15 Minutes and a Staircase Complete Workout
Who says training has to be done with bought-in equipment? With one flight of stairs and 15 minutes of spare time, you can train your legs and abs, clear your thoughts, and enjoy a good sweat. Let's see how it's done.
I know, sometimes going to the gym is a pain. It's crowded and you have to drive for a long time to get there. So, when you know you can't slack off to exercise, but don't want the hassle of travel and crowds, what do you do? The answer is simple: do it in two steps, first, find 15 minutes of spare time, second, find a flight of stairs, boom, and you're done, instantly enjoying the fun of a good sweat. But before that, let's plan a workout plan!
Next, we'll introduce a set of stair training exercises that I personally love. This set is challenging and fast-paced, designed to challenge your movement nerves in a unique way. First, you need to find a flight of stairs with at least 10 steps, the more the better. Do 3-5 sets of each exercise, with rest intervals determined by your personal situation, but remember, limiting rest helps improve cardiovascular function and burn more calories.
If you're just starting your fitness journey, some of the exercises in this set may seem intimidating or too difficult. Don't worry, just try your best. If you've been exercising for a while, and want to increase the difficulty, you can compress the rest time to increase the exercise intensity, and you'll find this set suits you well.
15 minute stair workout
Warm-up: 5 minutes
Do alternating joint movements, open-and-close jumps, yoga downward-facing dog to cobra pose, and walking up and down the stairs to warm up.
Run the stairs: 3-5 sets
Run up the stairs, and then run or walk down. Do each set faster.
Step up the stairs: 3-5 sets
Stand at the bottom of the stairs, legs spread wider than shoulder-width, squat down, then raise up while jumping one step at a time to the top, and then run or walk down. If this is too difficult for you, you can skip stepping down after jumping one step.
Stair side leg raises: 3-5 sets
Stand at the bottom of the stairs, with your body facing to the right side of the stairs. Bend your legs into a half-squat position. Extend your right leg to one step to the side, while continuing to maintain the squat position. Then raise your left leg to align with your right leg, and place your left foot on the step, repeat this action until you reach the top. Then run or walk down.
Stair hip presses: 3-5 sets
Stand facing the stairs, legs spread shoulder-width apart. Extend your right leg out one step. Contract your left hip muscles and raise your left leg for 1-2 beats, then return your left leg to the second step. Repeat this action until you reach the top of the step. Then run or walk down.
Stair push-ups: 3-5 sets
Stand below the stairs. Place your hands on the 6th or 7th step according to your height. Do push-ups as you walk up, until your hands and feet are parallel, do 5-6 push-ups, then lower your hands to the corresponding step and do 5-6 push-ups as you walk down, until your hands and feet are parallel.
Stair crawling: 3-5 sets
This exercise does require a little courage. Start from the top of the stairs, knees down, hands down along the stairs as you crawl down. Move your hands first, and then your legs down. Control the movement throughout. This exercise can effectively train your shoulders and abs. Then run back to the top and repeat.
