Training on stairs is an underrated workout activity. Available in every major and minor city, in apartment blocks and public spaces, stairs are unlikely to be associated with sports activities – which is a pity, because on stairs we can take care of our body and fitness comprehensively. This simple structure provides plenty of opportunities to do all kinds of workouts, and all we need besides lightweight equipment to exercise on stairs is our imagination (and our favourite music on headphones).
Workout on stairs – what for?
Making a training plan should always start with the most important element, regardless of where the plan would be executed. This element is to set the training goal – it determines what type of exercises and at what intensity will be applied to the person training.
A training plan for a person who wants to improve their figure will look completely different from the one for a person who wants to improve their aerobic capacity before an upcoming marathon. Stairs are no exception – in order for stair exercises to produce the desired results, you need to tailor the training you perform to your goal. If you have knee joint problems or doubts that training on stairs will be safe in your case, first consult your doctor about your intention to introduce such exercises.
A workout on stairs for fat burning
Stairs are an excellent place to perform workouts aimed at burning body fat. If you want to speed up your metabolic rate, you can do a cardio workout on stairs in different versions, such as aerobic or interval training.
Aerobic training is low- to moderate-intensity training, usually monotonous, with the goal of maintaining an adequate, constant heart rate during exercise. Other than a heart rate monitor to help you monitor your heart rate, you don’t need any accessories for it. All you have to do is find a pace to go uphill which keeps your heart rate in the right zone, and voila! The heart rate in such a workout should oscillate between 50-80 percent of your maximum heart rate. In practice, aerobic training on stairs can look like this:
Warm-up – 10 minutes
Choose exercises that will prepare in particular your ankle, knee and hip joints for exercise. Perform dynamic stretching, swings, circulations and strengthening exercises using your own body weight.
Workout proper – 30 to 60 minutes
Find a steady pace to keep your heart rate in your chosen zone. Then, without stopping, ascend and descend the stairs for a certain amount of time. The higher the stairs (e.g. in an apartment block or office building), the easier it will be to perform this workout without getting dizzy .
Cool down – 5 to 10 minutes
After the cardio session is over, take a few minutes for your body to return to the “initial state”. You can still perform ascending and descending, but at a much slower pace. Another option is gentle stretching exercises or breathing exercises to calm the heart rate and breath.
A workout on stairs to improve fitness
On stairs you can not only shape your figure, but also build your fitness. For this purpose you will use interval training, that is training in which periods of intense exertion and breaks alternate. Interval training is performed at submaximal or maximal heart rates. To do it, you will need a heart rate monitor and a stopwatch.
Warm-up – 10 to 15 minutes
A decent warm-up is the basis for an intense workout. Do dynamic stretching (especially at the ankle, knee and hip joints) and raise your heart rate with exercises such as jumps, skips, jumping jacks and skipping rope.
Workout proper – 15 to 20 minutes
The duration of the workout proper does not have to be long, but it should be intense. Determine the proportion of exercise time to break time according to your preferences and physical ability – it could be one minute of work to one minute of break, 40 seconds of work to 20 seconds of break, or the classic pattern of 20 seconds to 10 seconds of break.
Exercises you can do as part of interval training include dynamic stair climbing at a pace, running up stairs, jumping up stairs or jumping from foot to foot using the first stair.
Cool down – 10 to 15 minutes
After such intense heart rate spikes, your body will need to calm down. To ensure a gentle return to a stable pulse and blood pressure, do mild aerobic exercises (such as walking) and stretching.
A workout on stairs to strengthen the body
Stairs are not only a place for cardio-respiratory training, but also a great tool for strengthening the muscles of the whole body through a strength workout. Accessories such as external weights (dumbbells, kettlebells) or resistance bands can be useful for such workout.
Before the workout, do a warm-up that will focus specifically on the body parts that will later be used during the workout.
Use stairs at will in your main workout. Use the first or second step to raise one of the legs in Bulgarian squats. Use the guard rail to maintain balance when abducting your legs out to the side or for one-handed rowing. Climb every second or third step with a load on your back. Perform squats, one-legged deadlifts or push-ups – you’re only limited by your imagination!