Is climbing down flights of stairs cheating?

[nikdeshp]

Every weekday afternoon at work, I climb down 9 flights of stairs to walk in the parking lot. This is about 500 steps. Climbing down stairs appears to be less strenuous than walking on level ground. I know that walking up stairs is more strenuous, but that is not my point. Am I cheating myself? I accomplish my 10K goal almost every day. Instead of walking down, should I take the elevator to go down, and walk 500 steps more? 

[WendyB]

I makes no difference how you get your steps. I don't see why you would think its cheating. You are walking.

I would not take the elevator down I would still do the stairs.

[SunsetRunner]

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@nikdeshp wrote:

Every weekday afternoon at work, I climb down 9 flights of stairs to walk in the parking lot. This is about 500 steps. Climbing down stairs appears to be less strenuous than walking on level ground. I know that walking up stairs is more strenuous, but that is not my point. Am I cheating myself? I accomplish my 10K goal almost every day. Instead of walking down, should I take the elevator to go down, and walk 500 steps more? 

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It's not cheating in anyway. You get points for steps, but no floor points.  Climb 100 flights of stairs in a day you get The Daily Climb Badge.  Once you reach 500  stairs you get the Lifetime Climb Badge.   

[emili]

if you are taking a step, up, down or sideways, its a step and it counts. and to be honest, as long as you think its a step- its a step. it doesn't matter what the rest of us think- you are moving instead of riding an elevator - give yourself credit.

[Corney]

I could never understand why the fitbit only counts going up stairs, since it takes the same amount of work to climb a flight of stairs as to go down a flight of stairs.  Work is defined as moving a weight through a distance.  Whether you go up the stairs or down the stairs you are still moving the same amount of weight through the same distance.  Going down the stairs is harder on the knees than going up the stairs because it is an eccentric contraction.

[Baltoscott · Accepted solution]

Not cheating at all. Going down stairs is a great compliment your regular walking, as it uses the muscles in your legs and core differently. You could think of it as a controlled fall -- gravity REALLY wants you on that next step but you've got to engage all those muscles to keep from getting there too fast.

Next task - start climbing those nine floors every morning! 😏

[Piggy]

cheating? no, that's extra painful, I'd rather walk up the stairs and take the elevator down

[nikdeshp]

Heeding your advice, made a small start today. Climbed 6 floors this morning with my backpack on. 

[Baltoscott]

Well done @nikdeshp. I will be doing the same in a few minutes. I work on the 7th (top) floor of my building and always take the stairs.

[mlaccs]

Just walk.  Walk up, walk down, wlak sideways ..... just walk.

[WendyB]

Great job @nikdeshp

[pcobb8]

far from cheating.    I find walking down stair much more difficult then walking up stairs.  

[USAF-Larry]

I have found that when I go up a flight or 2 of stairs, I have to go back down them to get out of the building.  So, I don't think it is cheating...  

[Shubham880]

I would say...instead of walking 10k steps..just climb 30 floors a day... would be far better than walking.

[Corney]

@Shubham880: I agree as far as strengthening lower extremity bone and
muscles with one caveat, as long as you have no knee problems. Going down
stairs, like running down hills, put great strain on the Patellar/Femoral
joint.

[GershonSurge]

In my opinion, stairs were designed by orthopedic surgeons. 

@Corney,

Glad to see you back and warning people about the dangers of various types of exercise. 

[Corney]

@GershonSurge:  Sorry to have been away, but a compression fracture of a Lumbar Vertebra along with 3 buldging discs below that causing constant Left leg pain have laid me up.  Taking meds for nerve pain, waiting for a spinal injection, but expecting spinal surgery in the near future.  Never thought this could happen to me, as we all know s--t happens.

[GershonSurge]

@Corney,

I missed your posts and was wondering what happened to you. Although I feel many people can maintain high step counts, most will experience the problems you mentioned. I'm not one of those people.

Sorry to hear about your back problems. While you were away, I got proof that my L5-L6 disc regenerated since 1993. I credit my diet.

Lately, I've been focusing on burning calories through productive work instead of getting steps. As long as I vary the work, repetitive motion injuries don't seem to happen. I don't even look at steps until the end of the day, and then only as a matter of curiosity.

Your injuries will get better or at least less bad over time. Hang in there. 

[Corney]

@GershonSurge: I hope you are correct, but looking at X-rays and MRI of my
lumbar spine I have my doubts. I'll keep you informed. Thanks for you
encouragement.