Getting in shape doesnât have to mean spending hours at the gymâor hours anywhere. Even a small workout can yield huge benefits for your health and fitness, experts say. âBut in this day and age, many (perhaps most) people don't need to be physically active unless they choose to be,â says Harvard Health. âAnd most evidence suggests that the choice of the kind of activity is far less important than whether to be active at all.â If youâve had a busy day and want to get the most bang for your buck, exercise-wise, thereâs the 5-minute workout fitness trainers agree can transform your body.
RELATED: 5 Short Walking Workouts for Weight Loss.
Stair Climbing Workout
iStockStair climbing is an intense exercise that can seriously impact your physique. âYouâre working your heart, which is the most important muscle of the body, but then youâre also working your legs and youâre building muscles,â sports medicine physician and president-elect of the American College of Sports Medicine Dr. Carrie Jaworski tells TODAY, adding that âitâs very effectiveâŠYou can get more bang for your buck,â compared to walking. âItâs a great workout.â
Calories Burned
iStockStair-climbing is a great way to torch calories, up to four times as much as walking on level ground. âItâs excellent cardio,â Dr. Stuart Cherney, chief of sports medicine at Stony Brook Medicine in New York, tells TODAY. âIt also incorporates a lot of muscle groups, which is going to require more work and burn off more calories.â
Good For the Heart
iStockUsing the stairs is linked to a lower risk of heart disease, according to a study published in Atherosclerosis. âCompared with people who said they didn't climb any stairs, those who reported climbing five flights of stairs daily â about 50 steps â were about 20% less likely to experience a heart-related problem or stroke,â says Harvard Health. âAccording to the study authors, stair climbing is a minimal-equipment, low-cost way to lower cardiovascular risk that's easy to add to a person's daily routine.â
RELATED: 5 Best Exercises to Improve Coordination.
Short Bursts of Exercise
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Taking the stairs is a convenient way to get a quick workout throughout the day. âIf you have the choice of taking the stairs or the lift, go for the stairs as it will help your heart,â says Dr. Sophie Paddock of the University of East Anglia and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Foundation Trust, Norwich, UK. âEven brief bursts of physical activity have beneficial health impacts, and short bouts of stair climbing should be an achievable target to integrate into daily routines.â
Blood Sugar Benefits
iStockâTaking a three-minute stroll up and down the stairs after a meal may also help you control your blood sugar,â says the Mayo Clinic. âSkimp on sleep last night? If youâre a young woman, stair climbing may wake you up better than a small cup of coffee. A simple stroll up and down the stairs gives you an aerobic workout.â
Hello, Muscles!
Shutterstock Walking up stairs is a quick and efficient way to build muscles, including strong abs. "Climbing stairs can be a wonderful mix of both aerobic exercise and resistance training," UCLA cardiologist Dr. Tamara Horwich tells NPR.
