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BY KAREN GENINATTI
Stair climbing works the legs in a more balanced way that any other form of exercise. Most of us are stronger in the quads naturally.
Stair climbing puts more emphasis on the hamstrings and glutes than biking or many other forms of exercise.
Stair climbing is the fastest way to increase your cardiovascular endurance, which is going to translate into a much stronger and efficient biker. Stair climbing can benefit someone who has only been doing biking as their form of exercise by:
1) Supporting and moving your own body weight, which not only uses more calories, but strengthens the bones.
2) Since you are not sitting with your hands holding onto handle bars, you will be using your core more.
3) Stair climbing is a great winter substitute for when you can not be outside riding.
4) When you bike, you are always putting stress on the joints in the same way, stair climbing offers a much needed variety in the way we put stress on our joints.
Going up stairs is less impact than walking, but going down stairs can be a lot of stress on the knees, so it is recommended that when climbing you take an elevator down to avoid the stress put on knees.
Stair climbing will make you a much more efficient and stronger biker.
Karen Geninatti is a personal trainer, certified lifestyle and weight-management consultant, anti-aging specialist, sports nutrition consultant and owner of Geninatti Gym.
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