Stairmaster may be having a moment, but running on straight stairs has always been around. As a runner, I know that stair workouts are one of the most effective and accessible training tools in the real world, with no gym membership required. Especially for my fellow city runners who don’t have mountains or hills nearby — or really anyone who wants to add some variety to their workouts — stair workouts are a great option to try.
What is vertical training?
Vertical training is exactly what it sounds like: intentionally incorporating upward movement into your workout. Unlike “flat” running, each step forces your body to fight gravity, which changes the muscular demand, cardiovascular load, and mechanical stress on your joints. There are several reasons why you might want to incorporate some type of vertical training into your routine.
It increases the strength of the posterior chain
Running on flat ground is largely quad-dominant. Climbing stairs, on the other hand, requires serious glute, hamstring, and calf activation. Over time, stair training builds posterior chain strength that flat running doesn’t have, and that strength translates directly into faster, more powerful running on any surface.
It gives you the power and explosiveness to move forward
Each step is essentially a push with one foot against gravity. This creates the kind of explosive hip extension that makes you a strong pusher-off at ground contact. Runners have been using stadium stairs for decades for this reason. You don’t need to be a runner to benefit from it.
It has less impact than you think
Compared to pounding the pavement, the walk up the stairs is surprisingly low-impact. The key is going smoothly on the slopes.
It increases your mental strength
There’s a reason there are stairs Ending of “Rocky” training montage. Training yourself to stay composed and maintain your form when your legs are screaming is a skill that proves beneficial in all areas of your life.
These are my favorite ladder workouts
Before diving into specific workouts, there are some form pointers to understand. You want to make sure that you are driving your motion through the entire foot, not just your toes. Try to bend slightly forward from the hips, pump your arms and keep your gaze a few steps ahead. Avoid letting your ankles hang off the edge of the stairs, locking your knees at the top of the stairs, or otherwise slipping up or down the stairs.
With all that in mind, here are the stair workouts I like to do when I’m training for a race. Ideally, you should warm up for at least five minutes before you start climbing.
What do you think so far?
This Simple Beginner Stair Workout
Just climb steadily for 20-30 minutes at a conversational pace. If you’re on actual stairs instead of a machine, allow yourself to descend slowly each time. Focus on consistent effort, not speed. Cool down with a five-minute walk and calf stretches.
A Posterior Chain Focused Ladder Workout
After warm-up, run a flight fast and then walk down slowly. Run two flights strong, go down. Make five or six flights, then work back. Rest 60-90 seconds at the bottom between sets.
I know what constitutes “flying” depends on what’s in front of you, so use your best judgment. The goal is explosive, powerful moves – two steps at a time, if you can do it safely. Aim for a total session time of about 30 minutes.
and interval stair workout
You can do this on a machine or outside. Perform 8-12 repetitions of a hard climbing effort for 20-30 seconds, followed by an easy descent for 90 seconds and recovery at the bottom. You should be working on a 9 out of 10 effort moving forward. (For experienced runners, this track is the stair equivalent of 200: short, fast, and effective.)
bottom line
Be like Rocky. Seriously, when I’m training for a significant altitude race, stair work is non-negotiable. But even if your target race is completely flat, the strength of the posterior chain and the raw efficiency of ladder intervals will make you a better runner on any terrain.
