Featured
Stairs
Sugar Editorial Picks
The Best Way to Get Up
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.
Short on Gym Time? Be a Two-Timer
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.
Green Exercise: Run Stairs With a Medicine Ball
Using the stairs instead of the elevator is a great way to burn some extra calories while on the go, but you can also use your stairs at home for working out. It's a perfect way to get your heart rate up in the Winter without having to brave the cold, not to mention it's completely free. While trudging up and down stairs is itself a major workout for your legs, you can work your upper body too by holding a weighted medicine ball ($17).
Another Reason to Climb Stairs: It Prolongs Your Life
I see almost every staircase as a personal challenge, and as a result I love to take the stairs. Not only are these brief bits of cardio a great way to burn some extra calories throughout your day, Swiss researchers believe that taking the stairs can prolong your life. Their recent research indicates that taking the stairs regularly can reduce your risk of dying prematurely by 15 percent.
Building Incentive to Take the Stairs
It's certainly no secret that I'm a big fan of taking the stairs. And more and more, it seems that architects are becoming fans too. First, I heard about skip-stop elevators, which stop at every other floor with stairs filling in the gaps.
Be a Two Timer
You all know I am crazy about taking the stairs. Climbing stairs instead of taking the elevator is a great way to add quick bursts of exercise to your day. Well here's a new twist on stair stepping: When climbing up, take the stairs two at a time.
The Benefits of Going Down
You all know I am avid about walking up the stairs whenever I can, but I just learned the benefits of going down the stairs. Surprisingly, walking down stairs or even downhill reduces blood-sugar levels more than walking uphill. What a pleasant surprise!
Green Exercise: Do the Stairs
For many people, when the temperature turns chilly, running outside really is no longer an option. Joining a gym working out on cardio equipment is a viable option, but one of the reasons I love running outdoors is that it doesn't use electricity, so it keeps my carbon footprint just a little bit smaller.
How about using the stairs in your home, apartment or office building?
You Asked: Are Short Bursts of Exercise Beneficial?
You're asking and I'm answering...
Dear Fit,
I've heard that you need to do at least 15 minutes of cardio to reap the calorie-burning and heart benefits. Is that a myth?
You Asked: Why Is Stair Climbing So Difficult?
You are asking and I'm answering...
Dear FitSugar,
I walk up six flight of stairs to teach a class – I'm a university TA. I climb these stairs at least three times a week and I am always out of breath by the time I reach the top.
More on FitSugar
Fall Award Season
Top Brands
Missoni
Chloe
Aftershock