Earlier this month, more than 200 runners raced up 86 flights of stairs at the annual Empire State Building Observation Deck Run-Up, with NYU Langone back as presenting sponsor. I was glad to be part of NYU Langone's coverage of the event, sharing a few tips on form and pacing for stair climbing.
You don't need to race to the 86th floor to benefit. The stairs in your apartment building, office or subway station are one of the most accessible workouts in the city. Here's how to get the most out of them, and how to protect your joints while you do.
Why stair climbing is worth it
Stair climbing packs cardio and strength work into one movement. A few minutes gets your heart rate up quickly, and every step loads your legs against your own body weight.
Cardiovascular fitness: Climbing is vigorous exercise, so short sessions can still improve endurance.
Leg and hip strength: Your quads, glutes, hamstrings and calves all work to lift you up each step.
Bone health: Weight-bearing activity like climbing helps maintain bone density.
No equipment, no gym: Most of us pass a staircase every day. Taking it instead of the elevator is an easy place to start.
Get your form right
Good form spreads the work across your strongest muscles and takes stress off your knees.
Stand tall, lean slightly forward. Keep your chest up and hinge a little at the hips. Hunching over strains your back; leaning back shifts load onto your knees.
Place your whole foot on the step. Landing on just your toes overloads your calves and Achilles tendon. A full foot lets you push through your heel and use your glutes.
Keep your knee in line with your toes. Don't let it cave inward as you push up. That inward collapse is a common source of knee pain.
Drive with your hips and glutes. Think about pushing the step away rather than pulling yourself up with your quads alone.
Use the railing for balance, not for pulling. A light touch is fine and safer. Hauling yourself up with your arms takes the work away from your legs.
Go easy on the way down. Descending is harder on the knees. Step down slowly and with control, and take the elevator down if your knees complain.
Pace yourself and build up gradually
The most common mistake I see is starting too fast. Stairs feel easy for the first few flights, then your legs and lungs catch up all at once.
Warm up first. Walk for a few minutes or climb a couple of flights slowly before picking up the pace.
Find a steady rhythm. Aim for a pace you could hold while still saying a short sentence. You can push harder once you know your baseline.
One step at a time to start. Taking two steps at a time builds more power but asks more of your hips and knees. Save it for when single steps feel comfortable.
Try intervals. Climb a few flights at a brisk pace, walk back down or rest, and repeat. Intervals build fitness without one long, punishing climb.
Increase slowly. Add a flight or a set each week rather than doubling your volume. Your muscles adapt faster than your tendons and joints.
Rest between sessions. Two or three stair workouts a week, with recovery days in between, is a good start.
Protect your knees and know when to stop
Some muscle soreness after a new workout is normal. Joint pain is a signal to back off.
Stop and get it checked if you notice:
Sharp pain in the knee, hip or ankle, especially around or behind the kneecap
Swelling, catching or a feeling that your knee might give way
Pain that lingers more than a few days or gets worse with each session
Chest pain, unusual shortness of breath or dizziness during a climb
If you have arthritis, a past knee or hip injury, a joint replacement, or a heart condition, talk with your doctor before starting a stair routine. Many people with these conditions can still climb safely with the right plan, but it's worth getting that plan first.
Take the stairs this week
Congratulations to everyone who made it to the top of the Empire State Building this year, and thank you to NYU Langone and the Empire State Building for another great event. If you've been meaning to take the stairs more often, this is your sign. Start with one staircase a day, focus on form, and build from there.
Know someone who should try it? Send them this post.
