This was taken from a magazine recommending stair climbing as exercise.

Below are the measurable benefits that are indicated in research on stair use.

• Canada’s Physical Activity Guide recommends that Canadians accumulate 30-60 minutes of moderate physical activity each day.
• Stair climbing can be done in many places of employment, or at local parks and monuments. No equipment is needed, and it’s almost always free.
• It is easier to promote stair climbing as an exercise than one with more vigorous undertaking like triathlons – among new exercisers. (Kerr, 2001).
• Stair climbing can be accumulated across the course of the day, making a significant contribution to 30 minutes of daily physical activity (Kerr, 2001).
• Stair climbing saves energy used in elevators, elevates our heart rate, and can result in a fresher employee over the course of a workday.
• A significantly lower risk of mortality is indicated in studies where participants climbed more than 55 flights per week. (Paffenbarger et al. 1993).
• Stair climbing requires about 8-11kcal of energy per minute, which is high compared to other physical activities like walking cycling, golf, volleyball, etc. (Edwards, 1983).
• People that climb stairs regularly are fitter and have higher aerobic capacities (Ilmarinen et al, 1978).
• Even two flights of stairs climbed per day can lead to 2.7 kg weight loss over one year (Brownell, Stunkard, and ALbaum, 1980).
• There is a strong association between stair climbing and bone density, in post-menopausal women (Coupland et al. 1999).
• Stair climbing programs can improve the amount of ‘good cholesterol’ in the blood – HDL concentrations (Wallace and Neill, 2000).
• Stair climbing increases leg power and may be an important priority in reducing the risk of injury from falls in the elderly (Allied Dunbar Survey, 1992).
• Because stair climbing rates are currently very low, increasing population levels of stair climbing could lead to substantial public health dividends (Kerr, 2001).
• Because stair climbing is an activity with which we are all familiar, participants have a high level of confidence in their ability to participate in the activity (Kerr, 2001).

More reasons to stair climb:

• It takes a fraction of the time to climb stairs for the same amount of aerobic or anaerobic benefit of doing most other exercises.
• When you finish – you’re at a higher place and can look down on everything below. There is a special sense of accomplishment that comes with climbing high vertical man-made or natural structures.
• It feels great to push yourself hard during physical activity – at least once per week. Stair climbing is a predominantly mental challenge at the higher exertion levels.