Slimming stairs

Living in the city, we often use transport and do not find time to go to the fitness club. However, each of us has a great opportunity to spend from 540 to 750 kcal per hour using the stairs.

The approximate energy consumption when climbing with a frequency of 60-70 steps per minute is 0,14 kcal per 1 kg of weight. Thus, a woman weighing 70 kg spends about 10 kcal per minute when climbing stairs. Hence the popular recommendation to abandon the elevator in favor of steps. The energy consumption when going down the stairs is slightly lower. And if you decide to do cardio training, then it is advisable to start with 10-15 minutes and bring up to 30-40 minutes.

 

What muscles work when walking up stairs?

Walking stairs significantly reduces body fat, tones muscles, and normalizes blood pressure. Climbing stairs also activates knee straighteners, powerful hip straighteners (hamstrings and glutes), and calf muscles (calorizer). Moreover, after three months of such “training”, the lung volume increases by 8,6% on average, the waist volume decreases by 2%, and the cholesterol level drops by 3,9%.

Walking up the stairs acts like a complete cardio workout on the body. Moreover, many gyms have long had a Stairmaster simulator that simulates climbing stairs.

You need to start walking without weighting. As soon as it becomes easy for you, you can enhance the effect with weights. Take 2-3 kg dumbbells in each hand (total weight 5-6 kg). The versatility of the steps is that you can not only walk or run on them, but also perform exercises.

 

How to train on the stairs?

Always warm up your knees well before starting the exercise. Make sure the soles of your shoes won’t slip off the steps.

Choose a flight of stairs with at least three floors (minimum 10 steps each). This is enough for a start, then you can move on to more floors. Stadium steps are a great choice if you can.

 

Workout 1 – Dumbbell Stair Walking

  1. Take dumbbells weighing 2-3 kg (as you adapt, increase the weight to 5-7 kg). Don’t be surprised at the light weight – by the end of the climb, your thighs will smoke from the load. If not, then grab heavier dumbbells next time. After a few weeks, you will be able to lift with 10 kg dumbbells in each hand.
  2. Keep your hands hanging down freely. Start climbing.
  3. In the end, do not allow yourself to rest, turn around and begin to descend at a controlled average pace. Do not hurry.
  4. After going downstairs, rest for a couple of minutes, then start the next climb. After lifting and descending, you should feel tension in the muscles of your thighs. By the third round, you will find it difficult to control your legs – this is a sign that it’s time to stop. Two days after this session, the hips will hurt a lot. Most of the muscle soreness is due to eccentric repetitions during controlled descending stairs. Although it is not as difficult as lifting, it is harder work for the muscle fibers – they will receive some microdamage. But you should not be afraid, such injuries will help activate new cell nuclei, and your hips will acquire a drawing and density.

Workout 2 – Beginner Ladder Exercises

When you feel confident on the steps, you can incorporate simple exercise into your walking. Before training, be sure to warm up, go 2-3 flights, and then proceed to the main part.

Do the exercises one by one, giving each one 15-30 seconds:

 
  1. Running up the stairs;
  2. Jumping;
  3. Rises on toes;
  4. Long steps;
  5. Cross lifts;
  6. Rise on arms and legs.

Repeat the exercises in the same sequence 3-4 times. As you train, increase the duration of the session by increasing the number of laps. If pain or discomfort develops, stop exercising and consult your doctor.

Workout 3 – Advanced Ladder Exercise

Warm up and walk 3-4 flights, and then proceed to the main part of the lesson.

 

Do the exercises one by one, giving each one at least 30 seconds.

  1. Running up the stairs;
  2. Jumping up a step from a squat;
  3. Uneven squats (first on one side, then on the other);
  4. Push ups;
  5. Reverse push-ups.

Repeat the exercises in the same sequence 3-4 times. This is a challenging workout, so do the exercises in a controlled manner, follow your technique and coordination (calorizator). As you train, increase the duration of the session by increasing the number of laps.

 

And do not think that the most ordinary ladder can be replaced with all kinds of steppers or simulators. So use less elevators and transport, and use more stairs and walk.

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