Stair climbing is a vital exercise for heart health and overall well-being. The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) has identified the ability to climb four flights of stairs in under a minute as a measure of heart health.
Stair climbing is not just about a physical exercise, but also a path to better heart health and overall well-being. The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) has revealed that the ability to climb four flights of stairs in under a minute is a straightforward measure of heart health. Research shows that climbing in under 40-45 seconds signals great shape, with more than 9-10 METs, which is a way to measure how hard one is working during the activity. Achieving 10 METs means a very low risk of death, about 1 percent or less yearly, or 10 percent in a decade. Conversely, taking 1.5 minutes or more means less than 8 METs, implying a higher risk, around 2-4 percent yearly, or 30 percent in a decade.
Stair climbing offers several benefits for your heart: it boosts cardiovascular health by putting your heart to work, strengthening your heart through aerobic workouts, helping you lose weight, helping reduce blood pressure, and increasing endurance. To introduce stair climbing into your routine, try Stair Climbing-Based High-Intensity Interval Training (STAIR). This workout plan consists of three exercise sessions: warm-up and cool-down, stair climbing sessions, climbing technique, recovery, and intensity tracking.
The STAIR protocol works by starting with a 10-minute warm-up and finishing with a 5-minute cool-down, both involving self-paced walking on level ground. In each session, you continuously ascend and descend a single flight of stairs six times, totaling 12 steps. There’s a 90-second active recovery period between each of these stair climbing sessions. During the climbing segments, take it one step at a time, ascending at a challenging pace and descend comfortably. If needed, railings can be used for support.
Recovery periods involve walking at your own pace on level ground. The intensity tracking should aim for a Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) of 14-15 out of 20. After each session, evaluate your overall effort and fatigue by providing an RPE score that covers the entire high-intensity period, including both ascent and descent.
However, stair climbing also carries some risks. Excessive exertion may strain the heart, and repetitive motion can stress joints, leading to injuries that limit physical activity. Excessive heart rate during intense climbing can be fatal for certain heart conditions, so consulting a doctor is mandatory. Muscle fatigue from intense climbing affects balance and raises the risks of injury.
Conclusion
According to the European Society of Cardiology, stair climbing is essential for heart health and well-being. According to study, climbing four flights of stairs in under a minute indicates good heart health. Achieving 10 METs reduces death risk by 1 percent per year or 10% per decade. Cardiovascular health, cardiac strength through aerobic training, weight loss, blood pressure reduction, and endurance are all benefits of stair climbing.
Stair Climbing-Based High-Intensity Interval Training (STAIR) includes warm-up and cool-down, stair climbing, climbing technique, recovery, and intensity tracking to add stair climbing to your program. Stair climbing has dangers, such as heart strain, joint stress, and muscular exhaustion from intense climbing, which can impact balance and increase accident risk.
