Fit Check: The Lincoln-Memorial-Steps Workout

If you don’t take the stairs as much as you should, here’s a workout for you

By: Melissa Romero

No more excuses—with this workout, you can get in a good cardio burn almost anywhere: All you need is a set of stairs.

Yaz Boyum, personal trainer at Definitions Personal Training Studio in Georgetown, likes to sweat it out while taking in a good view. Her aptly titled “Lincoln Steps Workout” involves running intervals and performing push-ups at the steps behind the Lincoln Memorial, the ones that take you down to the Rock Creek Trail.

You can modify this workout to work with the stairs of your choice, or bleachers at a high school track.

Warm-up: Calf muscle stretch

Stand on one leg. Place your other foot on the first step with the heel pointed down. Hold this stretch for at least ten to 20 seconds, three times on each side. “The calves play a predominant role when running up a set of steps,” Boyum says. “You want to make sure you’ve prepared them for the workload ahead.”

See Also:

Treadmill Intervals

Chi Running Teaches How to Run Without Legs

Running Barefoot

The Lincoln Steps Workout

Start at the bottom of the steps. Walk up the steps, slowly increasing your speed as you ascend up to the top. Walk down and repeat, with a faster speed going upwards. Do this series five times up and down.

Rest for one minute.

For the next five reps, skip a step as you climb upwards. Walk down stepping on each step.

Rest for one minute.

Run up the steps and do 15 push-ups at the top.

Walk down the steps.

Run back up the stairs, skipping steps. Repeat this five times, each time increasing your pace.

Cool Down

Repeat the calf muscle stretch exercise.

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