With how crazy our everyday lives can be, it’s hard to put time aside to hit the gym and exercise. What many don’t know is that there is a great piece of workout equipment right in our own homes and you’ve been walking on it for years. What we’re talking about is your stairs.
Now at first you may think that it’s ridiculous that someone would use them for exercising, but there are many easy workouts one can do on them, som
e which may even cause you to break a legitimate sweat when doing them. So, if you’re looking to shed some unwanted weight before summer arrives, you may want to give some of these workouts a try:
Just walk and down
While it may seem like a no-brainer, simply walking up and down the stairs is a great exercise for your legs. By climbing them at a moderate pace for a decent amount of time you can give your legs and lower back a small workout. It’s very easy but can also be very beneficial to you.
Increase your pace
If you want to take it a step further, you can increase your pace at which you go up the stairs. Running up them will cause you to break a sweat faster as well as work your muscles harder which may end up giving you an overall better result from your workout. Not only that but running up stairs is better on your joints than simply running outside. Just be sure you’re careful and have no-slip treads on your stairs to prevent accidents!
Go backwards
Another interesting way to climb the steps is to go backwards. Start from the bottom and place one foot behind you on the step, then bring up the other foot and do this until you reach the top. It’s not only good exercise it will also cause you to focus on your balance as well, which may also improve from this workout. But stay safe! Keep your hands on your railings and move slowly to prevent you from slipping.
Step ups
Step ups are another good exercise. You take one step up on to the stair then bring the other foot up. Then take the foot used on the first step and put it back down on the ground followed by the other foot. Repeat until you’ve break a sweat!
High knees
If you want to take your step ups to the next level, try some high knees. Place one foot on to the step, then pull your other leg up bringing your knee a little past your waist, then put that leg back down and bring your starting foot back off the step. Then do the same with your other leg.
Calf raises
Another simple workout would be calf raises. Place the insteps of both feet on the edge of the step and have the heel of your feet hanging over it. Then when you have your balance, bring your heels up past the step making your legs totally straight then go back to the starting position. About 20 reps and about 4 or 5 sets of this and your calves will be burning.
Lunges
When it comes to leg workouts however, there aren’t many better than lunges. Simply bring your one leg up to the second step then lean forward making sure your knee doesn’t go past your toes. If it does you risk injuring yourself which is not what you want to do when working out.
Incline pushups
A good upper body exercise you can do on your stairs would be incline pushups. Facing the steps, place your hands on the steps letting your palms wrap around the lip of the step. Then just like a normal push up, push your body until your arms are almost fully extended and then lower yourself back down. Just be careful not to lose your grip and you could easily hit your head on the step.
Acadia Stairs manufactures quality stairs for your home or for your office. Each of our staircase designs and stairs are created to best suit your needs. For more information on our services or if you would like a consultation, please feel free to contact us today!
