How many calories does 10 minutes of stair climbing burn? 85–150 kcal by weight. Full table plus staircase workout tips.
Ten minutes of stair climbing burns approximately 85–150 calories — making it one of the most time-efficient exercises you can do without equipment.
Stair climbing is a high-intensity functional movement that targets your quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves while elevating your heart rate. Ten minutes of continuous stair climbing is equivalent to roughly 20–30 flights of stairs (about 60–90 stories). Because you're lifting your full body weight against gravity with every step, the calorie burn per minute rivals running.
Ten minutes of stair climbing burns about 1.5 times as many calories as 10 minutes of flat walking and approaches the burn rate of running. It surpasses cycling and swimming at moderate intensities for the same timeframe.
Take the stairs instead of the elevator at work for a quick calorie boost. If you have access to a stairwell, a 10-minute stair workout during lunch burns more calories than most people realize. Start with 5 minutes and build up as your legs adapt.
| Body weight | Calories burned |
|---|---|
| 130 lb (59 kg) | ~87 cal |
| 155 lb (70 kg) | ~103 cal |
| 180 lb (82 kg) | ~120 cal |
| 205 lb (93 kg) | ~136 cal |
| 230 lb (104 kg) | ~153 cal |
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