If you are habituated to taking the lift instead of the stairs, you need to give a second thought because you are missing out an important part of your workout. From walking and running to climbing stairs, leg exercises help you with the basic activities (1). Thus, even walking up and down the stairs provides an amazing workout to your body and is a great way to burning calories and getting toned legs.

On that note, this post talks about the ten stair exercises that can help you gain optimum levels of fitness. To know more, keep reading!

Staircase Workout – An Overview:

Staircase workout is a simple and inexpensive workout, particularly for those who barely have time out of their busy schedules to indulge in a full-fledged workout at a gym. It is extremely convenient as stairs are present everywhere. You can easily perform stair exercises both indoor and outdoor, at home and parks, etc. You need not take 10-15 stairs for a staircase workout; 1-2 stairs are enough for a beginner.

One recent study found that 10 minutes of moderate exercise daily can improve one’s mood and reduce fatigue. Another study reported that stair climbing for 2 minutes several times a day can lower total cholesterol, raise HDL cholesterol, and improve the resting pulse rate in sedentary young women (2).

Given below are a few staircase workouts that can greatly help you to attain a toned and healthy body.

1. Warm-Up:

A warm-up session is extremely important before starting any workout. To prepare your muscles for a stair workout, you need to perform the following movements.

1. Walk up and down 3-4 stairs at a slow and easy pace for about 3 minutes.
2. Walk up the stairs at a fast pace for about 1 minute.
3. Walk down the stairs at an easy pace for about 1 minute.

2. Stair Push-Ups:

Push-ups are one of the most common and basic workouts for any exercise routine. They are extremely beneficial for toning and strengthening your upper body. Push-ups can be done by using the staircase, and we’ll show you how.

How To Do?

1. Place both your hands on a step ahead of you. The higher the step you place your hands on, the easier the push-up becomes.
2. After placing your hands, attain your push-up position with your shoulders wide apart and your body in line from head to foot.
3. Once you are in this position, bend your elbows and try to get close to the ground until your arms form a 90-degree angle.
4. Now get back upward to the starting position. You can perform 15-16 reps.
5. You can also modify this workout by placing a towel on the floor and performing this move on your knees.
6. You can also perform decline push-ups by putting your feet on a stair and placing your hands on the ground below the first step. Try a push-up in this position. You can make your levels tougher by placing your feet on higher stairs.

3. Triceps Dips:

Triceps dips are one of the best exercises to build your upper arms. They strengthen and tone your upper arms. The dips also help in shaping your chest area.

How To Do?

1. Sit away from the staircase with your back directly facing the first stair.
2. Place your legs in front of your body and your palms on the first stair.
3. While doing this, your body should be raised from the ground. Bend your elbows such that your rear touches the ground. Now do the triceps dip by pushing your body backward.

4. Stair Lunges:

Lunges work effectively in toning, building and strengthening your lower body. You can do stair lunges to make this exercise more effective.

How To Do?

1. To begin with, stand two feet away from the first step of a staircase and put both your hands on your waist to balance yourself.
2. Once you have got this position, place your foot on the first step by keeping your back straight.
3. Now bend both your knees until you get the right angle. Remain in this position for a few seconds and then go back to your initial position.
4. Repeat this with the other leg. You can repeat 15 lunges with each leg.

5. Two Footed Jump:

Two footed jump is great for strengthening your legs, improving leg power, and general conditioning.

How To Do?

1. Standing at the bottom of the stairs, slightly bend your knees and swing your arms backward and forward.
2. While swinging your arms forward, jump upwards to reach the next step. When you land on the next step, repeat the exercise immediately and continue with this action until you have performed as many jumps as required.
3. You can make this exercise tougher by holding weights in your hands and jumping up two to three stairs at a time.

6. Stair Sprints:

These anaerobic fitness exercises are effective calorie burners and leg conditioners. They help in increasing your body strength and losing calories.

How To Do?

1. You can perform this exercise by simply running up the stairs as fast as you can. You can make this exercise tougher by pumping your arms vigorously.
2. Place your feet alternately one by one on each step or after two or three steps at a time.
3. Now slowly walk back down the stairs and perform the desired number of repetitions.

7. One Leg Stair Squat:

One leg squat is a very good exercise to get toned strong legs. This exercise is just about balancing.

How To Do?

1. Stand near the flight of stairs and put your foot on the first step of a staircase and the other on the floor.
2. Now bend the knee of your leg that is on the step and suspend the other foot straight in the air.
3. Keep your hands straight and parallel to the ground for maintaining balance.
4. Keep bending your knee that is on the step until your thigh is parallel to the step.
5. Once you get to this position, wait for a couple of seconds and start returning to your initial position by putting pressure on the thighs.
6. Now repeat these steps with the other leg.
7. You can do about 15 repetitions.

8. Split Squat:

The split squat is a form of squat that works on your lower body, making it stronger and toned. You can add dumbbells while performing split squats.

