After a sweltering summer, people begin to take warm weather for granted and, although it’s nice out now, it’s not going to last much longer. This semester, take advantage of the sun while you can by bringing your workout outdoors. While you’re on campus, use one of BU’s many staircases to get a free workout and some extra sunlight.
Jogging
Muscles targeted: all of them
Start by jogging up and down the stairs at a pace that’s easy for you to maintain while breathing easily for four sets of 45 seconds, with a 15-second break in between sets. Beginning your workout with this light jog will help to build heat in the body and prepare your muscles for exercise.
Decline Pushups
Muscles targeted: pectorals, core, upper back, shoulders and triceps
Come into a plank pose with your feet on the bottom step of a staircase and your hands on the floor, directly under your shoulders. Keep your core tight and your back flat, and bend your elbows down to a 90-degree angle and then push back up. Complete three rounds of 10.
Walking Squats
Muscles targeted: glutes, quads and hamstrings
Start standing on the floor facing the stairs. Come into a squat, with your weight on your heels and your back flat, without letting your heels pass your toes. Engage your core to help maintain form, and begin to walk up the stairs in your squat. Squat-walk up 10 stairs, and then turn around and walk back to the bottom normally.
Do this for three to five rounds. Be sure that as you climb the stairs, you get your whole foot on the step and land your heel. To make it more challenging, you can hold each squat and pulse for three seconds before going up to the next step.
Knee Lifts
Muscles targeted: core, quads and hip flexors
Begin with your feet on the floor at the bottom of the stairs, facing the stairs. Place one foot on the bottom step. As soon as this foot touches down, tighten your core and lift the opposite leg, driving that knee upward, then immediately return that foot back down to the floor. Remove the other foot from the step. To make it harder, as you drive your knee into the air you can push up and off of the step with your standing leg.
You can repeat the process on one leg and then switch to the other leg, or you can alternate between legs. Whether you alternate or stick to one leg at a time, be sure to break it up so you get 30 leg lifts per leg in total.
Toe Taps
Muscles targeted: core, quads, hamstrings, calves and hip flexors
Stand at the base of the stairs and face the steps. Place your hands on your hips and alternate tapping your toe on the edge of the bottom step. Be sure to land your foot flat against the ground when it comes down from the tap. Do this for three rounds of 30 seconds.
Reverse Lunges
Muscles targeted: quads, hamstrings and glutes
Stand at the base of the stairs with your back toward the steps and feet hip-width apart. Lift one leg and place it on the bottom step, while keeping both hips in a straight line with each other. Your back leg should be bent and your heel should be off the step. You’ll want to be a comfortable distance away from the step so that when you bend your front leg, your knee stays directly over your ankle. Bend down and up 10 times without locking your knee when you come up. Complete three rounds per leg.
Walking Hip Extension
Muscles targeted: hamstrings and glutes
Stand at the bottom of the stairs while facing them. Soften your knees so they aren’t locked. Hinge forward from your lower back and lift one leg straight behind you while keeping both hips square to the ground. Place that leg on the step and repeat on the other leg, lifting while climbing up 10 stairs. Then turn around and walk down the stairs normally. Be sure that when you lift your legs up you keep your back flat, as this exercise is targeting the glutes — so flexing your back and thus hyperextending your spine is not beneficial.