fitbody
Lean slightly forward as you climb.
by maggie spilner
But keep your back straight and your
head in alignment.

Stair
Keep your knees soft. Don’t lock them
out as you push up.
Climbing

Try intervals. This is a perfect workout
for interval training, which studies like
those conducted at The University of
Fast + Efficient
Alabama and Southern Connecticut
State University show gets one fit
+ Age-defying
faster. Work hard, then back off a bit,
then go for it again. This comes natu-
breath. I start at level one and move
rally with stair climbing, as you tend
up to level four, and in five minutes my
to get out of breath anyway and need
heart rate is in my target zone of 70
to kick back.
stair climbing ups
percent of its maximum, a feat I rarely

the ante of a workout.
reach when walking on a treadmill.
Drink up afterwards. This is a chal-
Plus, you don’t have to trudge
lenging workout and you need to
away at those stairs for 30 minutes. As
rehydrate.
W
onderful walks are both Wescott points out, it’s better to break

relaxing and invigorating, up the day’s 30-minute workout into
Be careful going down. If you must
but if you want to kick butt, three 10-minute sessions. That’s be-
walk back down stairs, take your time;
literally—building strong glutes and cause the body builds cardiovascular
step down deliberately and carefully
thighs; strengthening your core, which endurance during its recovery mode.
and use the handrails to take pressure
helps improve posture and tighten Three shorter workouts deliver three
off your knees. People with arthritis or
abs; and stepping up to cardiovascu- recovery periods, and the workout is
other painful inflammation of the knee
lar fitness quickly and efficiently—try less daunting.
should avoid going down stairs.
stair climbing. Wayne Wescott, Ph.D., Neither of my stair workouts

renowned exercise physiologist, military requires me to go down stairs, which
While I love walking for regular
fitness consultant and author of Get can be hard on joints, ligaments and
exercise, mentally, it’s easier to tackle
Stronger, Feel Younger, states that climb- tendons. In an office building, you
some stairs to boost my heart, rather
ing stairs is one of the more vigorous can climb up the stairs and recover
than focus on walking fast, which
cardiovascular workouts you can do. while taking the elevator back down.
takes more concentration. Consider
Pushing your whole body weight Then, why not make another as-
the comparative calorie burn: In a
up vertically burns lots of calories and cent? While waiting for the elevator,
150-pound person, 10 minutes of
uses lots of energy quickly. I often or any time vigorous exercise has
moderately brisk, 3-miles-per-hour
advise flatlanders to find some stairs elevated heart rate, be sure to walk
walking burns about 40 calories,
in an office building or stadium and around to ease yourself back into
while 10 minutes of running up stairs
climb them regularly to strengthen their recovery mode. When hiking hills, it
burns 179.
legs and increase their endurance. also helps to use walking poles, which
Be sure to warm up and cool
Although I have a one-story serves to take the weight off of knees
down for five to 10 minutes before
house, I have found two stair workouts when going downhill.
and after any workout. And always
I like to play with. On one, I walk Here are more of Wescott’s tips
check with a physician before under-
about two miles on a wooded path that prove helpful:
taking a vigorous activity like stair
by the river to a triple flight of stairs
climbing. Then go out and have some
that takes me onto a bridge where I Wear good running or cross-training
good-hearted fun.
can then double back to my car along or walking shoes for good support.

shaded city streets. It’s my mini-Mount You can save your knee joints from
Maggie Spilner has been writing about
Everest and it really perks up the en- damage by wearing the right shoes. health and fitness for 25 years, including
tire workout.
17 as an editor at Prevention Magazine.
For a more steady and challeng- Warm up first. Walk around for a few
Her books include Prevention’s Com-
ing stair workout, I use a Stairmaster minutes before starting an ascent or
plete Book of Walking for Health and
at the gym, the kind with an actual
Walk Your Way Through Menopause. See
jumping on a machine.
WalkingForAllSeasons.com for informa-
revolving staircase. The trick is to Stretch after a workout—not before.
tion on Spilner’s walking vacations.
start out slowly and find a pace that Gently stretch quadriceps, calves and
you can maintain without gasping for hamstrings. Source: Adapted from StopAgingNow.com.
Pr i n t e d o n re c y c l e d Pa P e r t o Pr o t e c t t h e en v i r o n m e n t
March 2010 19
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