Stairs Climbed Calorie Calculator
Climbing stairs lifts your body against gravity one step at a time. This estimate works out the energy of lifting your weight by the height of each step, then scales it up for the energy your body spends.
- Free
- Works offline after your first visit
- Saves on this device
- No sign-up
- Updated
How it works
Each step lifts your body by the height of the step. The work for one step is your weight in kilograms, times 9.81, times the step height in meters.
Only part of the energy you burn becomes that work, so the calculator divides by 0.24 to estimate the total. It does not count the trip back down, and it does not add effort from breathing.
Worked example
Climbing 40 steps of 7 in at 160 lb body weight burns about 5 kcal.
Questions
How tall are stair steps?
Many home stairs have risers of about 7 inches, or 18 centimeters, but it varies. Measure a riser on your own stairs for an accurate result.
Is this the same as a stair climber machine?
Machines set their own step height and speed. Use the machine's figures if it shows them, or enter its step count and height here.
Does climbing faster burn more?
Not in this estimate. The lift is the same whatever the speed, but faster climbing costs more effort in practice, so the true figure may be higher.
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