Stair Climbing: Your Ticket to a Quick and Easy Cardio

iv id="body">On the first week, do the following for 10-15 minutes:
Parks filled with rowdy kids? Gym too far from yourClimb 2 flights and then march in place or walk around
home or office? Then perhaps it's time to look atthe entire floor for a couple of minutes to avoid
stadiums and tall buildings."burning" thigh muscles or shortness of breath. Add
You've got it right -- staircases. They're the cheapfive minutes every week to this routine until you're
alternatives to steppers (in fact, they don't costfinally able to climb the entire flight without needing
anything), and the best thing about them is you canto march in place or walk around the floor to catch
do your cardio any time of the day.your breath.
Athletes have been performing stadium bleacher runsSafety Precautions For Stair Climbing
since time immemorial. It improves their cardiovascular- Wear shoes with good support -- the best ones
stamina and promotes their muscular endurance --are aerobic or cross-training shoes. Running shoes are
two things that are necessary for competitive gamesnot recommended because they don't give enough
that last for hours.lateral support.
For your part, stair climbing gives nearly the same- Make sure that the stairwell is well-lit and
benefits, but on a scale that's just right for you.well-ventilated.
The Benefits Of Stair Climbing- Drink enough water before, during, and after the
This activity is low-impact and safe for as long asworkout.
you strictly observe the safety rules outlined below.- Discontinue the session as soon as you feel any of
It uses the muscles of the buttocks and thethe following: nausea, dizziness, heart palpitation, and
quadriceps (front of the thigh) muscles. It also givesdisorientation, among others.
your heart a super workout because you're literally- Alternate this activity with other forms of cardio so
carrying your weight as you work against gravity.as to prevent overuse injury (caused by impacting
Stair climbing is time efficient as it burns anthe same bones and muscles over and over again).
unbelievable 300 calories in 30 minutes, depending on- Contrary to popular belief, your knees are more
your pace and body weight.stressed coming down than they are going up
This could be just the answer to our many alibis tobecause of your reflex of "putting on the brakes,"
keep from doing routines, such as "dogs chase me atjust as the downhill part of mountain climbing is more
the park," or "the smog outside is just terrible"!dangerous. You may want to take the elevator on
When Is The Best Time To Stair Climb?the way back if you're just beginning.
If you're using your office stairs, it's better to do this- Assume the proper stance: Lean forward a bit from
activity after work as you'll be all sweaty andthe hips and keep your back straight. Never slouch
exhausted. However, if you're utilizing your apartmentwhile stair climbing.
building staircase, early in the morning would be great!- Don't climb with heels hanging off the edge of the
Warming Up And Cooling Downstep as you'll risk injuring your Achilles tendon.
Walk around your apartment or office for about fiveInstead, place your entire foot on each step.
minutes prior to tackling the stairs. You should also- Never climb a totally desolate area of the building! In
stretch your calves, quads, and hamstrings to avoidthe unlikely event of an accident, make sure that you
tearing.can be heard if you cry out for help.