WPH Press
Each Wednesday the WPH features the WPH Wednesday Workout, designed to help you become a stronger, fitter, faster, and better handball player. From leg and shoulder strengthening exercises to HIT Training, biking, balance, footwork, agility, coordination, first-step explosiveness, hydration, cooling down, upper body strengthening, circuit training, altitude training, swimming, jogging, and much more, the WPH Wednesday Workouts focus on the areas that every handball player needs to reach their peak form.
To view all WPH Wednesday Workouts, go HERE
On this WPH Wednesday Workout, we’ll discuss the benefits of running stairs to become a better handball player.
Running stairs is a great way to build leg strength and building power, making you more explosive and better conditioned on the handball court. POLAR HERE states the plyometric motion of running stairs strengthens not only the leg muscles, but also provides a high-intensity cardio test to your heart and lungs, which will also improve your speed and agility and your vertical jump.
The Wired Runner HERE lists these benefits to running stairs:
- Running stairs puts your aerobic capacity to the test, making your legs, heart, and lungs work harder, thus training your cardiovascular system to take in more oxygen, improving your VO2 levels
- Running stairs is easier on your body than jogging
- Running stairs trains hard-to-train muscles like your gluteus medius and other stabilizing muscles – running stairs can help prevent injuries by strengthening these hard-to-train muscles
Variety Stair Workout, from The Wired Runner HERE
- Run up the stairs
- Do 15 pushups at the top
- Glide down the stairs, do a one-minute plank at the bottom
- Run up the stairs
- Do 30 sit-ups at the top
- Glide down the stairs, do 15 jumping jacks at the bottom
- Repeat cycle four times
If you do not have access to stairs, find a hill with a steep incline. According to Verywellfit HERE, hill repeats provide a similar workout to stairs and might be easier to get started. Verywellfit also explicitly states that running stairs is nothing like the elliptical machine – running stairs requires more focus, more control, and more muscles to perform well.
Find your stairs and build explosive power, leg strength, cardio strength, and balance and agility now! Remember, take it slow coming down the stairs.
David Fink
WPH Fitness Director