The Stair Climbing Workout

Stairs are Everywhere and They Provide a Great Workout

Apr 19, 2007 Jan Beecher

Stairs provide a quick and readily available workout that can be easy or intense. High calorie burning aerobic exercise. Safety tips and training program suggestions.

Stair climbing may be the fastest and most convenient way to get an excellent aerobic workout, no matter what your fitness level.

It is the perfect downtown or rainy day workout. The stairs can be anywhere-

at home, in an office building, an apartment building, a park, or even a hotel or cruise ship.

Stepping up on a stair is great work for the leg muscles and butt muscles. It’s more work than running because each step requires the lifting up of the entire body’s weight through the height of the stair, using just one leg. You get even more of a workout going downstairs which involves negative contraction of the quadriceps, intensifying the workout considerably.

Calories Burned

Using the stairs as an alternative to the elevator or escalator is excellent exercise and can burn about 500 calories per hour, depending on your weight.

Running upstairs, however, bumps you into a whole new training class - burning in the range of 1000 calories per hour! That is comparable to running a 6.5 minute mile.

Stair Climbing can be an awesome addition to your running program and can replace a hill or speed workout to add variety to your training.

A serious workout

If you choose to do a stair climb, treat it as a serious workout and

• Do a warm up that includes quadricep and calf stretches and a few flights of stairs at an easy pace
• Bring water, keep hydrated.
• Always wear good running shoes, leave the oxfords and the pumps under your desk. Concrete stairs can be especially hard on the joints.
• Be careful of corners and knee alignment, being conscious of how you take corners can prevent a twisted knee or ankle.
• Do a cool down that includes a walk as well as hamstring, calf and quad stretches.

Pace Yourself

Don’t go crazy the first time out, whether you are a novice or a seasoned marathon runner. That is the beauty of stairs, you can start with one or two flights and then take the elevator the rest of the way. Or, if you are in training, control the intensity by running one flight and walking the next. Set a goal of increasing the workout by one flight of stairs per week.

Be Safe

Keep these safety precautions in mind

• If you are in a large building be sure you can exit the stairway easily. Many stairways are locked at the floor exits. Be sure to bring a key, arrange to have someone meet you at your exit floor or bring your cell phone.Let someone know what you are doing, where you are doing it and when you should be back.
• Let someone know what you are doing, where you are doing it and when you should be back.
• Walk your route first time through to be aware of any hazards.
• Watch out for doors opening!

Don’t forget to have a fun!

The copyright of the article The Stair Climbing Workout in Fitness is owned by Jan Beecher. Permission to republish The Stair Climbing Workout in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.