Stair training is a great way to tone and shape your entire body . It works multiple muscle groups, from your legs and butt to your core and upper body. The constant elevation changes force your muscles to work harder, making for a more intense workout that burns calories , increases cardiovascular endurance, and strengthens your lower body.
Below are 6 effective stair exercises to help firm and slim the body, so you should incorporate them into your daily exercise routine.
1. Sprinting on stairs helps the body to be toned
Stair sprints increase cardiovascular endurance while toning your legs, glutes, and core.
This exercise helps increase cardiovascular endurance while toning the legs, glutes, and core.
How to do:
– Warm up by walking briskly or jogging slowly on flat ground for 5 to 10 minutes.
– Choose stairs with at least 20 steps.
– Run up the stairs as fast as you can, lifting your knees and swinging your arms.
– Walk slowly down the stairs to recover.
– Repeat 10 to 12 sprints.
2. Step forward and bend knee exercise
The stair step-up exercise works the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and core, helping to improve balance and stability.
The stair step-up exercise works the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and core.
How to do:
– Stand at the bottom of the stairs with your feet hip-width apart.
– Step one foot onto the second or third step, lowering your body until your thighs are parallel to the step.
– Make sure the front knee is in line with the ankle and the back knee is lowered toward the step.
– Push with front foot to return to starting position.
– Switch legs and repeat 10 to 12 times for each leg.
3. Push-ups
Stair push-ups work the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core, while adding stability.
Stair push-ups work the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core.
How to do:
– Get into a plank position with your hands on the stairs, shoulder-width apart, legs stretched straight out behind you, under the stairs, toes on the floor.
– Lower your body toward the steps, keeping your elbows at a 45-degree angle.
– Push your palms back to the starting position.
– Do 10 to 15 times.
4. Stair jumping squat
This exercise builds explosive power in the glutes, quads, and hamstrings, while also getting your heart rate up.
Squat jumps strengthen the glutes, quadriceps and hamstrings, toning the body.
How to do:
– Stand at the bottom of the stairs with your feet shoulder-width apart.
– Lower yourself into a squat position, then jump up to the first or second step.
– Land gently in a squatting position to absorb the impact.
– Step back to starting position.
– Repeat 10 to 12 jumps.
5. Step aside
The side-stepping exercise on stairs works the inner thighs, outer thighs and glutes, while improving lateral stability, toning the body.
How to do:
– Stand on your right side at the foot of the stairs, feet together.
– Step up the stairs with your right foot, followed by your left foot, keeping the angle.
– Continue to step sideways up the stairs about 10 to 15 steps.
– Switch sides and repeat.
6. Reverse push-ups
Stair push-ups work the triceps, shoulders and core, helping to tone the upper body.
Stair push-ups work the triceps, shoulders and core, helping to tone the upper body.
How to do:
– Sit on the edge of the step, holding the edge of the step next to your hips with both hands.
– Stretch your legs straight out in front of you, heels touching the ground.
– Lower your body by bending your elbows, keeping your arms close to your sides.
– Push through palms with arms straight to lift body back to starting position.
– Do 12 to 15 times.