Stair training is an excellent exercise if you need to prepare for the UTMB® in the flatlands, far from hills or mountains. It will give you real quadriceps strengthening and very effective cardiovascular conditioning.
The benefits of stair training
This is clearly one of the most effective exercises to strengthen the lower-body muscles, especially the calves and quadriceps. It also allows for intense cardiovascular efforts over relatively short durations. Furthermore, this training exercises foot strike dynamics and works all stabiliser muscles.
One limitation to keep in mind, however: stairs simulate the climb well, but not the descent. Yet it is the descending that destroys legs on the UTMB®. In the flatlands, make sure to complement this work with repeated downhills on the longest available slope, even if modest.
What exercises should you do for stair training?
Four main types of exercises can be integrated into your UTMB® training:
- Cadence work, with a single foot strike per step and the shortest possible ground contact time on the forefoot.
- Stride-length work, pushing off every two steps while driving with the arms in a steady swinging motion.
- Two-footed uphill jumps step by step, which build foot elasticity and rebound. Can also be done skipping a step to build power and work the quadriceps.
- Single-leg hops, climbing one set on the right foot, then one on the left. This exercise strengthens calves and balance, but it is by far the most demanding on the Achilles tendon: reserve it for runners already well-conditioned to strength work, keep sets short, and stop immediately at the slightest tendon sensitivity.
How to structure your session
A typical session lasts around 30 to 40 minutes and is split into three parts.
First, a 10-minute warm-up with an easy jog to prepare joints and muscles for the effort. Then the main set: cycle through the exercises above in sets of 8 to 10 climbs, using a walking descent for recovery between sets. Finally, finish with an easy cool-down jog to wrap up the session.
This type of training, highly intense for muscles and tendons, should not be done more than once a week, at the risk of causing tendinitis or excessive muscle soreness that could derail the rest of your training. Start with two or three sets and build up gradually: the stress on your tendons is far greater than the session duration might suggest.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should you do stair sessions?
Once a week maximum, sandwiched between an easy warm-up and cool-down jog, to give your muscles and tendons adequate time to recover.
Which muscles do you work during a stair session?
Mainly the quadriceps and calves, as well as the foot and ankle stabiliser muscles engaged by varied foot strikes.
Are stairs enough to prepare for the UTMB® when living in the flatlands?
No. They prepare you well for the climbs but very poorly for the descents, which are what truly destroy your legs on the UTMB®. Supplement with repeated downhills and training weekends in hilly terrain.
Find out more
- Preparing for the UTMB® in the flatlands
- Doing a weekend shock camp in the mountains
- Hill training and elevation gain
- Everything you need to know about runner's tendinitis
Photo credits: Clément Dumas, Delphine Daniélou.
