You’ve seen the shoe commercials.  A person inside a cavernous stadium runs up stairs. Row after row after row of stairs, usually at dawn while the competition sleeps.  They usually drip with sweat, talk about the agony of defeat, maybe the pleasure of pain.

 

Why? Because stair running is a brutal assault on physical performance and it works like a charm.

RUNNING STAIRS WILL:

• Scorch fat and crank up metabolism

 

• Boost lung capacity

 

• Blast your legs with explosive strength

 

• Magnify performance capacity

 

• Save time

 

Depending on your speed and load the force generated by your legs when running stairs is 3-4 times more than flat surface running.  That means you could do the work of an hour-long medium distance run with twenty minutes of intense stair running.  You may have trouble walking straight the day after your first session but if you’re doing RUSHFIT then you aren’t about to back down from a challenge.  Also, the focus and discipline required to overcome a steep flight for several rounds is more beneficial than a leisurely jog.

 

That’s not to say a leisurely jog isn’t appropriate for an active rest or day off. But don’t confuse it with a serious charge up stairs or a hill. Challenge yourself and find a nasty flight near your home or work. See how many you can do in five minutes. Work your way up to five rounds.

 

For anyone with injury concerns such as knee issues or with impact concerns, you can still take part.  Climb stairs with a loaded backpack and alternate between short stride (every step) and long strides (every other).  Running down stairs is also not recommended for the massive impact of gravity and loading on your joints, not to mention obvious safety reasons.

 

Got a nasty flight of stairs you’re running? Send us a pic! blog@gsprushfit.com

 

LINKS:

 

http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/running-stairs-the-most-badass-fat-loss-conditioning-drill-ever/

 

http://www.runningbleachers.com/2011/10/benefits-of-running-bleachers/

http://www.coreperformance.com/daily/movement/q-a-running-stairs.html

 

http://www.shape.com/fitness/cardio/hill-running-5-reasons-love-incline