A varied routine of exercise makes exercise more enjoyable, for example using stairs as a tool. In addition to working out with the StairMaster available in the gym, take advantage of the stairs in your home or apartment building to work out. Cardio and muscle strengthening exercises while climbing stairs are useful for burning a lot of calories and maintaining good health. Before exercising, consider how fit your body is to decide whether you'd like to exercise using stairs. In addition, keep in mind that this exercise is quite risky because you can get injured if you fall while doing the movement on the stairs. If you feel fit enough, find a ladder to exercise and then include this activity in your workout schedule.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Practice Cardio
Step 1. Use the stairs to walk or jogging.
If you've ever climbed stairs several floors, you know that this activity can be a very rewarding way of exercising. As you climb a few floors of stairs, the rhythm of your heartbeat and breathing becomes faster. This is why physical exercise using stairs is useful for maintaining cardiovascular health.
- If possible, look for a multi-story building where you can go up the stairs for several minutes continuously, instead of just going up one floor and then descending again.
- Tall buildings, such as sports stadiums, apartments, or offices are usually equipped with stairs that are suitable for exercising.
- Start exercising up stairs for 5-10 minutes or as much as you can. After taking a short break, take some time to walk or do some muscle strengthening exercises before continuing for the next 5-10 minutes.
- Step 1 rung for a more intense and challenging workout. When you are just starting to train, you can simply walk or jog.
Step 2. Do a sprint on the stairs
If you're fit enough, sprint up the stairs for a more intense and challenging cardio workout. Sprinting on the stairs is also useful for cardiovascular training and speeding up the rhythm of the heart rate.
- To sprint on stairs, run as fast and as long as you can, but many people can only sprint for a few minutes.
- Alternately swing your arms back and forth to maintain a running speed. This move keeps you energized and your body working harder.
- When sprinting on stairs, don't go up 2 steps at once, unless you're used to it and can do it well. This message applies to people with knee problems.
Step 3. Jump on the stairs
If you don't like running up stairs or if the stairs aren't long enough, do a jump when you go up the stairs. As a way of exercising plyometrics, this movement is beneficial for cardiovascular training by accelerating the rhythm of the heart rate.
- When doing this exercise, you can jump on one or both feet. Jumping on 1 leg is more difficult than on 2 legs.
- Stand facing the stairs on the floor or the bottom step. Bend your knees slightly and jump to the next step. Continue jumping to the top of the ladder.
- If you want to jump on 1 leg, start practicing by standing facing the stairs on the first floor or step. Use one foot to jump up and land on the next step with the same foot. Do this movement as much as you can.
- Make sure the steps are wide enough so that the soles of your feet touch the steps. This way, you land on the next step with your entire foot so your heels don't hang down.
Step 4. Develop an interval training program
When exercising using stairs, especially when doing cardio, you may not be able to train 30-45 minutes without resting. However, you can exercise continuously if you do a variety of cardio exercises.
- Usually, cardio exercise is done for at least 20 minutes. If you're looking to extend the duration of your cardio workout with stairs, structure your interval training program as desired so that you can train longer.
- Whatever physical exercise you choose, take the time to warm up for 5 minutes before exercising, for example by taking a leisurely walk up and down stairs.
- Then, do several exercises in a row. For example, start your workout by running up stairs for 5 minutes followed by 1 minute sprints and 5 minutes jogging, then rest for 2 minutes.
- Time to jump while practicing intervals to speed up the rhythm of the heart rate. After resting, repeat this step starting with a leisurely walk or jogging up the stairs for a few minutes.
Part 2 of 3: Practicing Muscle Strengthening
Step 1. Use the steps to perform lunges
In addition to practicing cardio, stairs can be used when practicing muscle strengthening. Strengthening the legs and buttocks is easier if you do it on the stairs.
- It's easier for you to adjust the position of your feet when doing lunges on the stairs. The lunge on the floor is very effective in strengthening the legs and buttocks, especially if done on the stairs because the intensity of the exercise increases.
- When practicing lunges using stairs, step your feet up a maximum of 2-3 steps. Muscles can be injured if you step too wide.
- Step right foot up step 2-3 stairs. Try to climb stairs using the strength of your right leg. At this time, you can feel the contraction of the right thigh muscle. Move up until the sole of your left foot is next to your right foot on the same step.
- Perform a lunge by raising the same leg or the other. To work both legs, do 10 lunges with your right leg and 10 with your left or as much as you can.
Step 2. Perform tricep dips on the stairs
Running or jogging up stairs puts a lot of stress on your legs, buttocks, heart, and lungs. For a more balanced physical workout, you need to train your upper body. The incline of the ladder can be used to train the back arm and triceps.
- Start the exercise by standing with your back to the stairs. Place your palms on the second or third step from the bottom with your fingers facing forward. Grab the edge of the steps and spread your palms shoulder-width apart.
- Place your feet on the floor while straightening your knees. Lift your buttocks away from the floor while straightening your elbows.
- Lower your body slowly using the strength of your triceps until your buttocks touch the floor or steps by bending your elbows 90°.
