Let’s be honest: There’s something special about lacing up your sneakers and going for a brisk walk. Whether you’re stepping out in the sunshine or hitting the treadmill, you’re moving your body, getting those endorphins flowing, and working up a sweat. However, if you’re ready to take your daily steps to the next level, we’re here to introduce you to stair-climbing intervals, which will help you burn more calories and upgrade your cardio days.
If you’re wondering how stair climbing intervals work, we’re here to break it down and share the benefits of adding this form of training to your fitness routine.
What are stair climbing intervals?
Intervals require you to alternate between periods of high and low intensity exercise during your workout.
“It creates a cycle where you do more than you can handle, and then you do less than you can handle,” he says. Dominique Angelino, CPT with International Personal Trainers Academy (IPTA). “When this is applied to stair climbing, you are going up the stairs very quickly for a [training phase]then walk or jog up the stairs for the next step. The exact speed at which you go during the cool-down phase should depend on your current fitness level. It is important that you go slowly enough to allow your body to recover a little without stopping completely.
You can practice climbing stairs on a stairlift or a regular staircase, at home or outdoors. However, Angelino recommends opting for the machine to avoid the risk of falling. If you choose regular stairs, be sure to take appropriate safety precautions and only use stairs with sufficient surface area. It is also helpful to wear shoes that promote friction to reduce the risk of tripping.
“It is important to emphasize that climbing regular stairs is generally not recommended for most people due to the unnecessarily high risks associated with it,” Angelino adds. “The only exception is for athletes who have specific training needs for their sport. It is best to use a stair lift when possible.”
How Can Stair Climbing Intervals Help You Lose Weight?
Incorporating stair climbing intervals into your routine can be incredibly beneficial, especially if you’re trying to lose weight. Stair climbing intervals burn more calories than workouts of similar duration performed in the same location.
“Burning more calories means losing more fat,” Angelino points out. “If you want to lose about a pound a week, you should aim to burn about 500 more calories than you eat.” [daily]If you want to lose about two pounds per week, you should aim for [to burn] “You need about 1,000 calories more than you eat each day. Try to limit your weight loss to an average of two pounds per week, unless your doctor advises otherwise.”
In addition to the high calorie burn, interval training puts a lot of strain on your body. This means you run at a fast pace that you can only maintain for a short period of time, then switch to a slower pace, and then continue alternating between the two.
“You can fit a lot of high-intensity bursts into a workout,” Angelino says. “Interval training allows you to burn a lot of calories during your workout and afterward.”
How to Use Stair Climbing Intervals to Lose Weight:
There are plenty of ways to incorporate stair-climbing intervals into your routine. (Keep in mind that if you also do strength training, Angelino recommends saving this session for another day.)
As for the best interval training for stair climbing, Angelino suggests several options depending on your fitness level and the time you have:
Easier
- 9-minute session, alternating between 30 seconds of high-intensity exercise and 30 seconds of low-intensity exercise.
- 20-minute session, alternating between 2 minutes of high-intensity exercise and 2 minutes of low-intensity exercise.
- 30-minute session, alternating between 1 minute of high-intensity exercise and 1 minute of low-intensity exercise.
Stronger
- 9-minute session, alternating between 1 minute of high-intensity exercise and 30 seconds of low-intensity exercise.
- 15-minute session, alternating between 2 minutes of high-intensity exercise and 1 minute of low-intensity exercise.
- 25-minute session, alternating between 3 minutes of high-intensity exercise and 2 minutes of low-intensity exercise.
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Alexa Mellardo
Alexa is the Associate Editor of Mind + Body at Eat This, Not That!, overseeing the M+B channel and providing readers with engaging topics on fitness, wellness, and self-care. Learn more about Alexa
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