Stair climbing - McHugh Bluff (Memorial Drive @ Princes Island Park)

[Super_Geo]

There's a set of 11 fights of stairs just North of Princes Island Park that total 167 steps, and along with it comes one of the biggest ass kickings your body will ever receive.

The goal is to do 10 laps of the stairs taking 2 steps at a time without pushing off the knees or grabbing onto the railing on the way up, on the way down using the rail and going 1 at a time is ok.

This will quickly develop lower body strength, balance and agility and helps to prevent ankle or knee injuries. Doing this 2-3 times a week would also be very effective for fat loss. If you don't exercise or to go the gym on a consistent basis, it'll probably take 5-10 trips to the stairs before you can do 10 at a time... I was doing around 5-6 when I first started, and that was with plenty of time spent on the rail sucking wind like I just got shot.

The timing breakdown is for 10 laps, starting from the bottom of the stairs and finishing at the top on the 10th lap. Keep in mind most people won't be able to do 10 laps their first time out but if you do at least 5-8 you can figure out what 10 laps would've been, and this is only my best guess from seeing a handful of people try this.

Time Brackets
<17 minutes - Olympian?
17-20 minutes - Professional, top amateur atheles
20-24 minutes - Very athletic
24-28 minutes - Athletic
28-35 minutes - Average
35-37 minutes - Somewhat out of shape
37-40 minutes - Out of shape
40-45 minutes - Overweight, rarely exercises

I'll keep a list of times somewhat up to date in the first post here. People with lean builds will obviously be at an advantage against bulkier people. Post up your age, weight, and total number of times you been to the stairs.

2008

Super_Geo, 24, 177lb, 6th trip: 27:15, 10 laps, 0.223hp*
Super_Geo, 24, 174lb, 7th trip: 25:50, 10 laps, 0.231hp

2009

austic, 23, 230lbs, 1st trip: 32:00, 10 laps, 0.247hp
austic, 23, 230lbs, 2st trip: 29:00, 10 laps, 0.273hp

Super_Geo, 25, 181lbs, 3th trip: 27:30, 10 laps, 0.225hp
Super_Geo, 25, 179lbs, 5th trip: 25:35, 10 laps, 0.245hp

max_boost, 27, 158lbs, 1st trip: 25:45, 5 laps, 0.105hp

2010

Super_Geo
March 12: 5 Laps @ 13:01, 166bpm AvgHR, 2:36/lap Avg (link)
March 26: 5 Laps @ 12:24, 164bpm AvgHR, 2:29/lap Avg (link)
April 7: 5 laps @ 11:47, 166bpm AvgHR, 2:21/lap Avg (link)
April 12: 10 laps @ 23:06, 167bpm AvgHR, 2:25/lap Avg (link)

2011
austic, 25, 210lbs, 1st trip: ----, 6 laps

Super_Geo, 27, 178lbs, 1st trip: 11:16, 4 laps, 2:49/lap
Super_Geo, 27, 176lbs, 2nd trip: 15:48, 6 laps, 2:38/lap
Super_Geo, 27, 176lbs, 3rd trip: 26:22, 10 laps, 2:44/lap


*horsepower calculation based solely on energy required to carry your body weight up the vertical height of the stairs. For simplicity sake, descent time is not deducted from the overall time, yet energy expenditure during descent is not taken into account. The amount of energy your body releases will actually be significantly higher, as this doesn't take into account heat generated, sweating to cool yourself, overall efficiency, etc. This is an effective way to gauge your overall energy output as your time and weight fluctuates.

[Altezza]

Any free parking nearby?

[Super_Geo]

Oh yeah, a shitload right at the base of the stairs.

[broken_legs]

I was running those stairs last summer.

My routine there was sprint up, charge to the top, jog the ridge and down the hill. I would do that 10-12 times. For me the jogging along the ridge and then down teh bike path was more like active recovery.


I found that I couldn't maintain an explosive charge up the stairs when I just went up and down. I also found that running down those stairs was extremely hard on my knees.


But anyways 10 times is pretty good and 2 stairs at a time is killer on your hams and glutes. Good job man.

[eglove]

i've always looked at that set of stairs when driving by and thinking "do i want to kill myself today" (and by kill myself i mean not being able to move for days after doing a set) hahaha.

[kutt3r]

My buddy and I hit those this summer with sandbags... that was awesome... talk about bringing up lunch and that was just with a 50#er.

We did it once with 100#'s in a back pack and almost died... good times....

(there was no running, just climbing)

[Marsh]

1 lap = the run up and the run back down the stairs or just the run up?

[TYMSMNY]

Originally posted by Marsh
1 lap = the run up and the run back down the stairs or just the run up?

lap = up and down to complete the loop.

They have similar staircases by Westhills (overlooking the malls, behind staples)

[cityhunter2501]

back in September/October me and friend would run the Scottman's Hill by the Saddledome 5x every tues,wed and thurs.
Never properly timed ourselves but I believe it was taking us around 20min to run the stairs.

Can't wait for springs so I can start doing it again

[5000Audi]

shit... probably take me 45 mins to do that shit once... haha

i should try and do that 10 lap thing..

this woul dbe the sheet after i do it

Time Brackets
<17 minutes - Olympian?
17-20 minutes - Professional, top amateur atheles
20-24 minutes - Very athletic
24-28 minutes - Athletic
28-35 minutes - Average
35-37 minutes - Somewhat out of shape
37-40 minutes - Out of shape
40-45 minutes - Overweight, rarely exercises
60-120 minutes- 5000Audi's average times

[A790]

I'm going to try this in the spring... fuck winter.

[bigbadboss101]

IT's nice enough to do it now! One step at a time and I am sure in time one will improve big time. I need cardio badly. Used to play sports 3-4 times a week and now with people getting married etc may be once a week. Fat fat fat.

[buh_buh]

I'm going to try this on my next cardio day. What's the address to this place?

[ExtraSlow]

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&hl=en...=16&iwloc=addr
801 2nd street NW is the top of the stairs. There is 2 hour parking there right along Crescent road.

Pay parking availible in the city lot at the bottom of the stairs.

[AZ REALTY]

I use to run those everyday in high school at Crescent for basketball and football practice. It's a wicked workout! Can't do them anymore as I don't live in Calgary anymore.

[1997GSR]

i would imagine that it can get clogged up with slow folks. what is the best time to run this?

[Impreza]

^No good time. I live by that area and there are always people running those stairs regardless of what time it is haha. In all honesty though, it never really gets THAT clogged up, so you shouldn't have a big problem.

[kenny]

I've done those stairs far too many times during dog class and always thought about timing myself haha. I should try this, but I wonder if I can complete all 10 (9.5 actually) laps.

[max_boost]

Originally posted by A790
I'm going to try this in the spring... fuck winter.

I'll continue to watch TV while doing cardio instead of this one. I could be dead after attempting these stair climbs haha

[Swank]

I've been doing 60 storeys (1200 stairs) a day for my breaks at work lately, killer way to drop the fat, beef up the legs, and get some crazy endurance. I should give this a go!