Zig Ziglar, an American author and war veteran once said: “There is no elevator to success, you have to take the stairs.”
Sure enough, if getting into shape is one of your goals, zigzagging up a staircase may be a good place to start.
A 2017 study published in the Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that in a group of unfit (but otherwise healthy) women, just doing a few minutes of stair intervals three times per week made a significant difference in terms of improving their cardiorespiratory health, proving that staircase workouts can be used as a “time efficient strategy” for aerobic training.
Not only can stairs be used to get in a little extra cardio; steps can also be creatively incorporated into functional training to help you become stronger. What’s more, stairs are accessible to everyone and best of all, they don’t cost a thing!
Recommended by the Mayo Clinic and inspired by various fitness blogs, here are five exercises using stairs that are worth trying.
Put on the Rocky theme song on and let’s go!
- Stair hops: Starting from the bottom of the staircase, attempt to jump your way up to the top. Remember to engage your stomach muscles and try to land lightly in a squat with both feet at the same time.
- Elevated push-ups: Place your hands on the ground and your feet on the first or second step, in a declining push-up position. Remember to keep your elbows in line with your ribcage as you slowly lower your body down and up, repeating as many times as you can. If you’re a beginner, you can also do this the other way around, with feet on the ground, hands on the step.
- Side squats with leg lifts: Standing sideways with your feet parallel to the stairs, arms folded, place one leg on the first or second step depending on the height, so that you can comfortably lower down into a squat position. Then lift the leg that’s on the ground as you come up from the squat, keeping your weight on the foot that’s on the step. Do 10 to 20 repetitions each side.
- Crab walks/ triceps dips: Start sitting at the top of the stairs, with your feet two or three steps down and your hands on the floor behind you. The objective is to slowly raise your hips off the ground by placing weight into your hands, then make your way down the steps by moving your opposite leg and hand simultaneously as you crawl down. An easier variation would be to sit on the bottom step and work your triceps by pressing into your hands and bending at your elbows to lower your hips and lift back up, (10 to 20 reps).
- Standing calf raises: Holding onto a wall or rail for support, stand on your tiptoes at the edge of the step and press down to lift your heels, then slowly lower down with control. Repeat for 30 seconds.
Watch your step
Before attempting any of the suggested exercises, make sure that you’re wearing appropriate, non-slip shoes and that you’re steady on your feet. If you have a medical condition like osteoporosis or should you be prone toward knee pain, exercises such as stair hops may be risky. To play it safe, consult with an exercise professional.
References
Allison. M. et al (2017) Brief Intense Stair Climbing Improves Cardiorespiratory Fitness. Available at the Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise [online] https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Fulltext/2017/02000/Brief_Intense_Stair_Climbing_Improves.10.aspx
English. N. (2015) The ultimate staircase workout for serious fitness gains. Available at Greatist [online] https://greatist.com/fitness/ultimate-staircase-workout
Harney. G. How to get a killer workout using stairs. Available at WebMD [online] https://blogs.webmd.com/food-fitness/20200820/how-to-get-a-killer-workout-using-stairs
Mayo Clinic. Step it up: 7 quick stair exercises to do at home. Available [online] at https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/7-quick-stair-exercises-to-do-at-home/art-20390063
McCoy. J. (2020) A sweaty stair workout that takes just 20 minutes. Available at Self [online] https://www.self.com/story/stair-workout