Stairs As Hill Work
ZenInTexas
Posts: 781 Member
So I live in the flattest city in America and haven't really ever managed to do hill work in my training. There is a parking garage however the only time to run it right now is early in the morning (because of the heat) and that's not really the time I want to be alone in an abandoned parking garage. So what about climbing the stairmill at the gym? Will this help? Or should I not even bother?
0
Replies
-
How about bleachers? Usually local high school or college football fields will have some bleachers. I am not sure if it is an perfect replacement for running up a hill, but that might do. I have seen your workouts on strava and yes, I am amazed just how flat the area you live in is! I have heard of people doing "bridges" and I didn't realize what that was until I learned that folks in flat areas use bridges in their area to get hill work in. I love a good climb and am usually way too aggressive in races when I go up them.0
-
+1 to Keith. And I know that Katy TX has no shortage of stadiums and on-ramps
0 -
The stairmill will help (I'm talking about the kind with the actual moving steps, not a "stairmaster").
I have a friend who has run the Western States 100 miler in 22 hours, and he did most of his hill work on the stair machine.
Personally I favor bleachers (I run on the bleachers themselves, not the stairs next to the bleachers) but I can certainly understand if you're not interested in dealing with Texas heat!0 -
So I live in the flattest city in America and haven't really ever managed to do hill work in my training. There is a parking garage however the only time to run it right now is early in the morning (because of the heat) and that's not really the time I want to be alone in an abandoned parking garage. So what about climbing the stairmill at the gym? Will this help? Or should I not even bother?
If you are going to use the stairmill at the gym anyway, could you not just use the treadmill instead, and set it to a hill programme?0 -
I run stairs at CityPlace Station, the train station close to downtown.. it's got LOTS of really steep stairs. But, I don't do that too much, I usually do my hill repeats on a 6% grade hill at Cedar Ridge Preserve, in Duncanville.0
-
Yes, I could do that. Good point.So I live in the flattest city in America and haven't really ever managed to do hill work in my training. There is a parking garage however the only time to run it right now is early in the morning (because of the heat) and that's not really the time I want to be alone in an abandoned parking garage. So what about climbing the stairmill at the gym? Will this help? Or should I not even bother?
If you are going to use the stairmill at the gym anyway, could you not just use the treadmill instead, and set it to a hill programme?0 -
The Terry Hershey Park trails are somewhat hilly. Not huge, extended hills but it's not flat either, at least East of Eldridge and particularly Dairy Ashford.
I know some people use the Barker Reservoir dam at Hwy 6 and Buffalo Bayou for hill repeats.0 -
Yes, I could do that. Good point.So I live in the flattest city in America and haven't really ever managed to do hill work in my training. There is a parking garage however the only time to run it right now is early in the morning (because of the heat) and that's not really the time I want to be alone in an abandoned parking garage. So what about climbing the stairmill at the gym? Will this help? Or should I not even bother?
If you are going to use the stairmill at the gym anyway, could you not just use the treadmill instead, and set it to a hill programme?
I've used the TM before for hill work (back in the days when it was cold and icy outside :laugh: ). It does the job just fine!0 -
I'm one of those bridge people. I do repeats up and over my bridge over and over. And everyone looks at me askance...0
-
Opposite problem here, I can't get anywhere flat to run, everything is on a hill (normally starting half way up the hill, so you always finish on a hill anyway), don't have a problem with the heat either.
Solution, move to Scotland, it['s never too hot and there are hills everywhere!!!0 -
Regarding the heat, though.... one of the nice things about doing stairs is that you don't have to go at it fast or with a high heart rate to get the benefit. It's a strength workout. And on the way down, your heart rate will drop..... which means the heat will be nowhere near as painful as for a normal run.
I usually visit my parents in Dallas once a summer, and if I HAVE to run in the early afternoon, the football bleachers is exactly what I do. YMMV though. Turns out that my family is usually typically better acclimatized than the locals because we don't have air conditioning up here in Massachusetts.0 -
I live in a very flat area as well, and do all my hill work on a treadmill. It's worked well so far as long as you can deal with the mind numbing workout.0
-
I can tell you stairs work. I ran the stairs at my work on Monday 15 flights (broke up in two runs) but my calves literally still hurt from it! I have plenty of hills to choose from around me, so that generally isn't a problem. If there is a parking garage you can use, that would be a good hill, running up the parking area?0
