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5 Ways a Flight of Stairs Can Heat Up Your Winter Workouts
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Just because we are headed into a busy Winter season, it doesn't mean you should put your fitness goals on hold. If you have access to a staircase, you can get a great cardio workout right at home. Up ahead, everything you need to switch up your workout routine and torch calories using steps.
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The Warmup
Whether you're using the stairs in your home or in your apartment building, you'll want to warm up for a few minutes. Before you get started, set your activity timer and note your current heart rate (this will help you figure out how hard you worked out later). For the most accurate heart rate during your workout, invest in a heart rate monitor too. Next, run up and down the stairs, being careful to support your knees during the descent. This will heat up your muscles and get the blood flowing.
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Step Ups
What you're doing: Raise your heart rate and target the glutes and hamstrings.
How: Using the bottom step, place your right foot firmly on the step, so your right knee is at a 90-degree angle. When you step up, make sure you straighten your right leg as you bring your left leg up to a 90-degree angle. At the peak of the move, carefully bend your right knee and lower your left leg back to the ground.
Complete three sets of 12 to 15 reps on each leg.
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Double Leg Jump
What you're doing: Raise your heart rate again with an explosive plyometric move that targets major muscle groups in the legs. See how much you can push yourself by using a vívofit® 2 activity tracker to monitor your progress.
How: This is a variation of the traditional jump squat, except you'll be jumping off of the first step and landing on the ground. Start by coming into a squat with your arms by your sides, standing on the first step with your back toward the staircase. Carefully jump off the first step, then gather yourself and get into a squat position. Swing your arms to the ceiling as you explode up and jump off of the ground. The key to doing this correctly is to land softly and quietly on the ground. Safely step back into position for the next rep.
Complete 10 to 12 reps.
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Step Up to Reverse Lunge
What you're doing: We're going back to the legs and building off of the first leg move we did.
How: Start by lifting your leg to your chest like you did in the step-up move, then return your leg to the ground. Both legs should be on the ground now. Now, take your left leg and place it behind you on the ground into a reverse lunge position, being sure to keep your right knee tracked behind your ankle. You are basically going forward, collecting yourself on the ground, then stepping back.
Complete three sets of 12 to 15 reps on each leg.
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Triceps Dip
What you're doing: Time to focus on the triceps.
How: Place hands onto the first step with your fingers facing your feet. Slide your butt off the front step and either bend your legs or extend them out — it's up to you. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, slowly bend your lower body toward the floor until your elbows reach a 90-degree angle. Push back up without locking arms to finish the move.
Complete 12 reps.