- Lift your buttocks away from the floor again. Do this movement 3 sets, 15-20 times per set.
Step 3. Do push ups on the stairs
In addition to strengthening the triceps, use the ladder as a tool when doing push ups. This exercise is useful for strengthening the arms, chest and core muscles.
- Stand facing the stairs and place your palms on the first or second step. Straighten your legs like you want to do a plank (plank posture). The higher the hand position, the exercise feels lighter.
- After spreading your palms shoulder-width apart, bend your elbows slowly to lower your body little by little so that your body and face are approaching the stairs.
- Lower your body as far as you can until your nose almost touches the ladder. Hold for a few seconds then return to the starting position.
- As a variation, place your palms on the floor and place your toes on the first or second step to perform an inversion push-up.
Step 4. Perform side lunges as you go up the stairs
This movement is the same as a regular lunge, but done while facing the side. In addition to strengthening the legs, this exercise is very useful for training the outer and inner thigh muscles.
- Start the exercise by standing on the floor directly at the bottom of the stairs, pointing your right shoulder toward the stairs.
- Take your right foot 1 or 2 steps up and then put your left foot 1 step under your right foot. Do this movement repeatedly until the top rung. When you reach the top of the stairs, repeat this exercise by lifting your body up with your left leg.
Step 5. Perform a tiptoe movement on the stairs
This exercise is useful for raising the calves by training the gastronecmius muscle. Maybe you immediately imagine this muscle when you hear the word calf.
- Stand on the edge of the steps with your heels hanging down so that only the balls of your feet and toes are touching the steps.
- Point your feet as high as you can while straightening your back, legs, and ankles so you don't lean forward or backward.
- Lower the heel slowly as far as possible.
- If necessary, hold onto the railing for balance.
- Do this move while resting on one leg for a more intense workout, but make sure you can hold onto the railing or wall while practicing.
Part 3 of 3: Applying Exercise Guidelines
Step 1. Set aside 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week
Whatever exercise you choose, make sure you train for the minimum duration as advised by health experts. You can exercise using stairs or other methods.
- Health experts recommend that you do cardio for at least 150 minutes a week or about 30 minutes per training session, 5 times a week. You can train with short sessions or long sessions according to your daily routine.
- Exercising on the stairs, especially running or jogging up stairs, is an effective way of doing cardio and can count towards meeting your goal of 150 minutes a week.
- If done regularly, physical exercise by climbing stairs is a great way to strengthen your leg muscles and maintain cardiovascular health, but you don't have time to train your back muscles. Take time to train your back muscles while practicing muscle strengthening.
- In addition, you can practice aerobics in other ways, such as walking, jogging, using the elliptical machine, dancing, or joining a cardio class at the gym.
Step 2. Perform muscle strengthening exercises 2-3 times per week
In addition to doing cardio, set aside a few days for strengthening muscles. However, the duration of this exercise need not be the same as the duration of the cardio workout.
- Health experts recommend that you do muscle strengthening exercises at least 2 times per week. When training, make sure you strengthen large muscle groups for at least 20 minutes per training session.
- You can strengthen your muscles without stairs, for example by practicing weightlifting, Pilates, or other plyometric exercises.
- Some of the steps using the stairs described in this article, such as lunges, climbing stairs while jumping or sideways, push ups, tricep dips, and tiptoe on stairs are useful for strengthening muscles. The duration of this exercise can be calculated to meet the weekly target.
Step 3. Get used to using stairs during daily activities
The right way to exercise on stairs is to use it as often as possible to keep the body moving. This step is a surefire tip to increase physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle.
- In addition to using the stairs when exercising regularly, try to move your body more while living your daily life.
- Studies show that an active lifestyle is as beneficial for health as regular aerobic exercise (eg, a 30-minute walk).
- Using stairs during daily activities is a way to increase the intensity of the movement. For that, use the stairs when working in the office, instead of taking the elevator, find a parking space a bit far from the entrance, and get into the habit of going up and down stairs when you are at home.
Step 4. Allow joints and muscles to rest 1-2 days per week
If you are doing high-intensity exercise (such as climbing stairs while running), it is important to rest your newly trained body part at least once a week.
- In addition to doing cardio or strengthening muscles according to the recommended weekly duration, make sure you get enough rest, for example by training your leg muscles every 2 days. If your feet still feel sore or sore, rest for 1 more day.
- When you rest to recover, your body will repair damaged tissue and gather energy after working hard while you exercise. In addition, muscle mass and strength increase when you rest.
- Physical exercise using stairs is usually very challenging and exhausting. Therefore, practice every 2 days so that the body is getting fitter and continues to progress.
- Make sure you stay active while resting by doing physical exercises to recover and relax, such as practicing gentle yoga, walking leisurely, or riding a bicycle.
Tips
- Stairs are a great tool for cardio and muscle strengthening exercises.
- Stairs are great for exercising, but you'll need to do a variety of physical exercises so that your knees and other joints don't put too much stress on them.
