The staircase in the park or the one in the church square, the steps of a small street: they are all open-air gyms and at no cost. There are in fact many scientific studies that testify the effectiveness of step training.
Among the most recent is a 2021 study conducted in synergy by the Departments of Kinesiology of McMaster University and Queen's University, Ontario (Canada), on a group of healthy but untrained women between 24 and 34 years of age. Research has shown the net improvement of cardio-circulatory and respiratory skills triggered precisely by training on the stairs.
“The steps are then a great weight loss activity», Underlines the personal trainer Laura Rapuzzi. «Training on the stairs burns an average of 4 calories per kg of body weight every 30 minutes, for which a staircase represents an opportunity to dry the silhouette and tone the most critical points, such as buttocks and thighs ».
And you don't even need Rocky's steps: "10 steps are more than enough for effective work and in any case it is not the number that counts: the step is a single rise and has made the history of aerobics courses ».
Here are some exercises suggested by our personal trainer to regain the line and shape over time ... one step at a time.
In the first 2 weeks
For the first 15 days Run up 10 steps 5 times (the descent corresponds to the recovery phase). Take one step at a time and keep a steady pace for all 5 sets. The correct cadence is the one for which you should feel the breathlessness only in the last set. Repeat this exercise 3 times a week.
Over the next 15 days
After the first phase, keep the 3 sessions per week and increase the number of sets and speed from time to time of execution of the same. In these two weeks the goal is to get to climb the 10 steps 10 times easily, that is, in order to "feel the breath" only during the last series.
After the first month
After 4 weeks of climbing you will have acquired a good agility: that's it the time to "load", without exaggerating but having fun with all the combinations that come to mind. You can do the steps two at a time (no more, to avoid contractures); go up in a zigzag; go up with feet together; jumping from one side of the staircase to the other ... In this way, in addition to muscles, you will also train coordination and improve your sense of balance.
Keep also in this phase i 3 weekly workouts, each of which consists of about ten ramps, each time changing the way of climbing.
Complete training
Go up the ramps, you can complete your workout with a simple exercise for the upper body. "Sit on a step and place your hands next to your pelvis," explains Laura Rapuzzi.
«Now lift up on your arms and move your pelvis forward, going down until you touch the step below with your buttocks. Stop for a moment and slowly return to the starting position. Do two sets of 10/12 repetitions, without ever resting the pelvis so as to always work biceps and triceps ».
