Here’s Your Answer

Now that the weather is getting warmer (relatively speaking) and the sun is shining, it’s time to think about what we’re going to find under all those long sleeves and heavy pants once we start shedding the layers of winter clothing.   Did you do more cocooning this past winter than crunches?   How are those upper arms looking?  Have you got a little more “flexibility” in those muscles than you’d like to see?   Well, have no fear, it’s not too late to start toning and exercising in anticipation of baring all with spring and summer fashions. 

Many websites and books offer exercise routines that allow you to concentrate on a specific problem area or improve your overall fitness.  Triceps, abs, thighs; whatever.   GoAskAlice which is produced by the Alice!, Health Promotion Program at Columbia University helps with “firming up flabby arms“.  About.com provides the 10 Most Effective Ab Exercises.  YourTotalHealth a service of NBC and iVillage suggests thigh exercises.  The Capital Area District Library has exercise DVDs in the collection that can be borrowed for a week at a time.  They have 100s of DVD (and some VHS) titles including:  Hips, Thighs & Abs,  Tone & Tighten Abs, Buns, & Thighs,  Shape–Toning Workout.  To search for other titles or subjects, start at the library catalog and click on Find Movies.

Remember: always consult with your doctor before beginning any exercise routine.

I don’t know about you but I think the New York Times newspaper is one of the world’s great treasures.  Presented in about 20 different sections, it really has something for everyone and plenty to agree or disagree with.  Crosswords, cooking, political commentary, book reviews; the list just goes on and on.  Locally, the Downtown Lansing Library of the Capital Area District Library subscribes to the print version and stores 3 months of back issues for patron usage. 

But, you’re wondering, what does all of this have to do with the subject of this post – Stair Climbing?  Well, in addition to the printed paper, they also have an excellent online presence which allows you to read the paper online or subscribe to RSS feeds of the sections you’re most interested in.  (here’s where the Stair Climbing connection comes in)   For the past few months I have been subscribed to the RSS feed for their Fitness & Nutrition information.  An article in yesterday’s paper and feed caught my attention by discussing the ups & downs (I couldn’t resist) of stair climbing as a fitness and exercise tool.  Since I work in a 3 story building and made a resolution to get more exercise by taking the stairs instead of the elevator, I wondered, if in fact, I was doing myself any good.  Turns out, stair climbing is a legitimate means of burning calories.  According to one expert, 

“Stair climbing will give you a little more bang for your buck because of the vertical component,” said Cedric Bryant, chief science officer for the American Council on Exercise. Compared to jogging or cycling at a moderate pace without much of an incline, stair climbing, Dr. Bryant said, “will be a bit more challenging and therefore allow you to burn more calories for that same amount of time.”  

“The impact on knees and feet is relatively low, with the pressure equivalent to two times one’s body weight walking up stairs (compared with three to four times when running), Dr. Bryant said. The pounding on the body going downstairs, however, equals six or seven times one’s body weight, he cautioned.”

So all those stairs that have gone largely unused over the years really can play a role in your exercise plan.  And for anyone interested in taking stair climbing to an extreme, there are tower running events  “…many of which benefit charities, (which) are held in world skyscrapers, from Taipei, Taiwan, to Milan, that open stairwells just for the occasion. This weekend, races will be held in Chicago (“Hustle up the Hancock”) and Las Vegas (“Scale the Strat”), Denver, Des Moines, Grand Rapids, Mich., Omaha and Philadelphia.”

Remember the line from the old Superman TV show intro,  ”…able to leap tall buildings in a single bound”?   I wonder if he started out with stair climbing and it just got a little out of hand.