WOW Tip of the Week – Small steps add up to big gains
Did you know that taking the stairs can benefit your health?
Stair climbing is a great way to get fit. It’s actually a unique form of exercise that can have a powerful and positive impact on your health over time.
While most of us think of exercise as a specific type of activity or ‘sport’, evidence shows that everyday activities that are easily sustainable, like walking and stair climbing, are closely associated with improved health.
Here is why stair climbing matters:
- Burns more calories per minute than jogging
- Reduces cardio risk
- Helps control weight and builds muscle tone
- Improved respiration
Stair climbing is also easy to build into your life:
- It doesn’t require any special skills, training or sporting prowess
- It’s efficient – saves up to 15 minutes a day and cuts carbon
- It makes use of the world around us and does not cost anything
- You can start with just a flight or two and build up over time
- It’s a routine you can sustain
- No Lycra required!
Is stair climbing for everyone? Certainly not. Those with joint problems in their legs may not be able to tolerate the stairs. But if your joints can tolerate it, try going up and down a flight of stairs, then do it again tomorrow, and the next day, and the next, and see how easy it is to incorporate this everyday activity into every day, while positively impacting your health.
