FitSugar

Extreme Sport: Stair Racing

FitSugar — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:00:00 -0700

If you love the StairMaster, you're going to love stair racing (also called stair or skyscraper run-ups). If you enter a race, you start at the ground level of a gigantic building, and you run up the stairs with hundreds of other people, often ascending thousands of steps in a few minutes. Just recently in the Taipei 101 race, a German athlete sprinted up 91 floors in 10 minutes and 53 seconds! Talk about major cardio.

You can find stair-climbing races in all the world's skyscrapers including the Empire State Building in New York City, the Sheraton Wall Center Hotel in Vancouver, Canada, and the Menara Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. Many of these stair climbs are for charities, so not only are people getting into the physical challenge of stair racing, but they feel good knowing they're raising money for good causes.

Even if you're not into racing, you can still benefit from climbing stairs. There's no need to buy an expensive StairMaster or join a gym. You can climb the stairs in tall buildings near you, or if you don't have access to multiple flights of stairs, you can go up and down one flight of stairs. You'll tone your quads, buns, and calves, and your heart and lungs will get an amazing workout as well. Not only that, it's totally free.

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Get it Up, Your Heart Rate That Is: Become a Stair Master

FitSugar — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 12:30:00 -0700

My absolute least favorite cardio machine to use at the gym is the StairMaster. I don't know what it is about it, but I get so bored and I just don't like it. Today, I stopped avoiding it and tried out this new workout, which applies a modified pyramid technique (when you gradually move from low intensity for a longer time to high intensity for a shorter time, then back down again). The workout actually wasn't nearly as boring as I thought it would be and my heart rate sure was up where it needed to be.

00:00-05:00 Warm-up, Level 4
05:00-10:00 Level 6
10:00-13:00 Level 8
13:00-14:00 Level 10
14:00-15:00 Level 6
15:00-20:00 Level 8
20:00-23:00 Level 10
23:00-24:00 Level 12
24:00-25:00 Level 8
25:00-30:00 Level 10
30:00-33:00 Level 12
33:00-34:00 Level 14
34:00-35:00 Level 10
35:00-40:00 Cool Down, Level 4

Looking a little intimidating? For a beginner's version just read more
00:00-05:00 Warm-up, Level 3
05:00-10:00 Level 5
10:00-13:00 Level 6
13:00-14:00 Level 7
14:00-15:00 Level 5
15:00-20:00 Level 6
20:00-23:00 Level 7
23:00-24:00 Level 8
24:00-25:00 Level 6
25:00-30:00 Level 7
30:00-33:00 Level 8
33:00-34:00 Level 9
34:00-35:00 Level 7
35:00-40:00 Cool Down, Level 3

Try it out and definitely let me know what you think. Not into the StairMaster, then check out these other cardio workouts.

4-5-6-6-5-4: Cardio Plan

FitSugar — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 04:00:00 -0700

In the fitness world, they say if the mind is bored, the body must be too. Really...they say that - I have heard it and lived it. If you suffer from boredom or have a body that easily adjusts to however you challenge it, I have a workout plan that might just be for you.

Gunnar Peterson, trainer to the stars (like Jennifer Lopez, Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck), likes to mix it up for his clients cardio-wise. This keeps the body guessing and the mind occupied. Instead of spending 30 minutes on just one piece of cardio equipment, spend your cardio time on different machines for different amounts of time.

The cardio plan looks like this:
4:00 minutes on treadmill
5:00 minutes on elliptical
6:00 minutes on stair stepper
6:00 minutes on treadmill
5:00 minutes on elliptical
4:00 minutes on stair stepper

This totals 30 minutes, 10 on each machine. Each workout you should try to use different machines, so add rowing machine, StepMill, and stationary bike into the mix as well. You know really mix it up. this way you might fel compelled to use your least favorite piece of equipment since you won't be on it the entire workout - just 10 minutes broken up into doable chunks.

Get it Up - Your Heart Rate, That is: StairMaster Interval Training

FitSugar — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 10:15:00 -0700

Looking for a change to your workout? Maybe you should hop on the StairMaster for this heart pumping program.

00:00-05:00 Warm Up Level 3
05:00-07:00 Level 6
07:00-09:00 Level 8
09:00-11:00 Level 6
11:00-13:00 Level 8
13:00-15:00 Level 6
15:00-17:00 Level 10
17:00-19:00 Level 8
19:00-21:00 Level 10
21:00-24:00 Level 8
24:00-26:00 Level 10
26:00-28:00 Level 8
28:00-30:00 Level 10
30:00-35:00 Cool Down Level 3

Remember: Don't hold on for dear life, just for balance if needed. Holding on is not only cheating but it also puts you at risk for injury as your body is not in proper alignment. If this program seems too hard (you're holding on) or easy (you're hardly breaking a sweat) you can go up or down in levels based on your personal level of fitness. Let me know how it goes!

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The Best Way to Get Up

FitSugar — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 03:00:00 -0700

A new initiative from New York City Health Commissioner, Thomas Farley, is encouraging people to get off of elevators and take the stairs. I think it's great since taking the stairs is an easy first step to a healthier you. Take my quiz and test your knowledge of this heart healthy alternative to the elevator.

