Stadium Stairs

Are you looking to shake up your boring treadmill or cardio routine?  Sick and tired of training indoors with crowded & sweaty classes?  Looking to move your training to the sunny outdoors? Absorbing some Vitamin D while training now that spring is here?  If you enjoy a challenge and you are ready to build some serious lower body strength then this is the workout for you! 

Running Stairs has been used by athletes for decades and is guaranteed to build your cardiovascular threshold and build some serious lower body power and strength.  This workout is guaranteed to define your thighs and calves.

There are so many ways to use this workout.  You can start by jogging for 20 minutes to warm-up, and instead of walking down the stairs you can jog down (depending on your current fitness level).  You can also add hand weights or a weighted vest to increase your intensity.

If you are looking to build lower body strength while shaping and defining your lower body and abs, you will love this workout.  I use the Rye Stadium stairs and track for my Stadium Stairs workout.

Your Stadium Stairs Workout

 You can customize this workout for your fitness level.

First up, you’ll need to find a flight of approximately 30 stairs - perhaps there is a track with stadium seating nearby or even an apartment block or car park with a series of flights of stairs. Improvise and find something that you think could work.

1.) Once you have found your set of stairs or steps you need to begin your warm up. Walk up the stairs all the way to the top and back down again - continue this for 3-5 minutes or until you feel hot and are puffing slightly.

2.) As you finish your warm up return to the bottom of the stairs and then sprint up them with 100% effort.

3.) Once you reach the top, walk down to the bottom - this is the recovery phase.

4.) After reaching the bottom of the stairs, turn around and sprint up them again.

5.) Keep repeating this sequence. Depending on your fitness level you could complete anywhere between 3 and 15 sets - work until you feel like your have worked enough - your legs should feel rubbery and you should be breathing heavily.

*Results of Stair Climbing*

Easily Reduce Body Fat

Achieve and Maintain your Ideal Bodyweight

Eliminate or Reduce Joint Pain.

Build Legs that look Amazing

Build Buns of Steel

Build strong and sleek Abdominals

Build a strong and sleek Upper Body

Increase your Strength

Increase your Power

Improve your Flexibility

Improve your Balance & Coordination

You can also check out Stair Climbing / Stair Exercises for more workouts.

10 Foods That Detox The Body

When it comes to detoxing your body, there are many techniques you can follow and supplements you can take. But, the best way, is to eat lots of foods that detox the body. Below is a list of detox foods that I thought would be an great addition to everybody’s diet.

1. Fruits

Fruits are extremely high in liquid-content, helping the body wash out toxins. They are also very easy to digest and are high in antioxidants, nutrients, fiber and many important vitamins like vitamin C.

2. Green Foods

When you are ready to detox your body, fill your refrigerator with blue green algae, barley, wheatgrass, kale, spinach, spirulina, alfalfa, chard, arugula or other organic leafy greens. These plants will help give a chlorophyll-boost to your digestive tract.

Chlorophyll rids the body of harmful environmental toxins from smog, heavy metals, herbicides, cleaning products and pesticides. They also aid the liver in detoxification.

3. Lemons, Oranges & Limes

These citrus-wonders aid the body in flushing out toxins, as well as jump-start the digestive tract with enzymatic processes. They also aid the liver in its cleansing processes. To increase detoxification, start each morning with a warm glass of lemon water.

Remember, vitamin C is one of the best detox vitamins around, as it transforms toxins into digestible material.

4. Garlic

This pungent bulb stimulates the liver in producing detoxification enzymes that help filter out toxic residues in the digestive system. Adding sliced or cooked garlic to any dish, will help aid any detox diet.

5. Broccoli Sprouts

Extremely high in antioxidants, broccoli sprouts can help stimulate the detoxification enzymes in the digestive tract like none-other. The sprouts are actually more effective than the fully-grown vegetable, despite the picture on the right.

6. Green Tea

Packed full of antioxidants,green tea not only washes toxins out of the system through its liquid content, but also contains a special type of antioxidant called catechins, known to increase liver function.

7. Mung Beans

The mighty mung bean has been used by Ayurvedic doctors for thousands of years. It is incredibly easy to digest, and absorbs toxic residue on the sides of the intestinal walls.

8. Raw Vegetables

Best for juicing detox regimens or eaten raw: Onions, carrots, artichoke, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, kale, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, garlic, beet, turmeric, and oregano. The combination of these foods will help your liver purge toxins during the cleansing process. These are high in naturally occurring sulphur and glutathione. Sulphur helps the liver detoxify harmful chemicals.

9. Seeds & Nuts

Incorporate more of the easily digestible seeds and nuts into your diet. This include flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, almonds, walnuts, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds, Siberian cedar nuts and sunflower seeds. While detoxing, avoid nut butters.

10. Omega-3 Oils

Use hemp, avocado, olive oils or flax seed oil while detoxing. This will help lubricate the intestinal walls, allowing the toxins to be absorbed by the oil, and eliminated by the body.

Source:  Global Healing Center/Natural Health & Organic Living.