Everyday Exercise 2: Stairs

As noted in my previous post, you can build exercise into your every day activities with some awareness around simple activities. Take the stairs for example. Do you thrust yourself up the steps, in other words is your head two steps forward of your feet? If so, you are missing an opportunity to build strength in your legs and core and release tension in your neck and shoulders.

• Place one foot squarely on the step and keep your knee in line with the middle toe.
• Lean forward at the hips so that your nose is in line or just behind your toes, not in front.
• Press evenly through your entire foot, ball, heel, inside and outside arches, and use all the muscles in your leg and hip to lift you up.

With a little practice, you can go quickly up and down the stairs, but slowing it down really strengthens the hip stabilizer muscles.

You can apply these principles when you are on the stair stepper at the gym, too.