why does it seem twice as hard to walk up 2 steps instead of 1?

[norseamd]

Find a tall building, walk or run up. Ride the elevator down. Repeat as needed. Seriously.

Walking/running down does you no good (gravity is doing the effort, so you get next to nothing exercise wise) and puts massive strain on your knees (you get your normal walking/running weight hitting the ground but from a much higher distance so there is a much greater force).

Disagree. Maybe if you are doing lots of sets but otherwise I think there are benefits to both types of exercise. Lots of sets at the same time might be hard on your knees regardless whether you are going up or down or even many other exercises like tennis and even something so fundamental and instinctual to any human as running.

It seems to me that it would be a good counter exercise. Just go down the steps one at a time for a good cool down. Also variety of exercise is more effective than one type of exercise. When those who are lifting heavy weights start lifting smaller weights in addition they gain size and strength and they do not just stay at the same physical fitness.

Ever try circuit training?

 

[who?]

Most circuits work fine if you just plug them in and turn them on although the ones in the car computer do need training after the battery has been disconnected.

 

[Red Squirrel]

DSL modems need to train too, that's what's going on when the DSL light is flashing. It's basically negotiating with the DSLAM.

 

[MongGrel]

Physics.

/thread

This.

 

[MongGrel]

The problem is that you forgot your jet pack.

:thumbsup:

 

[tortillasoup]

walking up steps makes me tired, so i got the idea to skip every other step. so i only make half the steps. but when i try it, it seems like i am just as tired.

why didn't it save me any effort? it seems like my legs and body is moving a lot less.

I like to walk up 2 steps at a time because it saves me time and I feel less likely to trip.

 

[TheSlamma]

I never take steps one at a time, even with age and arthritis I skip steps. I refer to elevators as "lazyvators"

OP is a serious pussy

 

[highland145]

I never take steps one at a time, even with age and arthritis I skip steps. I refer to elevators as "lazyvators"

OP is a serious pussy

But would you hit it?

 

[JEDI]

Stairmasters aren't the best, but they are better than nothing. The most obvious issue is that with a stairmaster you are hovering your mass (almost like an isometric exerise) rather than lifting your mass up the stairs. So, you end up being able to go 5% to 10% faster on a Stairmaster than you can in real stairs. It is like a treadmill, without wind resistance you can go faster on a treadmill than you can while running on a track. Also, Stairmasters tend to be tricky to double-step since you run out of Stairmaster tread just as you need to take the next step.

That said, I do use Stairmasters on occasion. I've been doing stairs for a bit over a year. For a 10 minute Stairmaster routine, I find 95 steps/minute challenging but not too challenging. It is a good warmup. I can go up to 20 minutes at that speed, but then I am completely wiped out. I find that if I want to really push hard in a short period of time, then 114 steps/minute is perfect for exhausting myself in 7 minutes. As far as I know, nothing else low impact will burn as many calories in 7 minutes.

Your 45 steps per minute speed would be just about right for double stepping, but it is far too slow for single stepping. 45 steps per minute (if double stepping) would put you in the upper half of the people that finished the Sears tower run (you would be 455th place out of 1248 males).

Actual stairs are better and you should try them if you can. My typical leg workout is to do 3 sets of a weight (such as squats) then run 10 floors. Then do 3 sets of a weight (such as lunges) then run 10 floors. Then do 3 sets of a weight (such as calf extensions), and 10 floors, etc. I keep that up until my workout time is up.

hm.. I can let the Stairmaster go down near the floor then walk back up quickly.
rinse/repeat. will this eliminate the hovering?
hm.. but would look funny.

also, if I'm doing normal 1 step at a time on the stiarmaster, I still should lean forward?

 

[dullard]

hm.. I can let the Stairmaster go down near the floor then walk back up quickly.
rinse/repeat. will this eliminate the hovering?
hm.. but would look funny.

also, if I'm doing normal 1 step at a time on the stiarmaster, I still should lean forward?

Starting/stopping would work--I've seen some other people at the gym doing it. I think though that it ruins a rhythm that you would probably want to achieve.

The best Stairmaster exercise would be to not hold on to anything (Note: that is very difficult and I've seen people fall off, so be warned). If you hold on and lean, you'll probably be using your arms a lot. And then you'll probably lessen the workout. So, I would guess that whatever position gives you the least arm forces would be the best on the Stairmaster.

 

[dullard]

Disagree. Maybe if you are doing lots of sets but otherwise I think there are benefits to both types of exercise. Lots of sets at the same time might be hard on your knees regardless whether you are going up or down or even many other exercises like tennis and even something so fundamental and instinctual to any human as running.

It seems to me that it would be a good counter exercise. Just go down the steps one at a time for a good cool down. Also variety of exercise is more effective than one type of exercise. When those who are lifting heavy weights start lifting smaller weights in addition they gain size and strength and they do not just stay at the same physical fitness.

Ever try circuit training?

I've done circuit training a bit. The circuit philosophy that I was taught was to do exercises in pairs (quads then hamstrings, pull downs and then shoulder push ups, etc.) But do an online search for the exercises that you should never do at a gym. Many websites will appear and they just about all say the same thing: avoid most circuit machines like the plague.

Going up has your body weight falling maybe 0.5 inches down onto your foot. Going down has your body weight falling probably 12 inches or more, with lots of gravity acceleration until it smacks into your foot.

Go ahead and try 100 to 200 floors up for a few days. You'll be sore the first time or two, but just mildly (mostly calves but probably some quads and glutes). Then try 100 to 200 floors down for a few days. If you haven't done much hills/mountains/stairs, then you'll likely be hobbling for weeks. I'm serious, you'll probably want crutches.

 

[norseamd]

I've done circuit training a bit. The circuit philosophy that I was taught was to do exercises in pairs (quads then hamstrings, pull downs and then shoulder push ups, etc.) But do an online search for the exercises that you should never do at a gym. Many websites will appear and they just about all say the same thing: avoid most circuit machines like the plague.

Well maybe I will do some searching to see what I find but another tip.

Avoid clickbaits like the plague.

Go ahead and try 100 floors up. You'll be sore the first time or two, but just mildly (mostly calves but probably some quads and glutes). Then try 100 floors down another day. If you haven't done much hills/mountains/stairs, then you'll likely be hobbling for weeks. I'm serious, you'll want crutches if you even can walk.

100 floors is not 10 floors however. There is no need to overexert yourself when you are just beginning or not that fit. Some exercises are going to be far more forgiving than other exercises at various levels of fitness.

 

[Cheesemoo]