You have performed this activity on a daily basis day in and day out. It has become so automatic, you do not even have to think about the task while in the midst of performing it. Then why does the simple act of climbing stairs become such a challenging event for some individuals? You might find yourself breathing a little harder after climbing a flight of stairs. Your heart feels like it is beating at a faster rate once you get to the next floor. The fact is that the daily task of climbing stairs challenges your muscular and cardiovascular fitness capacities.
Mechanics of Stair Climbing
The act of climbing stairs incorporates the use of your lower extremities, with the up phase presenting a greater physical challenge than the descending phase. The typical rise from one step to the next can be a distance of 5 to 8 inches in height. This means that you have to lift your entire body weight with one leg at a time over this defined distance. When performed for a limited number of steps, the physiological demand usually is within your capability. However, when faced with the challenge of traversing a few flights of steps, even the well-conditioned athlete will notice the increased physical exertion.
Leg Pain
Lets assume that you are a 160-pound male and are of the average height. Imagine lifting 160 pounds a distance of 8 inches for 10 repetitions in a row over an eight-second period. Physiologically, you are actually performing a weight-training exercise. The muscles in your lower extremity have to respond in a similar fashion as if you were performing a one-legged leg press exercise. Internally, your leg muscles need to recruit enough muscle fibers to meet the strength demands of lifting 160 pounds over and over. As the energy stores in your leg muscles deplete and metabolic waste products are produced, your muscles fatigue from the strain of exercise.
Increased Heart Rate and Breathing
If the total number of steps climbed is performed in under 10 seconds, you will notice after the climb that your breathing and heart rate increases. This is your body's response to recuperate from the exercise performed. In an attempt to regenerate and recover, your breathing needs to increase to take in more oxygen. Your heart responds by beating faster to deliver the oxygen and other nutrients in your blood to restore the depleted energy stores in the muscles of your legs. As the number of steps ascended increases, your body's physiological response to the activity must also increase to allow you to complete the task.
Using Stairs to Increase Fitness
If you are looking to improve on your physical fitness level, climbing stairs can provide the stimulus to promote cardiovascular health and improve upon your lower-extremity strength and endurance. Because it can initially present to be a very demanding exercise, you will need to gradually progress yourself. Start off with a comfortable walking pace and utilize frequent rest periods as you feel the onset of fatigue. As you adapt to the exercise, increase the total exercise time followed by an increase in the pace of the climb. As with any physical activity, a slow and gradual progression over time will allow your body to adapt to the demands of the exercise.
References
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning"; National Strength and Conditioning Association; Thomas R. Baechle, et al.; 2008
- "American Fitness"; Stair Climbing: Stepping Up Your Workout: Part I; Gregory Welch; March-April 2010
