Stairs Workout
There are lot of ways you can use stairs to get an awesome workout. To save you time coming up with your own ideas – and help you find your inner “Rocky” – I’ll give you some stair climbing workout ideas to try. Each can be used as a standalone workout or combined with others to make a mega stair climbing program. Take caution if you have knee problems. Taking the stairs required 6 times the energy as walking does. This is not meant to be a one-size fits most workout. You know your body and what you can safely do, honor that!
Walk, jog or run up and then walk back down. Rest a moment (or don’t if you are very fit) and repeat. The number of repeats will depend on your fitness level and the length of the staircase you are climbing.
Side step ups on a step are a great butt blaster! Use a railing for balance when possible.
USE YOUR BODY WEIGHT
Do a set of push-ups, squats, burpees or sit-ups on each landing as you climb up. If you have one flight, do them at the top or the bottom, or both! For a double effective workout, do the same on your descent if doing multiple flights in a row.
Wall push ups can be done on landings, or at the top and bottom of a single stair case.
Do a ladder type drill: Run/jog/trot/climb up to the first landing and then walk back down. Then, and without pausing, run up to the second landing and back down. Turn around and then run up to the third landing and back down. Keep on going up one landing at a time until you reach the top. Walk to trot (not running or bouncing down on the toes only) back down to ground level, take a brief breather (check your heart rate, and do the talk/sing test) and repeat. (check heart rate, is it in your Target Heart Rate Range (THRR)? – basically speaking, can you talk but not sing with the activity?)
Buddy up! With a partner, do push-ups, squats or any other bodyweight exercise while your buddy runs up to the top of the stairs and back down. Change over and repeat. Take it turns to select the exercise to be performed at the bottom of the stairs. Buddying up gives you a rest break as your buddy runs, moral support and accountability to get the job done!
Change Directions: Instead of simply walking or running forward up the stairs, try walking with sidesteps up the stairs, or go backwards. Changing the direction of you stair climbing will work different muscles. Practice caution and don’t rush. Keep it steady, hold onto the railing if you need to, and only pick up speed when you feel comfortable. (For safety, walk down the stairs normally.)
Bear Crawl: Starting on all fours, Bear-crawl up the stairs to get your upper body in on the action. If you are strong and brave enough, you can also bear crawl back down again although, for safety you’d be better off crab crawling instead. A bear crawl is performed with your belly facing the floor and traveling head first, whereas a crab crawl is performed with your belly facing the ceiling and traveling feet first.
JUMP! Take a jump rope with you and do 50-100 rope turns at each landing. If you don’t have a jump rope, pretend with your arms! And if you don’t want to jump due to knee or bladder issues, don’t leave the ground with the pretend jump ropes. It will get the heart rate up, save the knees and not make you feel like you need to pee!
Ready, set, go! See how many ascents and descents you can complete in a set time frame – e.g. Gimmie 10 minutes. Work as hard as you can and try to beat your record each time you repeat this workout.
Side (above), reverse or stationary forward lunges can be done on landings.
Strength Train: Bring a dumbbell or kettlebell to a landing or leave at the base of the stairs so you can do a set of a strength training exercises on the landing. Suitable exercises include kettlebell swings, dumbbell curl to press, and a variety of lunges.
Do a single or double arm swing.
Sprints: Climb as far up the stairs (or do as many as you have available) as you can with control and safety in 30 seconds and then walk back down to the start. (at home with one flight, go up and down for the 30 seconds) Repeat 2-five more times while attempting to climb as high each time thereafter. Make it what works for you. Sprints could be your entire Gimmie 10! minute workout.
Set Goals: If you need help setting up an activity plan, health coaching might be a great accountability buddy for you! I can help you set SMART goals to achieve the activity level you envision, and co-create a plan that works for you!
Set a SMART goal to increase your stairs each week:
S = Specific
M = Measurable
A=Acton Based/Attainable
R= Realistic and Rewarding
T=Time Based/Bound
