Have you ever gone up a flight of stairs and felt completely out of breath, even when you are in tip-top shape?
Probably, and now we know why.
It turns out that climbing a flight of stairs elevates your heart rate creating a need for more oxygen. You may be thinking, “Yeah, but I walk and run and those activities elevate my heart rate, too.”
Walking up the stairs is different because you use more muscles than when simply walking or running. It will also be harder to climb a flight of stairs if you are already engaging in rigorous activity daily such as training for a marathon or completing your morning kickboxing routine.
In order to avoid the breathless feeling at the top of the stairs, Greatist asked Jason Fitzgerald, a track and field coach, to make a few suggestions. He offers this tip: Add lower-body strength exercises such as squats and lunges to your regular workout routine to mimic the movement your body undertakes while climbing stairs.
Adding a few simple moves will condition your body and help you get up the stairs without leaving you breathless.
So keep climbing! Doing so will add some much-needed cardio to your afternoon at the office.
