It is heart breaking to learn that the younger generations don’t pick interest in using the stairs because it feels like an inconvenience or hard work. Yet this is one of the simplest ways to build strong legs, power, balance and speed.

Today, almost all hotels and office spaces have elevators and conveyer belts. While seeking for convenience or as a result of busy schedules, most people opt to use the elevator because it is much faster than using the stairs.

Mrs Monica Nakyejwe, a fitness coach, encourages taking the stairs as a simple way to gain a strong core.

“As one climbs up, they will work their calves, quad and glut muscles,” she says.

She further advises that instead of toes, one should use their heel to take the steps because the weight is better distributed.

Be it carrying the groceries, mopping the floor, using a squat toilet, all these are simple ways to work the body muscles.

Read here how running up the stairs can bless your body fitness and health;

1. Improves body strength

The lower body being the part with the largest muscles needs to keep active, and simple workouts like walking or running up the stairs are of great assistance to activate the glutes, especially in cases where you can’t join a gym workout session. The quads and calves also benefit a great deal from such a workout sustaining and strengthening the lower body.

• Improves bone density

According to fitness experts, physical exercises that involve weight bearing, jumping, climbing or descending steps help build and maintain great bone health.

• It helps burn calories for weight loss

Running up the stairs helps the body burn enough calories to support weight loss. However underrated this exercise may seem, it will build your agility skills, endurance, and lean muscle, and allow loss of extra kilos.

• Enhance body balance

The one reason why climbing stairs is an effective exercise is, because as one climbs they are working against gravity. Climbing involves using your legs and core to support balance and keep stable. Now this is simple science, the stronger your legs are, the more balanced you are.

• Improves the overall body health

The benefits are numerous starting from boosting your mood, building strength, balance and supporting a good regulated sleep pattern. Running up the stairs could save your heart, and scientists at Harvard University have found evidential research to support this fact. Climbing the stairs will lower the risk of strokes, heart attack and many new health issues of the 21^st century.

The correct way to do the run up stairs workout

• For beginners start with a walk then progress to running only when you feel strong enough and ready.
• Look straight ahead and not anywhere else and watch your step
• Start to increase speed depending on your level of balance and agility
• Run up and down to test your muscle strength and coordination
• Take 30 seconds break in between and breathe
• To test your balance, stand on one leg for 30 seconds
• Repeat the exercise every day for better results but don’t over load your body if you don’t feel well enough.

Overall running up the stairs increases intensity, which is why you can benefit a lot in a short interval. Another benefit is that this particular exercise allows space to incorporate other exercises like squats making it a full round workout. So next time you are at Acacia Mall or Arena Mall, Workers House or at a hotel, take the stairs.