Stretch after a workout—not before.
Gently stretch quadriceps, calves and
hamstrings.
Lean slightly forward as you climb.
But keep your back straight and your
head in alignment.
Keep your knees soft. Don’t lock
them out as you push up.
Try intervals. This is a perfect workout
for interval training, which studies like
those conducted at The University of
Alabama and Southern Connecticut
State University show gets one fit faster.
Work hard, then back off a bit, then go
for it again. This comes naturally with
stair climbing, as you tend to get out of
breath anyway and need to kick back.
Drink up afterwards. This is a chal-
lenging workout and you need to
rehydrate.
Be careful going down. If you must
walk back down stairs, take your time;
step down deliberately and carefully
and use the handrails to take pressure
off your knees. People with arthritis or
other painful inflammation of the knee
should avoid going down stairs.
While I love walking for regular
exercise, mentally, it’s easier to tackle
some stairs to boost my heart, rather
than focus on walking fast, which takes
more concentration. Consider the com-
parative calorie burn: In a 150-pound
person, 10 minutes of moderately brisk,
3-miles-per-hour walking burns about
40 calories, while 10 minutes of run-
ning up stairs burns 179.
Be sure to warm up and cool down
for five to 10 minutes before and after
any workout. And always check with a
physician before undertaking a vigor-
ous activity like stair climbing. Then go
out and have some good-hearted fun.
Maggie Spilner has been writing about
health and fitness for 25 years, including
17 as an editor at Prevention Magazine.
Her books include Prevention’s Complete
Book of Walking for Health and Walk
Your Way Through Menopause. See
WalkingForAllSeasons.com for informa-
tion on Spilner’s walking vacations.
Source: Adapted from
StopAgingNow.com.
natural awakenings March 2010
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