Get Better at Push-Ups by Doing Them on the Stairs
Running up and down stairs is great cardio, but in the next part of our stair fitness challenge we’re going to do a bit of strength training. Let’s do some push-ups.
The classic push-up is done with your arms and legs on the floor, but you can ease it by lifting one end or the other. Wall push-ups are the easiest option and a great place to start if you’re new to this exercise. On the other hand, if you are an animal, you can do handstand push-ups.
So let’s do a little ladder progression. Find a ladder with a small space at the bottom. An outdoor staircase in a park or square, or just a staircase in your home will do. Then try this:
- Get on the ground and place your hands on the highest step where you can comfortably do push-ups. (For me, this is the fourth step from the bottom.) Do a repetition here.
- Take a step back, grab the next step (third from the bottom, in our example) and do a push-up here.
- Continue until you reach the ground and do one regular push-up.
Stay where you can’t keep in good shape. If you can’t do a full push-up on the ground, you may be able to do steps four, three, and two. Great! Go back to the beginning of the sequence and do two reps per step, then three, and so on, until you get tired or bored.
If it was easy, keep going! After a regular push-up, turn around and place your feet on the first step. Do a push-up with your legs raised . Now place your feet on the second step and climb up.
How to be comfortable with stair push-ups
When your hands are on the stairs, you are likely to encounter a step angle. If your hands hurt, use a soft pad – a sweat towel is ideal.
When your feet are on the stairs, you have two options for push-ups. You can try to mimic the movement of a regular push-up by keeping your body flat like a plank and pressing your chest almost to the ground. (Your nose will touch before your chest.) Or, you can lift your glute in the air so your upper body is vertical and does the same as a handstand push-up minus the weight of your legs. Choose what you like best; they are different exercises, but both are good.
Finally, if the push-ups are uncomfortable or you just want to change the pace, try holding the plank position with each step. As with push-ups, a plank with raised arms will be easier for the upper body, while a plank with raised legs will be more difficult. Enjoy and tell us how it goes!
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