There’s really no way to “skate” or “slide” (unless your booty slides) into a head that turns your lower body other than to push yourself beyond your comfort zone, beyond easy fairway. If there were, we’d all have whiplash, because we’d spend all day gaping at women with big buns and thighs. While your local chiropractor would love it, the reward of a rocking body wouldn’t be so sweet without knowing you’ve done the job.
So if you’re ready to get better, check out one of my favorite workouts to stay lean and tough all year long.
Stairs! Stairs! Stairs! Running, jumping, jumping, striding!
CAUTION: Make sure your knees are up to the challenge. It is not always the climb that can be difficult for them; going down can also be difficult.
For this article, I’ll focus on stair running in the West Los Angeles area, which IMHO has some of the best outdoor stair running locations.
One of my favorites over the years has been the UCLA campus on Sunset Boulevard. I have used these stairs to get in the best shape of my life when training for the fitness programs, specifically Ms. Galaxy and Tri-Fitness.
If you’re going to UCLA, here are some tips:
– Park for free along Veteran Ave. which is right off Sunset.
– Pay attention to the street cleaning signs.
– Walk the grass / dirt trail along Sunset. It’s a great 5-10 warm-up hike and you’ll arrive at the campus entrance and be able to follow it to the bleachers that you can see as you walk up the hill.
– Meters are available on campus – bring a lot of change – these meters are one-room monsters.
– Definitely bring water and a towel.
Another great set of stairs on the west side of Los Angeles, whether you live in Santa Monica, Brentwood, or even the Palisades, is the Santa Monica Stairs, also known as “The Steps,” located just off San Vicente Blvd. and 4th St.
These stairs are world famous (seriously) and on a day anyone can find a celebrity or professional athlete “sweating” running, walking or jumping down these stairs. Some tips for heading to the SM stairs:
– There is free parking on Calle 4 and also in San Vicente. Just pay attention to signs in the area.
– Ladder tag: yield to the fastest climbers
– Peak hours are mornings before 9 a.m. M. And afternoons after 5:30 p.m. M. So if you want to avoid the crowds and have the flexibility to do so, I encourage you. Especially if it’s your first time there, it can be overwhelming, going through the steps and trying to breathe at the same time. Just kidding, no I’m not!
And last but not least, Culver City throws its hat into the ring with the stairs at Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook. Now to be fair, I haven’t personally executed them, but I heard they are great as part of a mini hike and offer a 360 degree view of Los Angeles and on a clear day you can see the Hollywood sign.
CAUTION: These steps tend to have different heights and some are uneven. Wear appropriate shoes!
The great thing about stair running is that it works on many different parts of your body at once, from your butt, to your hamstrings, to your quads, and not to mention your calves. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention the cardiovascular benefits. No, that was on purpose, “heart beating out of chest” will become a familiar phrase.
Be sure to wear your heart rate monitor; you will probably set a new maximum heart rate record. There is no better way to control your cardiovascular fitness than running stairs. Really, even with all the different ways I train to stay in shape, running stairs can bring me to my knees … literally.
And the best news is that you don’t have to live on the west side of Los Angeles to take advantage of this exercise; You can find a flight or several flights of stairs in an apartment or office building or, if you are traveling, the hotel stairs are fabulous. ! And the stairs are usually empty as most people never take them! A crime, but that’s a topic for another post.
Here are some of my favorite reasons why stair running is my number one outdoor workout:
– Ideal for interval work – running – walking – jogging – then crawling to the top
– You will absolutely sweat
– Quick way to increase your heart rate
– Buns – Thighs – Calves
– You break the “four walls”
– Great calorie burn
– Mix things up
So put on your favorite pair of running shoes, grab some water and a towel – go smash the stairs and go off with a butt lift!