Question about "doing stairs"

grover0ca

We have a stair well at work that some of my co-workers use to "do stairs" on break or lunch..they feel like it is a nice burst of activity out so I figured I would give it a try with them when I head back after vacation. If anything it will get me from out behind my desk :-)

So..here is my question-I am pretty active (taekwondo 4x a week and at least one or two other short circuit training workouts) but I have a ways to go in terms of fitness..so how should I tackle this to get the most bang for my buck :bigsmile:

Just run up and down until I out of steam?
Go up for a certain amount of time & then take a rest period?
Go up a certain number of flights, come down and repeat?

CarolHudson11

I have absolutely no idea what I'm "supposed" to do, I just got the idea that I needed to do something. I started doing the stairs because there are so many of them where I work (apartment community). We have buildings with 4 stories (3 flights of stairs). I ran up and down those 3 flights once every day last week. This week I'll do the same, but add an additional flight. The next week I'll add another flight and so on. I'm not in the greatest shape, so you may be able to do more than me. I'm taking baby steps. I think as long as you're moving more than you used to, it's a good thing. Good luck! :flowerforyou:

countjackula

Honestly just walking up stairs is a pretty intense workout by itself. How many stairs are available?

tross0924

Most bang for the buck . . . start at the bottom and go to the top as fast as humanly possible, then down as fast as possible. Down is the rest time, repeat till dead. You might feel a little like dying the next day too, but hey.

You can also try a ladder type run, like up a flight back down, up 2 flights and back down, 3 flights and down, etc. Along the same lines go up 2 steps and step back down one, up 2 down one. Ran my fair share of stairs in high school, and we did a little of everything, including stairs with a buddy . . . on your back.

dancer77

There are lots of stairs at my college so what I do is just walk up and down at least one flight between classes to get my blood flowing and snap me out of zombie-student mode. But my goal is a wake-me-up not a workout.

grover0ca

Honestly just walking up stairs is a pretty intense workout by itself. How many stairs are available?

The building is 5 stories..

grover0ca

Most bang for the buck . . . start at the bottom and go to the top as fast as humanly possible, then down as fast as possible. Down is the rest time, repeat till dead. You might feel a little like dying the next day too, but hey.

You can also try a ladder type run, like up a flight back down, up 2 flights and back down, 3 flights and down, etc. Along the same lines go up 2 steps and step back down one, up 2 down one. Ran my fair share of stairs in high school, and we did a little of everything, including stairs with a buddy . . . on your back.

lol..i could try all of this..except the buddie on my back..haha!

CarolHudson11

Honestly just walking up stairs is a pretty intense workout by itself. How many stairs are available?

Very true! I didn't think about that, but it hurts my muscles worse when I walk them (which I have to do when I'm touring prospective residents) than when I run them. Maybe because I'm not using momentum from running???

BoresEasily

Most bang for the buck . . . start at the bottom and go to the top as fast as humanly possible, then down as fast as possible. Down is the rest time, repeat till dead. You might feel a little like dying the next day too, but hey.

You can also try a ladder type run, like up a flight back down, up 2 flights and back down, 3 flights and down, etc. Along the same lines go up 2 steps and step back down one, up 2 down one. Ran my fair share of stairs in high school, and we did a little of everything, including stairs with a buddy . . . on your back.

Great workouts but SOOOOO the wrong place for them. Most workplaces don't have showers and things that you can take after those workouts. Who wants to smell the stench of you after you do those workouts on your lunch break??

grover0ca

Honestly just walking up stairs is a pretty intense workout by itself. How many stairs are available?

Very true! I didn't think about that, but it hurts my muscles worse when I walk them (which I have to do when I'm touring prospective residents) than when I run them. Maybe because I'm not using momentum from running???

good point? i wonder if it is better to walk them or run them?

BoresEasily

Running them is fun but it takes a lot out of you.

isislc

I have the same thing going on at work. At night someone needs to go and do temperature readings around the building so I volunteer for that. During that time, I get a good 15 min walk and then go up and down the stairs as fast as i can 3 times, 3 flights of stairs. When I'm on break or lunch and not in a time crunch to taking readings, I alternate speed/walk up the stairs. This way you don't burn yourself out right away and you get a slight rest by the walking.

For 3 large flights of stairs I go up and down 10 times with the alternating speeds. Take a 10 min break then start again. In all, I do at least 20 sets min but try for 30. At home we are on the 3rd floor so I do 6 sets instead of the 10 there.