Working out with the stairs!

Working out with the stairs is a great way for women to lose weight.. 

Do you know the difference between long distance running and running up the stairs? Well you need bursts of energy to propel you up the stairs, so that in essence is interval training. If you do it fast, you will feel like your heart wants to explode – you don’t get this with long distance steady running.

As with any workout start off with a warm-up and stretching. I suggest you use one round of walking up the stairs and then proceed to the anaerobic work.

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So, this is how, using the stairs to train, will help you loose weight in no time:
1. You utilize your glutes and hamstrings, which are the big muscles and also the driving force behind stair climbs. At rest, these muscles will burn more fat, than the smaller muscle groups. Also, if you work on strengthening these muscles you will start to perform better at other exercises. Funnily enough, it will also help you in long distance running.

2. You don’t need a long flight of stairs to train. You can just use the steps at the gym, but add weights. You will be doing a very similar movement to stair climbs but can be used in a variety of ways in your training.

3. Start out slowly and gradually increase the intensity of each stair running routine. If you are new to this type of exercise, just do 10 minutes. Add 5 minutes once it gets easier, or you feel lighter. Continue increasing the duration until you can run stairs for 20 to 30 minutes per session.

4. As you practice on the stairs, your core will also get stronger. The stronger your core is, the faster you’ll be able to get up the stairs.

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5. Add weights like carrying a rucksack, or bottles of water. If you use lighter weights then you can race up quicker and improve your endurance. But if you carry heavier weights but take fewer steps (double strides) you will work your hamstrings and glutes instead.

6. For added difficulty, try focusing on staying balanced, then jumping up 2 steps at a time (not recommended going down). This forces your muscles to generate explosive bursts of power, meaning that you’ll get stronger faster. But be very careful. If you have any knee or back injuries it is recommended that you consult your physician first.