Science has confirmed: Walking uphill burns up to 70% more fat than running on flat ground

New research shows that walking uphill at just 3 mph (about 4.8 km/h) on a steep incline (16-18%) burns 70% more fat than running on a flat surface. Even a moderate 5% incline can increase calorie burn by 50% compared to walking on flat ground! The reason? When you walk uphill, your muscles work harder to lift your body weight, your heart rate stays in that sweet fat-burning zone, and your body reaches into fat stores for energy. It's like a premium workout without the stress on your joints like running.

So next time you're at the gym, skip the flat belt run and try walking uphill instead. Your knees (and your fat cells) will thank you!

Zobrazit příspěvek na Instagramu

Příspěvek sdílený Gains | Fitness, Mindset & Motivation (@gains)

The study referenced by PMID: 22578744 is called:

"Predicting the metabolic cost of incline walking from muscle activity and walking mechanics".

Authors: Jackson LR, Delp SL. Published in the Journal of Biomechanics in 2012.

The aim of this study was to identify which muscle activation patterns and gait features best predict the metabolic cost of hill walking. They measured muscle activation patterns, joint kinematics and kinetics, and metabolic cost in sixteen subjects while walking on a treadmill with inclines of 0%, 5%, and 10%.

Although the study abstract does not directly state the exact percentage increases in fat burning for the specific speeds and inclines mentioned in the original text (e.g., "70% more fat at 3 mph on a 16-18% incline"), the study does address the metabolic costs of hill walking. Metabolic cost is closely linked to calorie and therefore fat burning. The original text likely extrapolates or summarizes the findings of this and similar studies on energy expenditure during uphill walking.