How To Do?

1. Stand straight about two feet away from the stairs in such a position that your back is facing the staircase.
2. Now, with the stairs behind you, put your foot on the step at your back and let your foot rest on the toe behind you.
3. Put your weight on the leg in front of you (the leg on the floor).
4. After this, start bending the knee of your leg that is on the floor and keep bending until the thigh is parallel to the ground.
5. By putting pressure on the heel of your bent leg get back to the starting position. Repeat this procedure with another foot on the step. You can do up to 15 repetitions for each leg.

9. Frog Hopping:

As evident from the name, this exercise is about hopping. Frog hop provides flexibility and strength to your calves, glutes, hamstrings, quads and the leg muscles.

How To Do?

1. Stand on the bottom step, facing the staircase.
2. Keep your legs shoulder width apart and your hands on the sides.
3. Now start hopping on the steps with both your legs; hop in a squat position.
4. Keep swinging your arms as you jump to maintain the balance of your body. As you hop or jump, breathe out. You can repeat this exercise 3-4 times.

10. Mountain Climber:

Mountain climber exercise helps in strengthening several muscles of the body, and also enhances cardiovascular health.

How To Do?

1. Facing the staircase, put both your hands on the second or third step and stretch your legs behind you, like the position that you attain while doing push-ups.
2. Your body should be in a straight line from head to toe.
3. Now bring your right foot towards your right shoulder until your knee reaches your chest.
4. Then return your right leg back to the initial position. Perform the same step with another leg. You can do this up to 12 reps, 6 with each leg. Do these reps without halting.

11. Bear Crawls:

Bear crawls are a great exercise to practice your balance and coordination in this movement pattern. They are beneficial for developing body endurance and strength.

How To Do?

1. You can start off by bending forward and placing your hands on the floor, using your hands and feet equally to support your weight.
2. Move your opposite hand and foot and remain on all fours.
3. While in this position, crawl up the stairs.
4. For a tougher workout, you can crawl down the stairs.
5. Since there is a great risk of falling, it is advisable to exercise caution while performing this workout.

12. Stair-Intervals:

Stair intervals are a combination of walking, running and calisthenics. They accelerate the fat burning process and help develop all round muscular endurance and aerobic fitness.

How To Do?

1. All you need to do is perform a set of calisthenic exercises like push-ups, lunges, squats or sit ups on each landing.
2. You can also exercise using resistance bands, free weights or medicine balls.
3. Just leave the required equipment on each landing. You need to perform a pre-determined number of steps while reaching each piece of equipment.

13. Step-Up To Reverse Lunge:

Lunges are great for your lower body fitness, and you can effectively perform them with the help of your staircase.

How To Do?

1. You can start off by facing the stairs. While doing so, place your left foot on the second step and your right leg on the floor behind you.
2. Lifting your right knee to your chest, quickly move back to the starting position.
3. Now positioning your left leg to your right, step down on the floor with your left leg and perform a lunge.
4. While doing so, place your right knee directly over your ankle.
5. Step back up bringing your left knee towards your chest and return to the starting position. Perform 12 reps on each side.

14. Wide Stance Push-Ups:

This workout is similar to the stair push-up, except that your hands should be wider than your shoulders.

How To Do?

1. As mentioned earlier, get back into the push-up position with your hands placed wider than your shoulder width.
2. Complete 16 reps on your knees and toes. This workout is great for working out your chest muscles.

15. Crossover Lunges:

Crossover lunges are somewhat similar to normal lunges. This exercise works on your lower body, butts and legs. It is a total leg workout.

How To Do?

1. To do crossover lunges, cross over your left leg over your right and climb two steps this way.
2. Now switch your legs and again climb two steps.
3. Once you reach the last step, come down jogging.
4. You can repeat six times or 30 reps with each leg.

Safety Recommendations:

1. It is highly advisable to consult your health supervisor before incorporating any of the above exercises in your routine if you have any health issue.
2. Perform exercises according to your capability.
3. If you experience any pain during the course of any workout, stop performing that exercise immediately. You can continue when your pain subsides.
4. While doing any exercise, take care of your clothing and footwear. The ill-fitted or wrong shoes can have a negative effect on your feet or body.
5. Perform exercise with ease. Avoid stressing your body or giving jerks or doing steps rapidly.
6. Sometimes you might experience muscle soreness after a workout. You can avoid this by stretching yourself after you exercise to relax your muscles.
7. Workouts may result in dehydration, so ensure to drink water before, after and during performing the exercises.
8. If you are a beginner, make sure you initialize slowly as your body is not aware of the postures and can cause a negative effect. So, proceed with ease and increase the time and intensity gradually.

Thus, in this way, you can suitably use your staircase to perform a range of exercises. The workouts, as mentioned above, not only help you burn calories, but will also help you attain a toned body.

Tell us how this post has helped you. Do comment in the box below.

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by Saba via STYLECRAZE