Fitness is becoming a big deal, possibly because of a lot of environmental and economic factors that affect our physical and mental being. Most experts recommend consistent exercise to people of every age because of its association with reduced health risks, better emotional response, and an increase of positive outlook.
However, gym memberships can be pricey, and it will really take a lot of commitment of time and effort to work out in a gym consistently. Running can be an option, but if you’re living in an urban community, intake of pollutants while you jog can do more harm than good. Luckily, if you live in a two or three storey apartment, you have an alternative to jogging that can give similar benefits or more: a stair workout.
Understanding Stair Workouts and Its Advantages
What are stair workouts? It’s as simple as you may think: physical activities involving the utilization of stairs. You don’t even have to go to the gym for you to lose kilos. As long you have stairs at your home or your apartment, you can perform this kind of exercise. If you don’t, you can use a chair as an alternative. It’s easy for you to follow the steps or routines with this kind of exercise. It’s an activity that can dare your body, endurance and strength, and stamina.
One of the routines that you can do is stair stepper workouts. It’s an effective support to your cardiovascular fitness, and since you’re going against gravity, it adds even more resistance to your muscles, making it easier for you to make them leaner.
It’s the motion of climbing flights of stairs that works your quadriceps and calf muscles. A 20-30 minute stair stepper workout burns 180-260 calories depending on your mass. It also challenges your cardiovascular endurance and allows your body to reach 70-80 percent of your maximum heart rate. This workout also boosts your core and anterior body muscles. It tones your thighs for a slimmer look.
To achieve the best possible results, when doing a stair stepper, do not touch the side rails or get support for your body weight from the side rails. This would enable you to target the glutes and hamstrings by carrying yourself and making your body work harder. It’s added intensity enables you to burn more calories; hence, deeming your cardio exercise more effective.
Stair Exercise Varieties
If you’d like the help of a machine, you can utilize a stair stepper machine for your stairs workout. This equipment is similar to treadmills. You can adjust its speed depending on your preferred workout intensity. If you are looking for an average workout, always keep in mind that the standard sets the exact speed range of a stair stepper. You must select a speed that is enough for you to achieve what your fitness goal is. As you get more into it, you can slowly adjust the pace and dare your body to perform more.
Another equipment that can aid you in this type of workout is the stair climber machine. Stair climbers workout machine operates in a similar fashion as a treadmill, except that it presents better benefits like glute toning and abs building. Because of the weight-bearing motion you do when you use this machine, it allows you to build more muscle groups than you would with a treadmill.
If you’re not much into machines, you can do the traditional stair climber workout. This exercise is perfect for beginners and those who do not have space for equipment, as climbing stairs is free and flexible. All you have to do is take the stairs in public, public blocks, or even malls. It does not require any special equipment; you just need to wear basic exercise shoes and comfy clothes. The benefit of this workout is that it strengthens your lower body because it focuses on some of the largest muscles in your body: your thighs, legs, and glutes.
Its impact is quite similar to squatting as it challenges these muscles to go in an upward direction. Pushing your body up the stairs, step after step is great for you to develop endurance and to gain power. It also strengthens your lungs, and as you get used to it, you can take on even more difficult workouts, like hiking.
Conclusion
Living a fitness-driven life is always the great path to take. However, with busy schedules, not everyone may not have the time to engage in CrossFit or sports exercises. Stair climber workouts are an awesome alternative to these high-intensity routines. If you are a beginner, just remember not to take on too many repetitions or take too many steps, or it may result in an injury or burnout. You should aim for moderate routine exercises at first, like a 30-minute stair climbing thrice a week. Then, gradually lengthen the duration of your routines or up your elevation goal.
This would help your body to change little by little until you reach your target. This can definitely be an effective weight-loss tool if done right. If you’d like to be guided, you can check out the videos on the web to get inspiration on how you can perform the exercise better each time. As in any exercise, consistency is key. If you stay motivated and try to do more each time, you would be able to reap the great advantages of stair routines.