Training Tips for the Fight for Air Climb

Training Tips for the Fight for Air Climb on March 19^th

These training tips are brought to you by Joshua Berthold. Joshua runs his own personal training business in the Wexford Area called Hard Corp Training. Josh had spent eight years as a US Marine and served in combat areas in Iraq and Afghanistan. He also trained Marines and Foreign Militaries for the rigors of combat in infantry tactics and physical fitness and now enjoys working with people on weight loss, general fitness goals, and athletic strength and conditioning. Check him out at www.HardCorpTraining.com.

So we have less than two months till the Fight for Air Climb, but have no fear as that is plenty of time! I think it goes without saying that the best way to train for a stair climb is to……….climb steps! So first and foremost you have to find a good location to train. You can do it before, after, or during your lunch break in the building you work in. This would be a great way to get others asking about what you are doing and interested in the Stair Climb!

Any man, woman, or child can benefit from stair climbing as a conditioning method! Remember, the key to getting in shape, or better shape, is to constantly progress! You don’t have to kill yourself each and every week…just continue to increase the number of flights you climb, reduce the amount of time you rest between each set, or add weight! Here is an example of a stair climb workout:

1. Warm up- walk slowly up the steps for about 5 minutes

2. Jog up the steps at about ½ speed for 10 flights, skipping every other step (about 1 min), rest for 2 mins

3. Sprint up the steps at full speed for 10 flights (about 30 secs), skipping every other step, rest for 2-3 mins

4. Repeat 2

5. Repeat 3

6. Climb 20 flights as fast as possible until finished. If you don’t have 20 flights, then just throw in some Jumping Jacks or jogging in place before you start to climb so that you are working for more than 5 minutes continuous and this will help increase your endurance.

Keep in mind that this is designed for a beginner and you can increase or decrease based on your fitness level.

Use this example as a workout and just keep increasing the amount of times you perform it, or decrease your rest period. Adding dumbbells to the equation will certainly make it a lot harder as you are climbing with more weight. The easiest way to make yourself faster on race day is to move less weight, or simply to weigh less, but you will see yourself losing weight as you continue to train if you follow good eating habits.

Even though climbing steps is the best way to train there are other ways if you do not have access to steps during your off time. One thing I do with my clients is to have them perform “up and overs” on an aerobic step, bench, or chair. Basically all you want to do is put one foot up on the step; jump up and over by pushing off the leg that is up on the step, finishing with the other leg up on the step. The best way to progress with this is to increase the height of the step or bench, increase the number of reps or time that you perform, or decrease the amount of rest time between each set.

Up and Over Training Workout – Keep in mind that this is designed for a beginner and you can change it as needed based on your fitness level

Progression example of increasing number of sets for 1 week with 3 training days

1. 6 sets of 1 min with 2 min rest between

2. 8 sets of 1 min with 2 min rest between

3. 10 sets of 1 min with 2 min rest between / 5 min continuous

Progression example of increasing time and decreasing rest period for a week with 3 training days

1. 8 sets of 1min with 2 min rest between

2. 8 sets of 1:30 with 2 min rest between

3. 8 sets of 1:30 with 1:30 rest between / 5 min continuous

Keep in mind that as the weeks go on make sure you document what you did and just keep progressing! Try at the end of each week to do one longer set, 5 minutes or more to try and boost your endurance, making sure you increase the time of that “run” each week.

Feel free to experiment with these workouts and different ways of climbing, like hopping up every step or every other step or “walking” up the steps by lunging every other step, as one of the keys to training is to keep the body guessing. If you have any other questions about training, strengthening, or good eating habits feel free to contact me at info@hardcorptraining.com

Check out this Youtube video I have posted on my website on how to do step ups at home to increase your strength and endurance in the muscles involved with stair climbing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jTR_Jhqmhs

Hope to see you all at the Stair Climb!

GET LEAN! GET STRONG! GET HARD CORP!