Benefits of Running Bleachers
Running bleachers is a common conditioning exercise for high school and college students training for football or track, but it isn’t just for students or elite athletes. This cardiovascular workout can be part of anyone’s training regimen and has a wide array of physical benefits.
Cardiovascular Benefits
Running up and down bleachers can be an intense cardiovascular exercise. The intense effort of running up the bleachers and the less intense effort of walking or jogging down is great interval training.
Training in 30 to 60 bursts is just as efficient at improving cardiovascular fitness as long, steady cardio workouts, and more effective for fat burning.
Core and Overall Strength Workout
When you run up stairs, your whole body is working against gravity, which is in itself resistance training. You will notice that you engage your core muscles when running up the bleachers since you are raising your legs and rotating at your waist.
You use your whole body to propel yourself to the top, and you use your arms to create momentum. Meanwhile, your legs and gluteal muscles help lift you forward and upward.
Hill Training for Runners
Cross-country and distance runners often face hills in their training and races. If you live in a flat area and don’t have access to a treadmill, running bleachers is a great way to improve your strength and stamina so you can handle different levels of incline, both up and down. Running up the bleachers encourages you to use your arms and core muscles so all of the workload isn’t placed on your legs.
Exercise Substitute
When you’re traveling, you will most likely want to continue your exercise regimen. Sometimes you won’t have access to a workout facility, and finding a local school with bleachers or a good set of stairs can temporarily take the place of traditional strength and cardio exercises.
Variety
Hitting the bleachers gives you plenty of workout possibilities. You can take multiple steps at a time to vary your workout and stride length. Other exercises that can be used with the bleacher steps are stopping at the bottom to do step jumps or using the bottom bleacher step as a prop for inclined or declined push-ups.
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