For many runners, stair climbing isn’t typically their first choice of cardio equipment. But now that it’s seeing a surge in popularity—thanks to the 25-7-2 workout on TikTok—many runners may give the StairMaster a second look.
Like the 12-3-30 treadmill routine that came before it, the 25-7-2 StairMaster workout (created by TikToker @shutupcamilla) is both challenging and straightforward. To do it, set the machine to level 7 and climb for 25 minutes, 2 times a week. The odds are good that you’ll feel your heart rate climb and your muscles burn in no time.
Trends aside, is stair climbing a worthwhile cross-training option to incorporate into your running routine? Let’s see what the research and experts have to say.
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The Benefits of Stair Climbing for Runners
There are many good reasons to consider the StairMaster for your next gym visit or hitting the stairs at the local track. Here are a few of the benefits it offers runners:
1. Builds Cardiovascular Fitness
Anyone who’s ever gotten winded after walking up a few flights of stairs can appreciate the StairMaster’s fitness-building potential. In fact, research suggests it’s nearly as effective as running.
Though old, a 1993 study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise compared the effects of stair climbing and running on aerobic capacity and running performance in physically active college women. One group performed a running program, while another participated in a stair-climbing program. Each group trained for 75 minutes four days per week, working their way from 70 to 80 percent of maximum heart rate (MHR) to 90 percent (MHR) over the course of the workout.
By the end of the nine-week training period, both groups had made significant improvements. The running group improved their aerobic capacity by 16 percent and running time by 11 percent. Meanwhile, the stair-climbing group improved their aerobic capacity by 12 percent and running time by 8 percent.
More recent research published in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism in 2019 reveals that even brief bouts of vigorous stair-climbing can boost fitness.
Researchers instructed a group of sedentary young adults to hightail it up a three-flight stairwell (60 steps) three times a day, three days per week, for six weeks. By the end of the study, the stairclimbers increased their cardiorespiratory fitness (as shown by peak oxygen uptake) by 5 percent and generated more power during a maximal cycling test than the control group.
2. Strengthens Running-Specific Muscles
Stair climbing primarily targets the muscles in your lower body, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. “These muscles play a crucial role in running, providing power and stability,” says Meghan Kennihan, an RRCA- and USATF-certified running coach.
However, the StairMaster works these muscles differently, which helps prevent strength imbalances and injuries from the repetitive running motion.
In particular, the stair stepping zeroes in on the gluteus medius, the stabilizing muscle on the side of the hip that steadies the pelvis and knee while you balance on one leg (as when running or climbing stairs). “Weakness in this stabilizing muscle is the culprit of many lower-body running injuries,” says Sean Duggan, P.T., D.P.T., the clinic director at BreakThrough Physical Therapy in Raleigh, North Carolina.
3. Helps You Conquer Hills
“Stair-climbing mimics the motion and muscle engagement of running uphill,” Kennihan says. It engages the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves while challenging the cardiovascular system to supply enough oxygen to handle the demands of the activity.
“By incorporating stair-climbing into their training, runners can develop the specific muscles and movement patterns required for uphill running,” Kennihan notes. This can help you power up any hills you might encounter on your routes and shave precious seconds off your finish time at hilly races.
4. Gives Joints a Break
Climbing stairs puts less stress on your joints compared with running. “When running, your body weight is transferred through your legs and joints with each stride, but with stair-climbing, your feet are constantly in contact with the steps, so the impact on your joints is significantly reduced,” Kennihan explains.
“This makes [stair-climbing] an excellent choice for runners who want to give their joints a rest while still maintaining or improving their fitness,” she adds.
How to Make the Most of a Stair Climbing Workout
To maximize the effectiveness of your stair-stepping workouts, focus on maintaining proper form: stand upright, engage your core, and relax your shoulders. “Avoid leaning on the handrails for support, as it reduces the engagement of your lower-body muscles,” Kennihan says.
Stair climbing is more demanding for the muscles than running, so you probably won’t be able to climb for the same distance or duration as your long runs. Instead, exercise physiologist Kacie Shively, P.T., D.P.T., suggests saving the StairMaster for interval workouts once per week.
Try this interval workout from Shively: After a 5-minute warmup, work at a pace that gets you breathless for 30 seconds and then reduce your speed while you recover for 1 to 2 minutes. Do 6 to 10 intervals. Cool down for 5 minutes. To mix up your intervals, try stepping backward, sideways, or even skipping steps.
What to Know Before Adding Stair Climbs to Your Training Schedule
Stair climbing is no joke; don’t be surprised if you feel out of breath sooner than during your runs. It’s also normal to feel sore in the glutes and calves for a few days following a stair-stepping workout, as it works your muscles differently than running on a flat surface, Duggan notes.
As with any new workout, it’s best to start with a comfortable pace and gradually increase the intensity and duration over time, Kennihan says.
An important caveat for racers: Shively notes that you may want to hold off on incorporating new workouts like stair climbing into your schedule, if you’re approaching the final month of prerace training.
Lauren Bedosky is a freelance health and fitness writer who specializes in covering running and strength training topics. She writes for a variety of national publications, including Runner’s World, Prevention, Experience Life and Women’s Running.
