For a more steady and challenging stair
workout, I use a Stairmaster at the gym,
the kind with an actual revolving staircase.
The trick is to start out slowly and find
a pace that you can maintain without
gasping for breath. I start at level one and
move up to level four, and in five minutes
my heart rate is in my target zone of 70
percent of its maximum, a feat I rarely
reach when walking on a treadmill.
without gasping for breath. I start at level one and move up
to level four, and in five minutes my heart rate is in my target
zone of 70 percent of its maximum, a feat I rarely reach
when walking on a treadmill.
Plus, you don’t have to trudge away at those stairs for
30 minutes. As Wescott points out, it’s better to break up the
day’s 30-minute workout into three 10-minute sessions. That’s
because the body builds cardiovascular endurance during its
recovery mode. Three shorter workouts deliver three recovery
periods, and the workout is less daunting.
Neither of my stair workouts requires me to go down
stairs, which can be hard on joints, ligaments and tendons.
In an office building, you can climb up the stairs and recover
while taking the elevator back down. Then, why not make Drink up afterwards. This is a challenging workout and you
another ascent? While waiting for the elevator, or any time need to rehydrate.
vigorous exercise has elevated heart rate, be sure to walk
around to ease yourself back into recovery mode. When hik- Be careful going down. If you must walk back down stairs,
ing hills, it also helps to use walking poles, which serves to take your time; step down deliberately and carefully and use
take the weight off of knees when going downhill. the handrails to take pressure off your knees. People with ar-
Here are more of Wescott’s tips that prove helpful: thritis or other painful inflammation of the knee should avoid
going down stairs.
Wear good running or cross-training or walking shoes for
good support. You can save your knee joints from damage by While I love walking for regular exercise, mentally, it’s
wearing the right shoes. easier to tackle some stairs to boost my heart, rather than
focus on walking fast, which takes more concentration. Con-
arm up first. W Walk around for a few minutes before starting sider the comparative calorie burn: In a 150-pound person,
an ascent or jumping on a machine. 10 minutes of moderately brisk, 3-miles-per-hour walking
Stretch after a workout—not before. Gently stretch quadri- burns about 40 calories, while 10 minutes of running up
ceps, calves and hamstrings. stairs burns 179.
Be sure to warm up and cool down for five to 10 min-
Lean slightly forward as you climb. But keep your back utes before and after any workout. And always check with
straight and your head in alignment. a physician before undertaking a vigorous activity like stair
climbing. Then go out and have some good-hearted fun.
Keep your knees soft. Don’t lock them out as you push up.
Maggie Spilner has been writing about health and fitness for 25
Try intervals. This is a perfect workout for interval train- years, including 17 as an editor at Prevention Magazine. Her
ing, which studies like those conducted at The University of books include Prevention’s Complete Book of Walking for Health
Alabama and Southern Connecticut State University show and Walk Your Way Through Menopause. See WalkingForAllSea-
gets one fit faster. ork hard, then bacW k off a bit, then go for sons.com for information on Spilner’s walking vacations.
it again. This comes naturally with stair climbing, as you tend
to get out of breath anyway and need to kick back. Source: Adapted from StopAgingNow.com.
March 2010 45
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