Question 1 of 5

What year was the StairMaster introduced?

Short on Gym Time? Be a Two-Timer

FitSugar — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:30:00 -0700

Climbing stairs instead of taking the elevator is a great way to add quick bursts of exercise to your day, and here's a new twist on stair stepping: When climbing up, take the stairs two at a time. The effect is like combining the StairMaster and lunges. Really focus on the back of your leg and your booty as you climb. Think of your hamstrings and glutes pushing you up, rather than your quads pulling you up the stair. I think it feels great, but if you feel it in your knees you might just want to give this move a miss.

When it comes to taking the stairs, don't forget there are benefits to going down them as well!

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AirDesk: So You Can Work and Work Out

FitSugar — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 13:00:03 -0800

Working at a desk job? You're certainly not alone. Unfortunately, all that sitting and not moving much is contributing to the rise in national obesity. To combat the problem, many companies are designing desks that are attached to treadmills, like the TreadDesk, but they're so pricey that most people wouldn't dare splurge on one.

I found a cheaper solution though: the AirDesk ($189). It's a stand that holds your laptop, and it rests on the floor so you can use it with either a treadmill, elliptical, stationary bike, or StairMaster. It's a brilliant idea for anyone who works from home but isn't happy about having to sit in front of her computer all day. It allows you to stretch your muscles and burn calories, and it may even help you think more clearly. Could you ever see yourself using this?

You Asked: Training For Big Hikes?

FitSugar — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 05:30:17 -0800

Dear Fit,
This past weekend I hiked Camelback Mountain in Phoenix, AZ. It was fun, but it totally exhausted me. Basically, my entire body is very sore. I can't walk correctly because my right quad is so intensely sore! I work out regularly at the gym, so I'm really disappointed that I'm this sore. Are there any exercises that can help prepare me to hike Camelback again? There is a lot of climbing up rocks on the trail. I would say going back down the mountain is even more difficult. I was really slow for several reasons: bad knees, legs were fatigued, and I was scared of falling. Any suggestions?
-urban chic 101

Hiking is one of the best forms of exercise, and because of that, it's one of my favorite activities. There are definitely some things you can do to prepare for your next trek up Camelback. To find out what, read more.

Start off with some shorter, easier hikes. Even though you work out regularly and are a fit person, a steep hike is really demanding on your body. As your body becomes stronger, gradually increase the difficulty and length of your hikes.
Hike regularly. Just as running gets easier with practice, so does hiking. Get out at least once a week if you can.
Become one with the incline on the treadmill. Adjust the level so it's as steep as possible and work on walking up the hill. Then lower the incline back down, raise the back of your treadmill with wooden blocks, and work on walking downhill. Or just find a steep hill and walk up and down that instead.
When working out, focus on quad strengthening exercises such as lunges and squats. Practice going up and down stairs as well, or use a StairMaster.
When you do go hiking next, carry as little as possible and use a lumbar pack instead of a backpack. It will keep your center of gravity on your hips, so you'll feel more stable on rocky terrain.
Use a pair of trekking poles to help make the ascent and descent easier on your knees.
After a hike, be sure to stretch those muscles to prevent soreness the next day.

Hope this helps and happy hiking!

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The Benefits of Backward Walking and Running

FitSugar — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 13:00:00 -0800

If you're working on losing weight, walking and running not only burns calories, but they also strengthen and tone your legs and core. The only problem is, since the movements are repetitive, you can put yourself at risk for injury. That's why it's a good idea to incorporate backward walking and running into your routine. Here are some more reasons.

It improves balance.
It increases the length of your stride since you tend to reach further back when taking each step backward. So when you turn it around and walk or run forward, you'll be able to cover more distance in a shorter amount of time.
It's a great way to descend steep hills if you have knee pain since going backwards puts less pressure on the knee joint.

To find out what the other benefits of backward walking and running are then read more.

It uses your muscles differently so it'll make you legs even stronger, especially your quads. This will enable you to move faster when going forward.
Since your range of motion at the hip joint is reduced, it's a good form of cardio for people suffering from hamstring injuries.

If you can't run or walk outside because it's too cold or snowy, you can get the same benefits by walking or running backward on an indoor track, treadmill (hold the handles please), elliptical, stairmaster, or by jumping rope backwards.

Fit Tip: Be sure to alternate looking over your left and right shoulders equally to prevent neck pain.

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What Is Your Least Favorite Cardio Machine?

FitSugar — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 03:30:00 -0800

Last night at the gym I forced myself to do the StairMaster - in case you didn't know, I hate the StairMaster. I would much rather use any other cardio machine at the gym but I know that I need variety in my workout so I pushed through it knowing that it would be a few weeks before I had to use it again. I started thinking while I was on it, "Am I the only one who dislikes this machine so much?" So of course that brings me to you guys, what is your least favorite cardio machine to use?

If you don't want to focus on the negative, you can still vote on your favorite cardio machine. And why not turn that negative energy into something positive and make your New Year's Resolution to learn to love, or at least use, your least favorite piece of cardio equipment. Too much of a challenge? Let me know in the comments section below.

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