Which Burns More Calories: Running or Climbing Stairs?

Running fast is the best exercise for burning calories, according to a study published by the “Harvard Heart Letter.” Climbing stairs by running up them doesn’t burn as many calories as running at the fastest speeds, but it burns more calories than running at most speeds. Climbing stairs by walking up them burns fewer calories than most running exercises, but more calories than jogging. Exercising on gym equipment that allows you to replicate climbing stairs burns fewer calories than running or walking up actual stairs.

Running fast ranks tied for first, third and fourth in calories burned on a list of 158 exercises published in the July 2004 issue of the “Harvard Heart Letter.” Running 10 mph, which is the equivalent of running six-minute miles for an hour, burns 1,228 calories per hour in 155-pound people. Bicycling more than 20 mph burns the same amount of calories. You burn more calories if you weigh more. If you weigh 155 pounds, you will burn 1,078 calories per hour running at a pace of seven minutes per mile and 930 calories per hour running at a pace of eight minutes per mile.

Jogging is slow running, according to “An Invitation to Health,” a textbook for college students. There is no set speed level for joggers ,because better runners can jog faster, but author Dianne Hales wrote that joggers can have a conversation with other people, while fast runners can’t. Jogging burns 493 calories in 155-pound people, according to a State of Wisconsin study of 175 exercises.

Climbing stairs by running up them burns more calories than running at most speeds, but not the fastest speeds, according to the Wisconsin study. You will burn 1,056 calories per hour running up stairs if you weigh 155 pounds. Running miles in six and a half minutes for an hour burns the same exact number of calories. Running up stairs burns fewer calories than running miles in six minutes for an hour and more calories than running miles in seven minutes for one hour.

Climbing stairs by walking up them burns 563 calories per hour in 155-pound people, according to the Wisconsin report. This is the same amount of calories you burn if you’re running miles in 12 minutes, a very slow pace. However, walking up stairs burns more calories than jogging and walking on flat surfaces. “The Complete Guide to Walking for Health, Weight Loss, and Fitness” author Mark Fenton explained that walking up an incline requires more effort to maintain your balance. Walking up stairs at a 15 percent incline burns 67 percent more calories than walking on flat surfaces, Fenton wrote.

Climbing stairs by using a stair step machine ranks tied for 12th among the 20 gym activities analyzed in the Harvard study. You will burn 446 calories per hour exercising on the stair step machine if you weigh 155 pounds. Exercising on a stair treadmill machine burns almost exactly the same amount of calories per hour, 444, according to the Wisconsin study.