Got a set of stairs nearby or in your house? Here is a workout you can do any day of the week.

This workout combines both cardiovascular and strength training, with the emphasis on strength.  You can easily split up the cardio and strength on two separate days if you want to save time or maximize your workouts.

Why Stairs?

1. Versatility.  You can walk, run, or hop up and down.  You can do dips, step ups, jumps, push ups, and so on.
2. Accessibility. You can find stairs in parks, apartment or office buildings, houses, malls, in the woods, and other auspicious places – maybe a nearby church!
3. Twenty Other Good Reasons. StepJockey gives us 20 other good reasons to use the stairs.

Workout Options

Finding the perfect set of stairs for doing both cardio and strength training may sometimes be difficult so make due with what you find.  For the cardio portion of the workout, look for a set of stairs with 12 steps or more so that running or walking up and down doesn’t get too tedious.  For strength training, find stairs with deeper rises that are better suited for dips and push ups.

First, warm up.  Remember to start off with a warm up by walking the stairs for 2 minutes or doing a few jumping jacks.

Cardio

Run, briskly walk, hop up and down the stairs.

Options:

1. Determine a set time to run, walk, hop – e.g. 5 minutes x 4 times.
2. Determine number of sets to run, walk, hop – e.g. 10 sets of stairs.
3. Run up, walk down or vice versa.
4. Run, walk, hop two steps at a time; walk, run down.
5. Combinations are endless.

Strength Training

There are a number of strength training moves you can do using stairs.  Pick and choose among the following or make up your own.

Options:

1. Rotate from upper body to lower body moves.
2. Do all upper body and then lower body moves.
3. Split into two workouts on separate days, i.e. upper body one day and lower body the next.
4. Mix it up by picking 4 to 6 moves per workout.
5. Add weights and/or use resistance bands with moves.
6. Get creative!

The Moves

Keep your eyes peeled for the closest stairs.  Give these moves a try and let us know what you think.

Recipe of the Week:  Beef & Chicken Meatballs