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Taking the stairs instead of the elevator

Doctor Q

Doctor Q

Administrator
Original poster
Staff member
Sep 19, 2002
40,472
9,399
Los Angeles
I work in an office building. A few weeks ago I decided it would be a good fitness project to try taking the stairs instead of the elevator at work.

My calves ached the first couple of evenings and at night, but then I got used to the new exercise. I now do this 5 days a week. I get weekends off from stairclimbing because I'm not at work.

The various staircases and connections among office areas and parking levels are very confusing in this building, so I haven't quite figured out the ideal route. I've tried a different one each day. Sometimes I end up going out an exit to the street, sometimes I come to one-way doors blocking me off from an area, and sometimes I find my way to where I'm trying to go. I have to take the elevator past certain floors that you can't get into (only out of) by stairs.

If I have an errand during the day, I also take the stairs, so the number I climb or descend varies day to day. The daily minimum is about 200 steps. Today I found another area to park in, near yet another staircase, and I had one errand today, so it'll be over 400 steps by the time I get back to my car to go home.

The biggest problem is that I arrive at my office huffing and puffing, yet everyone who needs help with a computer problem wants to ask me something before I even reach my Dilbert cubicle. I've explained to each of them that they should give me a couple of minutes to catch up on oxygen, and THEN pester me all they like.

Exercise can either be fun or be a chore, and this type has turned out to be fun, so I figured I'd share my story. :)

Photo of me almost reaching the 5th floor:

dot-tsc-umta-84-36_p0007b.gif
 
I work on the third floor and almost always take the stairs. I've also fallen in love with walking to work (which is blissfully possible for me here). I agree. Those little things add up. It's good for you, and getting your body healthier makes you feel better about yourself. And I could use some feeling better about myself, so I'm glad I do it. :)
 
Good for you, Q. I too have been trying to physically better myself. I've been going to the gym about 4-5 times a week for 3 months now. I was sore for a few days, but now I constantly feel more energized.
 
Well i still go to school but there is a four story towerblock and everyday i have a lesson on a different floor so it is always the stairs. Try walking up stairs two at a time. I started doing that and, i don't mean to brag, but i now have the 2nd strongest calf muscles in my year. It is a good exercise and builds up muscle
 
Good to hear you're making the effort. Stick with it! :)

This reminds me of a rant -- I travel a lot and it makes me laugh to no end when people use the elevator to go up or down one floor instead of taking the stairs. Usually, it's faster on the stairs because there's no waiting for the elevator to arrive. Us lazy Americans....
 
®îçhå®? said:
Try walking up stairs two at a time.
Click to expand...
Are you trying to kill me? But now I'm curious. Perhaps I'll try it for a flight or two, just to see.

Going down the stairs is never a strain, which makes me wonder if it's worth it, but I guess any kind of movement is good for you. Going up is certainly aerobic, and good for the legs as well.

As you can see in that actual photograph above, I've lost weight from the new exercise.

SharksFan22 said:
This reminds me of a rant -- I travel a lot and it makes me laugh to no end when people use the elevator to go up or down one floor instead of taking the stairs. Usually, it's faster on the stairs because there's no waiting for the elevator to arrive. Us lazy Americans....
Click to expand...
They offer valet parking at the sports club near me. Nobody wants to have to walk :eek: from the parking lot!
 
®îçhå®? said:
I started doing that and, i don't mean to brag, but i now have the 2nd strongest calf muscles in my year.
Click to expand...

How do you know they're the second strongest? That statement intrigues me. Do you have steel bar snapping comptetitions with your calves, and you came second? Please tell, for I am genuinely curious how one would measure one's calf muscle strength, particularly across a school year.
 
Since we moved into our house back in January, I have missed walking to work. It used to be a nice 10 minute jaunt through the park every day, and even when it was cold out it was still nice to get that bit of exercise.

As for stairs, I take them whenever I can. It's simple choices like that, really, which can make all the difference. Same with snacking during the day - I'll always eat a piece of fruit over a candy bar, donut, whatever. Choosing a healthy lifestyle is not hard at all really, even though some people use it as an excuse to be lazy! :p ;)

Thanks for sharing your story Doctor Q and I'm glad it's been a positive experience for you so far! :)
 
Interestingly enough, as an architect, I try to place an attractive and easy to use set of stairs in a prominent location now, rather than the elevator doors. I'll usually try to place the elevator shaft in a less prominent (but no less easy to access due to ADA) place. The hope is that my design decisions will lead to many people doing what the good doctor is without thinking about it.
 
i take stairs when i can, but its not always feesible for me. as i do deliveries, i can't carry the stuff up stairs. but i get quite a lot of physical labor in here at work anyways, well... besides this week in the least.
 
I started doing this back at my old office, where it was to the 5th floor, and still do it now, even though it's only up 2 floors. It's a good way to augment my normal exercise program, which lately has been more intense as I prepare for a half-marathon in June.

