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Is Using a Stair Machine the Same as Climbing Stairs?

According to physics, one burns more calories than the other—and the winner might surprise you.

So, using the formula for U above, with a book mass of 1 kilogram and a change in height of 1 meter, we need a work of 1 x 1 x 9.8 = 9.8 joules (or about 10). Well, the simple solution is to add another type of energy—let's just call it “internal energy.” It's the energy stored in your body by eating your Wheaties for breakfast. Now we can go back to the original question: What does the work-energy principle say about stairs versus a stair-climbing machine?

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