How Many Calories Do You Burn Walking Upstairs?

Gyms have stair-stepping machines for a reason -- walking upstairs is one of the more intense exercises you can do, burning a higher number of calories than walking or dancing. The Alabama

Cooperative Extension System places walking upstairs in the same exercise class as fast rowing or cycling.

Calories per Minute

Walking upstairs can burn anywhere from 7 to 10 calories per minute. This amount varies by how much you weigh and how quickly you go up the stairs. It might not seem like a lot, but UCLA notes if a 150-pound person decides to continue walking up flights of stairs for just 30 minutes, he can burn about 525 calories.

That Yearly Pound

You've probably heard that an extra few calories per day can add up to an extra pound a year. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene says you can avoid adding that pound by climbing stairs for only two minutes each day.

Downstairs

Don't forget about walking downstairs. While it doesn't have the aerobic impact that going upstairs has, you're still moving and thus burning calories. Anna Martin, an adviser with the University of California Cooperative Extension in San Joaquin County, estimates that walking downstairs can still burn about one-third the calories you'd burn walking upstairs.