fitbody
by maggie spilner
Stair
Climbing
Fast + Efficient
+ Age-defying
maintain without gasping for breath. I
stair climbing ups
start at level one and move up to level
the ante of a workout.
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.
W
onderful walks are both Plus, you don’t have to trudge
relaxing and invigorating, but away at those stairs for 30 minutes. As
if you want to kick butt, liter- Wescott points out, it’s better to break
ally—building strong glutes and thighs; up the day’s 30-minute workout into
strengthening your core, which helps three 10-minute sessions. That’s because
improve posture and tighten abs; and the body builds cardiovascular endur-
stepping up to cardiovascular fitness ance during its recovery mode. Three
quickly and efficiently—try stair climb- shorter workouts deliver three recovery
ing. Wayne Wescott, Ph.D., renowned periods, and the workout is less daunting.
exercise physiologist, military fitness Neither of my stair workouts
consultant and author of Get Stronger, requires me to go down stairs, which
Feel Younger, states that climbing stairs can be hard on joints, ligaments and
is one of the more vigorous cardiovas- tendons. In an office building, you can
cular workouts you can do. climb up the stairs and recover while
Pushing your whole body weight taking the elevator back down. Then,
up vertically burns lots of calories and why not make another ascent? While
uses lots of energy quickly. I often waiting for the elevator, or any time
advise flatlanders to find some stairs in vigorous exercise has elevated heart
an office building or stadium and climb rate, be sure to walk around to ease
them regularly to strengthen their legs yourself back into recovery mode.
and increase their endurance. When hiking hills, it also helps to use
Although I have a one-story house, walking poles, which serves to take the
I have found two stair workouts I like weight off of knees when going down-
to play with. On one, I walk about two hill.
miles on a wooded path by the river to Here are more of Wescott’s tips
a triple flight of stairs that takes me onto that prove helpful:
a bridge where I can then double back
to my car along shaded city streets. It’s Wear good running or cross-training
my mini-Mount Everest and it really or walking shoes for good support.
perks up the entire workout. You can save your knee joints from
For a more steady and challenging damage by wearing the right shoes.
stair workout, I use a Stairmaster at the
gym, the kind with an actual revolv- Warm up first. Walk around for a few
ing staircase. The trick is to start out minutes before starting an ascent or
slowly and find a pace that you can jumping on a machine.
1 Rockland & Orange Counties www.naturalawakeningsro.com
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