Van Roie called it “a very short burst of exercise.” On average, the fastest participant took 3.1 seconds to climb the two flights of stairs and the slowest took 6.8 seconds.

According to research, climbing stairs can have surprising benefits for both your physical health and your brain without needing to hurtle up two steps at a time or break records.

Climbing stairs is a simple yet effective way to boost mental health. It triggers the release of endorphins, the brain’s natural mood elevators, which help reduce stress and anxiety.

The stair-climbing group started with four sets of step-ups on a box about 30 or 40 centimeters (about 1 or 1.3 feet) high, alternating two sets per leg, to induce muscle fatigue and build strength.