Care for a challenge today? It's one exercise and all you need is a sturdy step stool, bench or the second step of a flight of stairs. The challenge is to do as many Step Ups or at least keep a solid pace and go for 10 minutes non stop. That sounds easy doesn't it, after all it's only 10 minutes right?
For most, doing this exercise is extremely tough and for good reason; it's a tough exercise and it challenges your cardio big time. It builds incredible stamina, strengthens the muscles in all of the legs, doesn't pound on the joints so it is a much safer option than long distance running and it's a hell of a conditioner if you're an athlete or a laborer or just someone who wants to get in shape. There are great benefits to this exercise.
A lot of people today don't realize what it means to be fit; not just to look like a million bucks but to use your fitness in other endeavors. Some work out to pass the time, others don't care and just go through the motions and there are some that push themselves to the brink of death. When it comes to this exercise, it doesn't take long before you're huffing and puffing. Test it out yourself for even 5 minutes and tell me it doesn't do anything.
Here's a story that makes this exercise so effective, that it made one guy leave the gym without saying a word because he couldn't keep up: One of the most legendary wrestlers of the 1970's was Bob Backlund who became the second longest running champion in the WWE. He became an advocate of the Step Up and the Ab Wheel and made them the foundation for his unrivaled strength and conditioning. One time, a marathoner challenged him in the Step Up because it looked such an easy exercise and if he can run 26.2 miles, doesn't seem much of a challenge right? Bob accepted and told the guy to be prepared to work very hard, after about 20 minutes, the guy gives up and storms out of the gym, never to be seen again. That should tell you flat out how badass this exercise is.
This isn't some ricky dink exercise, it will test your lungs and put on some good functional muscle. Ladies, if you're looking to tone up and shape your butt, this exercise can do that for you. If you can get passed ten minutes without dying, it's a good indication that you're in pretty good shape. You can vary the reps, when I do my workouts with this exercise, I set my watch and do 12 reps per leg, that works for me. When I want to really challenge myself, I'll do 1000 Reps using a deck of cards and keep going with little to no rest. I'm very thankful for this exercise. It feels great on my knees and ankles because although I've done thousands of squats in the past, when I do squats, I feel more tension in those areas because of the rod in my shin and the pins in my ankles. I don't feel tension whatsoever in the Step Up, I do feel my legs working but it makes me feel like the Rod and pins aren't there.
Are you up for the challenge? You think you can go 10 minutes doing this? See what you can do. If you can't do 10 minutes yet, that's ok. You can build up to it doing various sets and reps and taking as little rest as possible each workout until you don't have to rest at all. For safety sake, if you're using a step stool, make sure it's sturdy and can hold a great deal of weight. Most stools can hold up well over 200 lbs. My step stool holds up to 300 lbs. Don't go Speedy Gonzales on this exercise unless you've been at it long enough and you have a good sense of balance. I made the mistake of going like the Flash and ended up tripping and hurting myself twice, I never made it a third time since. I like to keep a steady pace because quite frankly I don't need to sprint on that thing, I feel awesome just getting my heart pumping from the pace I do.
Do what works for you and do your best to focus on your breathing as well. You'll be huffing and puffing as it is doing this but if you can control your breathing as best as possible, you can go for a much longer time. My first 1000 Reps, I had to take several breaks because those cards will never tell you whats coming. My second time, took less breaks and was feeling pretty good, the third time, I felt like I blasted through it and was in the zone. It becomes a mental game after several minutes cause once you hit 100-200, the mind becomes more of a target than your body. Be sure to find a Stool or Bench that doesn't go past your navel point when you step up; you don't want to overuse the hip joint because this is a full leg exercise not one to overstress the hips.
Here's a video of me doing the 10 Min Step Up Challenge.
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