Fitness Challenge
Stair climbing is a great sport that improves the fitness level of each participant and burns more calories than walking or running. To climb successfully, the American Lung Association strongly urges all participants to train before embarking on the ascent.
To help you prepare, we’ve assembled a Fitness Training Guide with tips, exercises, and a complete training schedule to help you do your best. Below are a few tips to get you started:
Always warm up your muscles and stretch before you begin.
- Pick a tempo that feels right to you and stick with it. Once you get the steps down, you can begin working with a quicker pace.
- Place your entire foot on the step each time you climb. Keep your arms by your sides or hold onto the handrails.
- Keep a bottle of water at the top of the stairs so you don’t have to carry it with you. Have a snack available if you feel low on energy.
- Listen to music! It will help propel you up the stairs.
- Cool down. Take a quick walk and stretch major muscle groups.
As always, be sure to consult your physician before beginning any new fitness routine.
Localized 8 Week Simple Training Schedule
Do any of the 6 activities below 3 to 5 times a week training at a heart rate of 80 plus % of your maximum heart rate. For those less fit start with half or less of the below activities and add 10 % each week. Reduce training the week before the climb.
1) Climb up stairs in a building with at least 10 floors, work up to 60 or more floors in a single workout using the elevator to go down. Try taking the stairs 2 at a time, use the railing, and possibly do some lunges prior to each climb.
2) Climb 100 or more floors on a step mill
3) Climb Pinnacle Mountain
4) Go 1000 vertical feet on a treadmill set at a 15 degree or more incline, walking fast or jogging, about 1.3
miles
5) Bicycle or run up any steep hill of at least .5 mile length, repeat 1 to 2 times (River Mountain Road )
6) Stationary bicycle, 10 miles or more, some resistance or hill program, around 80rpm









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