Stair Workouts – Combine Cardio & Strength Training

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ll of you must have heard the saying, ‘there is no elevator to success, one needs to take the stairs’. This means, success doesn’t come our way easily, things do not happen overnight, there is no quick path to success and hence we need to do a lot of hard work to achieve it! More likely than not, ‘there is no elevator to fitness, one cannot skip steps to achieve fitness’!

Today we have come up with stair-based workouts which will make for a great well-rounded workout and help to achieve your fitness goals.

We promise, that those of you who feel climbing stairs is tiring and tedious, will change your opinion at the end of reading this blog…

Also read: 10 Minutes Wall Workout To Tone Your Arms, Shoulders & Legs

BENEFITS OF STAIR WORKOUT

1. Time-efficient, effective, and easily accessible, combines strength and cardio workouts.
2. Stair workouts activate many muscle groups like the core muscles, hamstrings, quads, calves, and glutes.
3. Strengthens muscles, increases body resistance, enhances heart and lung function, improves blood circulation, and helps burn fat.
4. Improves stamina, and endurance, as it is weight-bearing, it also helps build bone strength.
5. Excellent for mental health, stair workout improves your brain’s ability to better recruit muscle fibers expending less energy.

NOTE:

Choose long, straight, and wide staircase for your workout. The stairs should not be too high that it would require bending your knees to more than 90 degrees.

The stairs should be dry, well-lit, well-ventilated, and free of obstacles.

Those having trouble with body balancing, weakness, joint stiffness, and arthritis should refrain from performing these exercises.

Also read: 5 Easy Total Body Chair Workout You Can Do Sitting Down

STEP-UPS

1. Stand at the base of the staircase facing the stairs.
2. Raise your right leg, and step up the stairs with your right foot completely on top of the steps.
3. Drive through the heel of your right foot to lift the left foot off the floor, bending your knee up and placing it on the step.
4. Your right leg should be placed such that your thighs and knee are at a 90-degree angle. Step back down with the left foot.
5. Keeping your right foot firmly on the step, push off the floor with your left foot, step up on the step and step back down.
6. Perform 15 step-ups leading with your right leg, then switch sides.
7. Hold a dumbbell in each hand for added resistance, you can come up with the knee lift while lifting the left leg or the hip extension by stretching the leg behind.

Also read: 5 Simple Weight Loss Exercises For Men & Women

STEP JUMPS

1.  Stand facing the stairs with your feet planted on the floor, with feet hip-width apart.
2. Look straight, and bend at the hips and knees ensuring that the knees are in line with your toes.
3. Propel yourself upwards and swing your arms up and jump to land in a squat position landing on the ball of your feet on steps.
4. Extend your knees to straighten your legs and step backwards off the step to return to the starting position.

Also read: 15 Minutes Skipping Rope Workout For Fat Loss

SIDE STEPS ON STAIRS

1. Start by standing at the bottom step with the left side of your body pointed towards the upward stairs.
2. Bend left knee and take a side step with your left leg onto the first step. Step upside ways resting your foot on the step, now bring your right foot to your left foot.
3. Step up onto the second step, and work your back up to the top using your left side to propel you.
4. Work your way back down using your right foot to lead you.

Also read: Jumping Jacks – The Fun Way To Work Your Whole Body

TRICEPS STAIR DIP

1. Take a seat on the edge of the stair keeping your hands outside of your shoulder and back close to the step.
2. Pressing down on your palms, lift your hips to hover above the stair and straighten your arms.
3. Extend your legs, keep your feet flat on the floor, and bend your legs at a 90-degree angle.
4. Press down on your palms and bend your elbows behind your body. Slide your hips forward and come down low.
5. Straighten your arms, press back up to lift your body, and feel the squeeze at the back of your arms.

Also read: Aerobic Vs Anaerobic Exercise – Know The Difference

STAIR CLIMBERS

1. Facing the stairs, place your hands under your shoulders on the second step with your arms pressed into your sides, core engaged and legs extended behind you.
2. Bring your right knee to your right shoulder, then return your foot to the floor.
3. Squeeze your core to maintain a straight line from head to heel.
4. Alternate legs, driving your knees to your core quickly. Do 20 reps without pausing.

Also read: Walking 30 Minutes Daily Benefits Physical & Mental Wellbeing

INCLINED PUSHUPS ON STAIRS

1. Place your hands on the 4^th or 5^th step, your back held straight and in line with your legs extended behind.
2. Bend your elbows and slowly lower your chest to the stairs.
3. Maintain a straight back with feet close together.
4. Hold for a second and then explosively push off the stairs.
5. Do 3 sets of 10 reps each.

Also read: Planks Vs Crunches – Which Is More Effective For Core?

STAIR WALKING LUNGES

1. Stand at the bottom of the staircase with feet hip-width apart and hands held on your hips.
2. Step up onto the stairs (2-3 stairs up) with your right foot and shift hips forward to lunge so your knee forms a 90-degree angle.
3. Land on opposite leg 2 steps up, and lunge forward.
4. Continue alternating the walking lunges.

Also read: Running Can Offer Excellent Health Benefits – Here’s How?

STAIR RUNNING

1. Run up the stairs taking each step at a moderate pace, and gradually build up the intensity.
2. Make sure to pump your knees, then jog back slower than you went up against each step at a time.

If you have access to a set of stairs – at home, at your office, at a local park – it means you have access to a makeshift gym…

From losing weight to gaining strength and increasing your cardio endurance, stair workouts help to reach your fitness goals…'take the stairs, not the elevator’…

Also read: What Are Burpees? How To Do Burpees The Right Way

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