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You Asked: Why Is Stair Climbing So Difficult?

FitSugar — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 13:30:00 -0700

You are asking and I'm answering...
Dear FitSugar,
I walk up six flight of stairs to teach a class – I'm a university TA. I climb these stairs at least three times a week and I am always out of breath by the time I reach the top. I am an active person and run regularly. What gives?
– Breathless Betty

I too am always amazed how out of breath I become when climbing the six flights of stairs to the office. Stair climbing seems to really tax my cardiovascular system and I run regularly too.

The main difference between running and climbing stairs is gravity. As you climb up those stairs you are fighting gravity, which really can be a force to reckon with. You are carrying your body weight against gravity, and that is also why climbing real stairs is harder than using a stair stepper machine at the gym, too. When using those machines you are using the power of your legs to push the stair down not to pull yourself up against gravity. Even celeb trainer Bob Greene agrees with me on this one. Plus, you are probably carrying a backpack or book bag with you up those stairs which you don't ordinarily have on your regular runs.

So think about it. Can you imagine running up a hill that is six stories high? Plus, the incline of stairs is steeper than most hills we climb (unless you live here in SF because we have some doozies). To make your regular stair climb easier, you should run hills or workout on stairs by climbing more flights than you do in your regular climb. While it seems somewhat counter intuitive to train hard aerobically to tackle your daily stair climb, cardio workouts do make the activities of our daily lives easier. Training sprints has made running after my girls so much easier.

Keep climbing!

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How long before you lose it?

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 04:00:00 -0700

Sometimes things get in the way of our exercise routine: rain, allergies, a cold, even a vacation. Do you know how long you can take off from your cardio routine before you notice a difference in your fitness level?

Endurance, Intervals, Fitness: Know Your Cardio

FitSugar — Fri, 23 May 2008 05:30:00 -0700

A well balanced fitness program should include cardio as well as strength training and flexibility training. Don't think that cardio means working out at the same pace all the time. Just as you mix up the various elements of fitness, you need to mix up your cardio routine.

Your cardio plan should be a mix of endurance, fitness and interval training. You shouldn't just hop on the elliptical or hit the streets and do the same routine every workout. Doing so just focuses on one element of cardio fitness and your body can acclimate easily to your workout, meaning you are not challenging yourself as much as you could and are probably not burning as many calories as you could be. Here's a brief description of each type of training.

Endurance: Maintaining a steady, and somewhat slower pace for a longer duration is an endurance workout. Aim to work out for at least 40 to 60 minutes maintaining a target heart rate of 60-70 percent of your max (check my calculator to learn your max heart rate). This type of workout is good for burning both fat and calories. Endurance workouts are great for "recovery" workout, the day after an intense workout. Try running on flat ground for at least 40 minutes at a nice steady pace. Add five minutes on to your run each week until you make it up to a full hour.

To see the other two, just read more.

Fitness: Short and intense workouts to increase cardiovascular fitness are fitness workouts. For these workouts you work at a consistent and intense pace for a short period of time. Keep your heart rate between 75 and 85 percent of your max for twenty minutes. A tempo run is a great example of this kind of workout. You will burn the maximum number of calories in a shorter period of time. Doing just this type of workout can lead to injury, since you are pushing your body, heart, joints and muscles beyond your comfort zone. Once you have warmed up, put the speed of the treadmill a couple of notches past your comfort zone and run for 20 minutes. Don't forget to cool down.
Interval: I love interval training since it is a blend of both endurance and fitness training. It challenges the cardiovascular system by alternating intensities. It also increases your metabolism and will burn calories and fat. Here is a challenging interval workout: Interval Sprints on Treadmill.

So which type of training is your favorite and which do you need to do more of? Tell me in the comment section below.

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Fit Tip: Vary Your Cardio Routines

FitSugar — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 08:15:00 -0800

You all know I am a fan of cross training since it adds a nice variety to a workout routine. Even if you don't cross train, you should vary your workouts to reap even more benefits from your cardio time. You need to play with speed, distance, and rate and mix it all up. This variety confuses your body and helps you burn more calories as well as increase your fitness level.

So mix up short and intense runs, less distance at a faster pace, with longer and slower runs to work on endurance – this variation works for cardio machines, too. If you run outside vary your terrain, doing some hill runs mixed with runs with less inclines. This also applies to the treadmill; you need to play around with the incline. And don't forget about intervals. Mix up short and long intervals of pushing your pace and then slowing down to recover.

With this much variety in your workout plan, you will never get bored and neither will your body!

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New Trend in Fitness: Video Games and Cardio

FitSugar — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 13:30:00 -0700

Remember the Nintendo Powerpad? Well if it was a favorite in your past, then you're probably going to be excited about this news.

