Brief Intense Stair Climbing Boosts Fitness

Not having enough time to exercise is no longer an excuse to not get fit. This study included 31 sedentary healthy women who performed brief ten-minute stair climbing routines three times per week for six weeks. The routines involved quick bursts of vigorous stair climbing separated by short periods of recovery. Despite achieving a total of only 30 total minutes of exercise a week, the participants experienced increased cardiorespiratory fitness—an important healthy marker linked to longevity. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, February 2017