those areas, they may choose to avoid the stair workout.”
The compendium lists an 8.0 MET value when walking 3.5 mph at a 6% incline.
IS ONE A BETTER WORKOUT?
IS ONE A BETTER WORKOUT?
If you’re looking from a simple caloric perspective, walking up stairs for 30 minutes, a 150-pound person burns 272 calories versus walking uphill, burning 204 calories, according to ourcalories burned from exercise tool.
However, for some, the low-impact nature of walking up an incline could be a safer, more effective workout, addsNicole Lombardo, a physical therapist and certified strength and conditioning specialist. For others who are looking for a bitmore muscle activation, the stairs could be the winner.
“One is not better than the other,” she says, adding that either of these exercises can safely be done 3–4 times per week. “Your goal should be toease into a walking program. Start by doing stairs or walking at an incline 1–2 times a week and if you don’t haveexcessive soreness, either increase the duration of the workout or the frequency, then progress from there.”
Ultimately, you should choose the type of exercise you enjoy most, and, when in doubt, speak with a certified trainer or physical therapist to individualize recommendations.
