# How can I climb stairs wihtout getting winded? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 18, 2016, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-climb-stairs-wihtout-getting-winded/772377 "2016-11-18T22:42:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2016, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-climb-stairs-wihtout-getting-winded/772377/21 "2016-11-20T05:53:21Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > That’s actually slow. Sears (Willis) Tower is just a bit longer at 412 meters up. The record for climbing the stairs is over 13 minutes. But that’s at (lake) level, 580 feet. Planaca is at 2400 feet. Fwiw, I /never/ ran out of breath when I came down from 3000 ft to sea level. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2016, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-climb-stairs-wihtout-getting-winded/772377/22 "2016-11-20T13:26:51Z")
I never get winded when I climb stairs. My secret? I only climb _down_ stairs; by starting at the top, I get gravity to do most of the work… ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2016, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-climb-stairs-wihtout-getting-winded/772377/23 "2016-11-20T15:02:42Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > Yup. Stairclimbing motion is closer to cycling than running with the short, elevated steps each foot takes. > > A chair would be way too high & brings into things like balance issues that don’t come with climbing stairs. > The average person can’t get 30mph on a flat & would need above average bike handling skills to even get 30mph on a downhill. > > That’s actually slow. Sears (Willis) Tower is just a bit longer at 412 meters up. The record for climbing the stairs is over 13 minutes. Cycling is not a bad choice. I think though it is more effective in the converse: stair climbing helps more with cycling, especially with attacking hills, than cycling at a typical cadence (for most 80ish give or take ten or so) will help with stairs. Hence the comments that cycling intervals would be good. Yes, 30 mph is absurd but the basic concept is good. Step-ups onto a chair are not perfect (and the right chair would need to be chosen including for safety considerations) but being a bit higher than a single step is not a major detriment for the training effect. And the fact that it also requires some balance element is bonus (again, if done safely). If the op can do brisk two minute intervals of such step-ups (s)he’ll will be able to handle running up a few flights of stairs. I’ve done the (then Sears) Tower climb and I’ve run up steep hills. Running up steep hills is much much harder than running up the same vertical height in stairs, independent of the altitude issue. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-climb-stairs-wihtout-getting-winded/772377/24 "2016-11-21T00:25:15Z")
_“I like to think that I am in pretty good shape. I work out five to six times per week, have run multiple marathons and, well, I am the senior fitness editor for Health. Still, there are times when I find myself winded after climbing a flight or two of stairs. What gives?”_ > **[Here's Why You Get Out of Breath Walking Up Stairs (Even Though You're Fit)](https://www.health.com/fitness/winded-walking-up-stairs)** > > Feeling out of breath walking up stairs is normal, even if you're "in shape." Here, we explain why it happens and offer three exercises to help. I thought the OP might find this interesting (though the explanations given in the article don’t sound that convincing). Apparently, some people need additional oxygen to supply muscles that aren’t sufficiently accustomed to the effort of stair climbing. I am in no way in great shape (most recent fitness effort held back by a foot injury), but I walk a lot during work hours and rapidly climb a couple flights of stairs several times a day but don’t get winded. I’d be more pleased if I was running three miles three times a week. ---
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-climb-stairs-wihtout-getting-winded/772377/25 "2016-11-21T01:21:35Z")
Another way to train for stairways is incline intervals on a treadmill. After a half mile warm up at 2% at 5 mph, I set the treadmill at 10% and walk for half a mile at 5 mph, then go down to 3% at 5 mph for a quarter mile. I repeat this 4 times and then do another half mile warm down at 3% 5 mph. Do something similar and stairs will be a breeze. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-climb-stairs-wihtout-getting-winded/772377.md?page=1)