Also, a few years back I did a "Tackle the Tower" race where the object is to run up the stairs of an office building as quickly as possible. This particular race was something like 20 floors, but they also have one that goes up the Sears Tower :)eek:).

Anyway, running up stairs is nothing like running on the ground. In fact, you start off pretty good, taking 2 or 3 steps at a time at a fairly brisk pace. By about the 5th floor your sucking air and desperately hanging onto the rails to avoid falling over.

Congrats, Doctor Q, on your new exercise regimen. You'll eventually get to the point where you're not huffing too much at the top of the stairs!
 
Haven't taken the school elevators in a year. Of course the highest building on campus is like 5 stories and I don't even have classes there anymore. Always took the stairs as the elevators were extremely slow.
 

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emw said:
Anyway, running up stairs is nothing like running on the ground. In fact, you start off pretty good, taking 2 or 3 steps at a time at a fairly brisk pace. By about the 5th floor your sucking air and desperately hanging onto the rails to avoid falling over.
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I know exactly what you mean. By the time I reach the 7th floor of my house I'm completely knackered.
 
emw said:
I started doing this back at my old office, where it was to the 5th floor, and still do it now, even though it's only up 2 floors. It's a good way to augment my normal exercise program, which lately has been more intense as I prepare for a half-marathon in June.

Also, a few years back I did a "Tackle the Tower" race where the object is to run up the stairs of an office building as quickly as possible. This particular race was something like 20 floors, but they also have one that goes up the Sears Tower :)eek:).

Anyway, running up stairs is nothing like running on the ground. In fact, you start off pretty good, taking 2 or 3 steps at a time at a fairly brisk pace. By about the 5th floor your sucking air and desperately hanging onto the rails to avoid falling over.

Congrats, Doctor Q, on your new exercise regimen. You'll eventually get to the point where you're not huffing too much at the top of the stairs!
Click to expand...

i've always wanted to do the sears tower race, and i remember having to run stairs for wrestling practice back in high school. man that was tough, after two hours of practice, an hour of condition via running up and down three flights of stairs. timed. eh.
 
I've done the stairs in the Washington Monument, once going up and twice going down. It would have been twice each way, but they didnn't let visitors take them up the last time I was there. :( I guess they don't want tourists collapsing if they aren't up to the task. Of course, somebody could collapse going down too, but going down is still allowed.

I also enjoyed taking the stairs to/from the subways in Washington D.C. too. They are particularly long so you don't have to keep turning and switching landings as often as in an office building's stairwell.
 
Doctor Q said:
Exercise can either be fun or be a chore, and this type has turned out to be fun, so I figured I'd share my story. :)
Click to expand...

Technically, you're increasing your physical activity, were as exercise would be a dedicated time set aside to work out, above and beyond your daily movements.

The benefits of increased activity and exercise are well documented. Obesity is much lower in cultures where walking or biking to work is common place.

Every bit helps.
 
Being overweight for the first time in my life (It's not my fault that donuts are good!), I've considered this in my new office building as well. However, I work on the 10th floor and it's hard enough to walk DOWN to the 1st floor, nevermind walking UP!

But if the good Doctor is going to do it, then I should endeavor to do it as well. Computer nerds should stick together, even if you are a Solaris Snob. :)

So, from this day forth, unless I'm late for a meeting, I will take the stairs... all 20 flights of them.

Current weight: 295LBS (that's 134KG) on May 5th, 2006.
 
I wish I could do that at my office. Contrary to what others might say, WE have the slowest elevators in the world. Plus, they break down a lot (which you would think is good, but it means having only one elvator instead of two).

Problem is that the entry floor stairs can only be opened from the stairwell and the work floor elevators can only be opened from the office/shared hallway. It's bad enough in the mornings when I have to use the elevator to go from 1 to 4, but when I have to run errands, I have to take it between floors 4, 7, and 8. Since 7 and 8 are shared hallway floors, nobody will ever hear you if you knock from the stairwell...:mad:

The only stair "exercise" I get is the trip down on my way home. :(
 
I wish more people would follow in your footsteps Doctor Q. Everyday I see people taking the elevator and they are over weight and they only go up one flight. Makes me wonder how much they complain to people that they are overweight and can't get rid of the weight. USE THE EFFING STAIRS!
 
yellow said:
So, from this day forth, unless I'm late for a meeting, I will take the stairs... all 20 flights of them.

Current weight: 295LBS (that's 134KG) on May 5th, 2006.
Click to expand...
Just a suggestion, since I'd miss your smart-ass comments if you were to have a heart attack on Monday, is it possible to take perhaps a smaller initial step into exercise? For example, go up 4 or 5 flights, then take the elevator the rest of the way? Then you could increase it by a flight every week or so.

Of course, since you seem to get a lot of exercycling in (if we can believe your 'tar) maybe this isn't an issue.
 
You've inspired me, Q. We live on the fourth floor (actually, it's the fifth because there's an upper ground floor for some reason) but I rarely use the stairs unless it's half-two in the morning and the fire alarm is going off. I'll use the stairs tonight after I get back from the pub. :)
 
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