[Harumanbo Harucheonja] ‘Indoor Stair Climbing’ Good for Winter

Winter, with its cold waves and snowfall, is a season when outdoor exercise is often avoided. One of the easiest indoor exercises during the cold season is stair climbing. In South Korea, where the majority of households live in apartments, simply climbing the stairs of high-rise apartments provides an easy way to exercise.

Stair climbing burns a remarkable amount of calories compared to walking. While walking for 30 minutes burns 63 kcal and brisk walking burns 120 kcal, stair climbing can rapidly burn as much as 220 kcal. Additionally, it increases heart rate and improves blood circulation, helping to prevent cardiovascular diseases. In October last year, researchers at Tulane University in the United States analyzed data from 458,860 adults and found that climbing more than 50 stairs daily reduced the incidence of cardiovascular disease by up to 20%. Because it uses energy explosively in a short time, it is considered an efficient method to improve cardiovascular health.

Choi Wan-jung, president of the Korea Stair Climbing and Walking Association, became an advocate for stair climbing after personally experiencing its benefits. He described starting stair climbing as "one of the best decisions in life," noting that he lost 10 kg through consistent stair climbing. He explained, "By regularly climbing stairs, I lost weight, improved my posture, and my depression completely disappeared, making me mentally very healthy."

However, since apartments are shared living spaces, excessive stair climbing in apartment buildings can sometimes become a nuisance. Recently, a controversy arose on an online community where a resident exercising by climbing stairs was criticized by another resident for causing unnecessary electricity use due to sensor lights turning on and elevator usage when going down, with demands to pay extra electricity fees. There have even been cases where people were caught climbing stairs in apartments other than their own, and in May last year, a man was arrested for secretly entering a neighbor’s home after observing their door lock password while climbing stairs, raising social concerns. This highlights the importance of exercising without disturbing neighbors.

'Health Square,' a building dedicated to stair climbing, located in The Sharp Park City Apartments near Seodongtan Station, Osan-si, Gyeonggi-do.

There are also cases where dedicated stair climbing exercise facilities are being created. In 2019, the Seodongtan Station The Sharp Park City in Osan City, Gyeonggi Province, completed a building decorated with glass that is rarely found in apartment complexes. This building, called "Healthy Square," has become a landmark dedicated to stair climbing exercise. It was the first time in the construction industry that a dedicated facility like this was built. The building, 17 stories high, is adjacent to an apartment building, with three sides made of glass to provide an open view without feeling confined, allowing residents to enjoy exercising with a wide, unobstructed view. The interior uses cypress wood finishes to evoke the feeling of climbing a mountain, and elevators stop every five floors (5th, 10th, and 15th floors) to facilitate smooth exercise.

Local governments are also promoting stair climbing in apartments. Jeongeup City in North Jeolla Province is implementing a "Healthy Stairs" project by placing signs encouraging stair climbing on apartment stairs and walls. Similar initiatives are appearing in Gimhae City, Uiryeong County, and Changnyeong County in South Gyeongsang Province.