Sam's Physio Tip of the Week - Climbing Stairs

When given the option, do you take the lift or the stairs??
 

Love 'em or hate 'em, climbing stairs is damn good for you!!

It is one of the easiest ways to give your major muscle groups (calves, quads, hamstrings and glutes) a quick workout.

A few benefits of climbing stairs:

• Climbing eight flights of stairs a day reduces mortality risk by 33% 
   

• Climbing stairs at a normal speed burns 2-3 times more energy fast walking
   

• Seven minutes stair climbing a day can halve the risk of heart attack, AND two minutes of stair climbing a day is enough to stop weight gain

Keep in mind that if it's hurting when you climb stairs (in your knees, hips or lower back) you are going to be missing out on the benefits.
My favorite trick to help reduce pain when climbing stairs is to get people to push down through their heels. This will make sure you recruit your posterior chain, thereby improving your overall posture & getting the most out of this "workout".

Remember to use that mind-muscle connection - if you think about your glutes as you climb, and even give them a bit of a poke, you can easily turn this into more of a butt work-out!