Stair Climbing Workouts: Cardio That Builds Your Legs

From office stairwells to the StairMaster at the gym, stair climbing is accessible and effective. It is a favourite of hikers, athletes and people short on time. Here is how to use it.

Why stairs work

Climbing stairs lifts your body weight against gravity with every step, making it a high-energy activity even at a moderate pace. It strengthens the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings and calves, and improves balance. Because the effort is concentrated, you get a lot of training in little time.

What research shows

• A study at McMaster University in Hamilton (Allison and colleagues, 2017) found that three bouts of 20 seconds of vigorous stair climbing, three times a week for six weeks, improved aerobic fitness in sedentary young women.
• A 2019 McMaster study found brief “exercise snacks” of stair climbing spread through the day improved fitness.
• Large observational studies, including a 2023 analysis in Atherosclerosis, linked climbing more than five flights a day with lower risk of heart disease.

Calories burned

A 75 kg person burns roughly 8–11 calories per minute climbing stairs at a steady pace, about 250–330 calories in 30 minutes, depending on speed and effort. That is more than brisk walking on flat ground in the same time.

Sample workouts

Technique

• Stand tall; lean slightly forward from the hips, not the waist.
• Drive through the whole foot, pushing with the glutes.
• Avoid leaning heavily on the handrails of a stair machine; it reduces the work.
• Take every step for cardio; every second step to emphasise the glutes and quads (if knees allow).
• Keep a steady rhythm and breathe regularly.

Progressing over time

Start with a few flights at a steady pace and walk down slowly, resting as needed. Over several weeks, add flights, reduce rest or add short faster sections. On a stair machine, increase time before speed. A weighted vest or backpack adds difficulty for fitter people, but add load gradually, as it increases stress on knees and ankles. Recording total floors or minutes each week shows progress clearly.

For hikers preparing for mountain trips in the Rockies or elsewhere, stair training is excellent preparation: it builds the leg endurance and heart and lung capacity needed for long climbs.

Protecting knees

Going down stairs places more load on the knees through eccentric (lengthening) muscle action. If your knees are sensitive, take the elevator down, use a stair machine (which only goes up), or descend slowly with the handrail. Strengthening the quads and glutes with squats, step-ups and bridges supports the knee over time.

Stair climbing in Canada

Many Canadian condos and office towers have long stairwells. Charity stair-climb events, such as climbs of the CN Tower in Toronto and other towers across the country, raise funds and give a fun training goal. Outdoor staircases in cities like Montreal and Vancouver are popular with local runners. In winter, indoor stairwells and gym machines keep training going.

Combining with strength training

Stair climbing builds leg endurance and some strength, but it does not replace resistance training for maximal strength and muscle. Use it as cardio alongside two or three strength sessions a week. See HIIT workouts and daily movement.

Who should take care

• People with knee osteoarthritis or recent knee injuries
• People with balance problems
• Anyone with heart disease or uncontrolled high blood pressure
• People carrying significant extra weight, who may start with step-ups or a stationary bike; see low-impact exercise

Frequently asked questions

Photo: Direct Media, StockSnap (public domain).

General information, not medical advice.