Stairs: an alternative to the gym?

fitalie93
fitalie93 Posts: 9 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I don't have access to a gym where I live, but there is a really steep outdoor flight of stairs (419 steps, 195m long, 65 height meters, 36% incline) - walking those stairs all the way up is INSANE. It takes a few minutes but once you reach the top it feels like you've been sprinting for an hour lol. I always take two steps at a time btw. And I'm only 5'0, so those stairs along with the insane incline are really intimidating for me.
Anyway, I'm really trying to tone my glutes. How long should I make that training session? What would you recommend? Would you consider this an effective training program for a newbie who wants to tone up her butt and thighs, and core?

Replies

  • intrigame23
    intrigame23 Posts: 193 Member
    I think you should definitely use it to your advantage. I personally would time myself getting up and down 10 times, then make a game of it to see if I can lower my time over the course of a few weeks. Maybe I'd even make the stairs part of a strength training circuit... just brainstorming, maybe 15 push ups, 15 squats with or without weights, run or walk up the stairs, 15 push ups, 15 lunges and oblique crunches at the top then run down? repeat 3x. You could get creative with it!
  • tirowow12385
    tirowow12385 Posts: 697 Member
    It beats going up the stairmaster at the gym, staring at the wall and touching the sweaty railing for sure. Do it as much as you want and how long, you don't have to do it everyday but you should do it every week.
  • firef1y72
    firef1y72 Posts: 1,579 Member
    I do a workout with my PT once a week that involves a flight of stairs and believe me it's as tough a anything I could do in the gym. (We do all of our workouts outside using the things around us, hills, benches etcalong with some basic equipment such as a TRX or slam ball).

    We normally start by my going up and the flight of stairs a few times in different ways, so one step at a time, 2 at a time, up 2 down 1, sideways. Then the workout proper starts.
    So doing such things as bupees all the way up, or press ups on each step, squat jumping all the way up, tricep walking up and down.....she changes it each time
  • kaizaku
    kaizaku Posts: 1,039 Member
    edited December 2018
    20-40mins few times a week. Every step, squeeze your glutes every step. Also, once you reach the top do 35 squats, then once you reach the bottom another 35. Now, you probably won't be able to do 30. Do whatever you can. Build up to it. One more thing. At the bottom of the stairs. Put your one foot on the second step an do standing lunges 12-15 each leg. End it with a 10min jog. Hopefully you should see If not feel a change. No more flabby butt lol
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    firef1y72 wrote: »
    I do a workout with my PT once a week that involves a flight of stairs and believe me it's as tough a anything I could do in the gym. (We do all of our workouts outside using the things around us, hills, benches etcalong with some basic equipment such as a TRX or slam ball).

    We normally start by my going up and the flight of stairs a few times in different ways, so one step at a time, 2 at a time, up 2 down 1, sideways. Then the workout proper starts.
    So doing such things as bupees all the way up, or press ups on each step, squat jumping all the way up, tricep walking up and down.....she changes it each time

    @firef1y72 Sounds intense! How do you do burpees on stairs?
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    Well, I got an "insight" from the Garmin app congratulating me for taking the stairs, calling them an alternative to the gym. There you go.

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