This photo is from the park where I go for my morning runs and walks. I live literally two minutes from the city center and this park is exactly 55 steps away from my front door! I am very lucky. However, something darker lurks at this park. Something much more sinister… the weight loss stairs.
Sprinting stairs for faster weight loss
This a photo I took today to show you all where I do my sprinting training. It gives me chills just looking at it.
For the last few weeks I have been trying to boost my fitness and lose a little bit of weight and I have been doing this by sprinting up and down these stairs over and over, again and again.
I have a love/hate relationship with these stairs.
I love them because they give me the most intense workout I have had in a long time. If you are disciplined you can run stairs hard and fast and get a lot out of the exercise. I hate them because it hurts. It hurts during the exercise and it hurts the day after.
What are the benefits of running stairs?
There are a few amazing benefits that come from running stairs.
Firstly, you will lose fat faster than you thought possible. You might think that running stairs only works your legs but it actually works your whole body. You need your back and abs to stabilize yourself, your arms to punch for momentum and your legs, butt and calf muscles to push you upwards. Because of this you are able to get your heart rate up to a very high level. This keeps your metabolism cranking well after the session has finished so you continue to be a fat burning machine for the rest of the day.
Secondly, running stairs adds muscle. I have noticed that my legs and glutes are a lot stronger and visibly bigger after only a few short weeks of running the stairs. Sprinting is a very explosive exercise and your muscles respond really well to the punishment.
Thirdly, you develop a lot of mental toughness. Running stairs is really hard and takes a lot of discipline to turn around and run back up them again after you only just got back to the bottom!
How do I get the most out of stair sprinting?
If you want to make sure you get the most out of your stair sprints you should do a few things.
1. Warm up
The first time I did it at these stairs I didn’t warm up thinking I was fit and healthy enough to just go right into it. I threw my lower back out. For about a month my lower back was twisted and a little bit painful because I went too hard to fast on the stairs.
2. Pick a number of laps
If you don’t have a solid goal in mind you will leave as soon as it gets tough. The best idea is to write down a number of laps that you want to do and then don’t stop until you have done it. Start off with a small number like five sprints and then try to beat it everytime you go down.
3. Introduce time restraints
If you really want to push yourself you can start introducing time restraints when you become a little more expert at running the stairs. The idea is to pick a number of laps (say 10) and try and do it in a certain amount of time. Record that time and then try to beat it. If you beat it reward yourself with a break or perhaps a nice lunch.
4. Sprint up them, don’t run
There is a big difference between sprinting stairs and running them. Running stairs is easy, you could do it all day long. Sprinting stairs is a different story. Sprinting is going as fast as you can until you reach the top. Running is only going at 60%-80% of your maximum.
A word of warning
Stair sprinting is not for unfit people who are just starting out. It is for expert who are fit and have a clean bill of health from their doctor. While it can be a very rewarding exercise it can also be a really dangerous exercise especially for people with knee, heart or asthma related problems.
Does anyone have a place near their house where they do all their workouts? Love to see some photos!
April 18th, 2008 at 4:14 am
Wow those stairs look pretty mean. Nice photo - angled looking up so they look intimidating!
Great article it is really cool to see where other people workout. Looks like you live in a really amazing place.
Kara
April 18th, 2008 at 4:15 am
awe man there is like 40 stairs there. i do a 15 stair run at my mum’s house and i am screwed after about five minutes!
look like i got work to do.
btw - nice park!
April 18th, 2008 at 4:16 am
Kara - I didn’t angle the camera up! They really are that tall! LOL
James - its all about progression man. Start out with 15 and work your way up to 100! You’ll get there - if you have strong resolve.
RT
April 18th, 2008 at 4:43 am
I agree… stair sprinting is not for the unfit. Once I tried it hoping for quick weight loss. But when I’m up there, felt like throwing up. No more stairs sprinting for me.
April 18th, 2008 at 5:15 am
Weight loss tips - I think it is a good idea to work up to sprinting; don’t give up! It really does pay off over time. And, you don’t have to be sprinting up them to reap all of the fat loss benefits.
RT
April 18th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Good idea.
I obviously do the vast majority of my workouts at school-we have a certain corridor in our school with stairs and room for speed ladders and plyo boxes, then the weight room and the hall just adjacent to it.
A trail behind my house, and my basement for skipping.
I think i’ll start to incorporate stair sprinting as a cardio exercise-I hate jogging, 208 pounds coming down hard on my knees is a bad idea…
April 18th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
Jason - be careful cos 208 pounds on your knees going down stairs isn’t much better…
RT
April 18th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
True, true.
Although i think sprinting for less time helps it.It sure as hell feels alot better on my knees, during, and after…
May 3rd, 2008 at 1:42 am
I had to go to the doctor for knee pain and I couldn’t figure out how I hurt me knees. When the doctor told me that going down stairs can be hard on the knees I thought of the fact I every day I ran down ten flights of stairs when I got off work. Duh!
May 12th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
I just started sprinting/running stairs a few weeks ago. We have 2 sets of stairs where I live. One with 154 steps and one with 179 steps. Google “santa monica stairs” to check them out. In just these last few weeks I have noticed a quick decrease in body fat etc. It is a brutal workout and I cannot sprint up the whole way as there are a lot of stairs to cover but I do half sprinting and half running. I can only do about 10-12 reps before I die. There is a ton of motivation though…cute girls! HA!
Anyway, it beats a spin class and it gets you in better shape then running in the sand I think.
May 12th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Chris - nice stairs! I truly reckon stair sprints are the best way to burn fat fast. Thanks for the comment.
RT