So instead of doing the normal cardio training, i.e. running, cycling etc. I decided to train in away that would mimic walking upwards and downwards.

Obviously this meant walking up and down the stairs. I was in fairly decent shape so just doing that wasn’t testing enough. So I made it harder by carrying a weighted backpack.

I would make a circuit of starting from the bottom of my garden and walking into the house, up the stairs, down the stairs, and back into the garden. This would be one lap.

Each time i could manage the set number of laps, i would add more weight. This way of working out had to be progressive. I always added more laps everytime i did a stair workout. I did this every other day.

Climbing stairs is a great way of getting fit. The thing to remember is not to rush. Be wary of what you are doing. The last thing that you want is to take a tumble on the stairs with a weight on your back.

The other thing to think about, especially if you are carrying some bodyfat is that climbing stairs with around 20-50kg can be pretty tough. So if you are carrying extra fat on the body, think how much easier it would be for you if you could lose that extra weight.

I did go climbing in the Alps and i have to confess it was far tougher than i could have imagined, but the stair climbing proved to be a great addition to my training.

When I returned i booked up to go and climb in the Himalayas the following year. I did change my training by purchasing a stepper which i found to be the best piece of training equipment i had ever used for cardio training.

This was pretty expensive but well worth the price for what i was doing. If you cannot purchase a good one for the home than i strongly suggest that you use one at the gym. In my opinion it’s benefits far outweigh the benefits of using a treadmill or a bike.

In the gym a lot of people avoid using the steppers because they are harder than other pieces of equipment. This is precisely why everyone should use one.