Is it your New Year’s resolutions to get fit? Then why not make the BC Lung Association’s Stairclimb for Clean Air event on February 27th your incentive to get 2011 off to an active start?
Here are three reasons to make stair climbing a part of your workout:
- Using stairs instead of the elevator can burn about 500 calories per hour, depending on your weight and how fast you go.
- Stair climbing is one of the fastest and most convenient ways to get an excellent aerobic workout. Think about it. Fifteen minutes of stair climbing is equal in intensity to a 30-minute run.
- Stair climbing can be a total body workout if you use your arms to help pull you up, and is excellent for cross-training.
But if you’re new to stair climbing, don’t go crazy the first time out. Start with one or two flights and then take the elevator the rest of the way. Or, if you’re already in training, control the intensity by running one flight and walking the next. Set a goal of increasing your workout by one flight of stairs per week.
