Using the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator

T

tjl

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I recently stayed in a hotel when traveling. That hotel had slow and small elevators that took a long time and often had long lines of people (with baggage) waiting to use them.

So I went to the desk to get my key coded to allow use of the stairs from the lobby floor (for some reason, they default to not letting you in the stairs on the lobby floor, although you can go down the stairs from your room). Even though my room was on the eighth floor, using the stairs was faster than waiting for the elevator.

But there did not seem to be anyone else using the stairs, except for one hotel employee whom I passed by on the way up.

Similarly, in train stations and airports, I see people crowding onto the escalators even though it is faster to walk up the stairs (due to the crowds on the escalators).

The building that I work in does not allow using the stairs to go up from the ground floor, although you can use the stairs to go between your employer's floors. But it seems that the employees on companies which have more than one floor still frequently use the elevators instead of the stairs, which are faster since you do not have to wait for the elevator.

Anyone else notice these tendencies of people to wait longer just to avoid climbing a few stairs?
 
I go up 11 floors every day twice. Well now since I got a pass into the building's parking lot, I walk up 11 floors once, and 6 floors in the morning since I can only park starting at the fifth floor. But I make it up when I get out of the gym and go up 5 floors.

Anyway, I see a few people now and then on the stairs. Like nearly everyone uses the elevator, but there is always one or two regulars that I happen to cross on my path up. I rarely go down the stairs unless the elevator is full which happens once per week.

I don't think it's a point of being lazy though. I mean there are lots of fit people who only uses the elevator. The reason being is that sometimes you get all sweaty going up the stairs and being at stressful work places along with being sweaty can cause you to explode.
 
I can go to various hotels once in a while in my line of work, dependent on the job and business acquisition.

I "always" opt to take the stairs and where 'appropriate' I will run them when alone, and walk them when with someone.

I always saw it as an "opportunity" to burn a small portion of additional calories (however slight), and believed over time this would accumulate a trend to a calorie expenditure benefit. Not to mention the obvious health benefit.


Accumulative small things can lead to bigger and larger things in personal benefit, IMO.


Best wishes



Chillen
 
Dallen said:
I don't think it's a point of being lazy though. I mean there are lots of fit people who only uses the elevator. The reason being is that sometimes you get all sweaty going up the stairs and being at stressful work places along with being sweaty can cause you to explode.
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Yeah, that's true. Sometimes stairways aren't air conditioned and if it's hot and humid chicago it is even hotter and more humid in the stairway. In which case I would take the elevator.
 
At underground stations I run up the escalators because it's the fastest way up. There's an elevator at work but I never use it
 
Oh, gosh yes. You didn't know that ?

When I had really little kids at home, I used to go to an aerobics class that I really loved, several times a week. I nearly got run over, and decided to get the fitness workouts on tape that i so dearly love, to this day, to use at home.

I was vain, and starting doing high impact step aerobic, each morning before work. I didn't warm up and stretch properly, and after a while, started getting knee pain so bad it would wake me up at night. I saw several different doctors, had some phyical therapy, and was advised not to jump rope, or run (especially stairs) as it was hard on the knee joints.

I'm back at this point to biking, Turbo Jamming, etc., but I always keep it low impact, or lowish impact.
 
I'm speechless, you're on a fitness forum warning people about the dangers of walking up stairs?

dare I ak about your opinions on heavy squating?
 
What is this shiiiiiiiiiiat! :)

I have opted for the stairs (where appropriate) for over two years. I run with the family on a regular basis. I have had a history of having to maintain a certain endurance level (military, Law enforcement).

I squat and dead lift heavy.

I am nearing 47.....

Uh.......let me check my knees and hips..........


Yep.......just fine and dandy.

:)


Chillen
 
The act of stepping up is not a bad movement. It was probably the way you were stepping down that caused your injuries.

We are all born with the potential to take stairs and squat 1000 lbs. Through the course of your life you accumulate weaknesses. There is nothing inherently wrong with the knee and taking a step. It's what it was built for.
 
LeiYunFat said:
The act of stepping up is not a bad movement. It was probably the way you were stepping down that caused your injuries.

We are all born with the potential to take stairs and squat 1000 lbs. Through the course of your life you accumulate weaknesses. There is nothing inherently wrong with the knee and taking a step. It's what it was built for.
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Good post, lei.


Best wishes,


Chillen
 
Yes, great post.

The thing is, I didn't realize it until the damage was done. A person has to be pretty careful with their body! I have received some flack here for saying that.
 
LiveFromNY said:
Yes, great post.

The thing is, I didn't realize it until the damage was done. A person has to be pretty careful with their body! I have received some flack here for saying that.
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Nothing wrong with being careful. Though we are put together nearly identical in terms of flesh and bone, how this flesh and bone is built can be slightly different from one person the next.

For example. A person "could" have a inherited weak point in the knee (from some type of internal growth problem, etc, leaving out aspects of injury in this), and may not learn that they do----until stress (etc) gets to a certain point and the begin to feel it--or--it causes injury.

EDIT: And, aging from one person to the next can be different (especially considering stresses applied in one's youth)

However, outside of (obvious exceptions) if we perform functions the way the body is designed, most can be okay. Some just dont realize their own potential and get TOO CAREFUL and dont apply themselves ENOUGH, and this IS a problem.


Best wishes,


Chillen
 
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Actually stairs do exert a lot of stress on the knees, consequently, stair exercises are not the best advice for people who currently have knee problems. (It is the stepping down, rather than the stepping up, which is of most concern).

That being said, accumulating small bouts of calorie buring movements leads to great improvements physically an metabolically (as Chillen said).
 
matt182 said:
Actually stairs do exert a lot of stress on the knees, consequently, stair exercises are not the best advice for people who currently have knee problems. (It is the stepping down, rather than the stepping up, which is of most concern).
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Similarly, I find that running or hiking down hills produces a lot more knee strain than running or hiking up hills.

Of course, if your knees don't mind going up stairs but do complain going down stairs, you could take the stairs up and the elevator down.
 
It's probably better to be safe than sorry. I mean when you push your body to the limit, it's for a purpose. However, if walking up the stairs require that you put your body to the limit everyday, then perhaps you shouldn't be taking the stairs. What I'm getting at is that perhaps it's alright to push your body when the time comes. However, in term of everyday use, why push it to the limit?
 
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