Want a workout that combines total-body strength and cardio gains? Look no further than this sweaty stair workout, perfect for completing indoors or outdoors. Not only will it light up all the muscles in your upper and lower body, but it’ll get your heart pumping so that you burn lots of calories in the process. Even if you live in an apartment, you can do the workout in the stairwell. All you’ll need is your body weight and a decent pair of workout shoes.
Can stairs really offer a decent workout? Well, if you’ve ever walked up a few flights of them, you’ll know that the answer is yes! Not to mention the StairMaster is one of the most lung-busting, leg-burning bits of cardio kit you’ll come across at the gym. The reason is that your body has to work against gravity with every step, just like if you were hiking up a hill, which uses more energy than if you were walking on a flat surface. This not only raises your heart rate more, but works the lower body muscles considerably.
As this session is quite pacey, please make sure you're wearing some sensible running shoes to aid your stability and have a water bottle to hand. For the workout you’ll consecutively complete 30 seconds of running/or jogging up the stairs, followed by a 30-second lower or upper body exercise that you’ll complete on a step of the stairs. There are 10 exercises to work through, so start off steady for the first few minutes to gauge how much steam you’ve got left in the tank. If you want to turn up the heat further, you could always wear a backpack during the jogs. Here’s the workout:
- Box jumps
- Front foot elevated reverse lunges
- Alternating step ups with arm pulls
- V crunches
- Alternating toe taps
- Tricep dips
- Incline kneeling push-ups
- Incline slow mountain climbers
- Calf raises
- Alternating step ups with knee drive
Looking for other ways to get fit using items around your house or outdoor furnishings? Check out this 25-minute full-body workout using nothing but a chair or outdoor bench. Alternatively, if you're keen to get the heart pumping again and burn lots of calories, then this walking kettlebell workout does just that but is gentle on the joints.
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