New fitness companies are playing on the old gamers in us all. Using the latest in virtual reality technology, Expresso Fitness is creating cardio bikes that motivate you with an interactive training environment and give you the feedback to keep improving. In other words: These interactive exercise bikes give you the feeling that you're zooming through tunnels or chasing dragons.

Pretty cool minus the fact that video games now make me motion sick...

Fit Tip: Sprint Throughout Your Cardio Workout

FitSugar — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:30:00 -0700

Long, slow cardio workouts are great for relieving stress or if you're training for a race, but adding fast-paced intervals will help alleviate boredom, diminish belly fat, and make you stronger.

Whether you get your heart rate up by running, using an elliptical, swimming, jumping rope, or biking, include short sprinting bursts throughout your workout. Add 10- to 60-second sprints every few minutes, slowing down to a moderate pace just long enough to catch your breath between them. These sprints will build and tone muscles and increase your endurance.

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Fit Tip: Include Cardio, Strength Training, and Stretching in Every Workout

FitSugar — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 13:00:00 -0800

When it comes to exercise, there's a huge push to do cardio. It burns calories, reduces stress, helps you lose or maintain your weight, helps relieve muscle soreness, and is good for your lungs and your heart. While that's true, cardio isn't the only thing your body needs. It's also important to strength train to tone your muscles, increase your metabolism, and increase your muscle mass. Of course you also need to stretch as well to increase flexibility, which will prevent injury.

So a good rule of thumb is to include all three - cardio, strength training, and stretching - in every workout. You can start with 30 minutes of jogging, followed by 20 minutes of dumbbells exercises, and finish with 20 minutes of yoga. Not only will your entire body feel worked, but doing all three every time you exercise will make sure you don't neglect one type of training.

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Fit Tip: Beat Sore Muscles with Cardio

FitSugar — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 10:00:00 -0700

One of the best things about lifting weights is the hurts-so-good soreness that you can get afterward; it's also one of the worst things about it. When muscles start hurting, hanging out on the couch chilling and not moving seems like a good idea, but this is one of the worst things you could do. A light aerobic workout can actually help relieve the pain, since moving around will get your blood moving and bring blood to the sore area - new blood helps promote the healing process. In fact, you may even want to think about adding quick bursts of cardio between your lifting sets to reduce delayed onset muscle soreness. So keep moving, your muscles will thank you.

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Fit Tip: Get Competitive with Cardio

FitSugar — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 03:00:00 -0700

I have a competitive edge. I don't know if it stems from having older siblings, but if I'm doing the same task or activity as someone else, you can bet I'm secretly trying to beat her.

I've noticed that while this is not favorable in many aspects of life (driving, anything involving my husband, etc.) it does have an advantage in fitness. Here's how I work it: I'll step on the treadmill around the same time as the person next to me and I'll tell myself that I'm going to last longer than he does. When the anonymous and unknowing male gym member finally steps off and I'm still going, I feel triumphant and pleased that I worked for five more minutes than I had originally planned. Granted, when attempting to harness your competitive side, you still need to listen to your body and know your limits, but this is a fun little way to motivate yourself to go a little longer than you normally would.

Have you ever done this? If so, share below!

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Fit Tip: Use Cardio Machines in a Different Way

FitSugar — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 07:30:00 -0700

Since the weather isn't quite warm enough for most of us to exercise outdoors, many of us have been using cardio machines at the gym. They can get pretty boring since they're so repetitive, so try to think of different and maybe even unexpected ways to use them to keep your workouts fresh. Not only will this keep you from getting bored at the gym, but you'll work different muscles too. Here are some ideas:

Walk sideways on the treadmill and be sure to take turns leading with both sides.
If you're used to running at a constant speed for a certain amount of time, mix it up. Sprint for one minute, walk for one minute, and jog for one minute. Repeat this three-minute interval set for as many minutes as you usually run.
If running is your thing, walk for twice as long instead with the incline higher than you use when running.
If you want to target your glutes, increase the incline on the treadmill as high as it will go and pretend you're hiking up a steep mountain.
Work backwards on the elliptical. Since your feet have places to rest, it's safer than doing it on a treadmill. This will get your backside going.

Want to see the other ideas? Then read more

Let go on the elliptical, don't hold on to the handles. This will work your core and your lower body at the same time. You can also do this on the stepper machine.
If you're used to sitting on a stationary bike, try standing and pedaling. You don't have to do it the entire time, but maybe alternate between standing for one minute and sitting for five minutes.
Gradually increase the tension on your bike like you are riding up a hill. It's tough but really satisfying, and will get you ready for tackling hills when you ride outside.

Do you have any other ideas? Share them below.

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