In addition to working at the clinic in Chamonix, Neil is a travelling physiotherapist with the Great British Judo team. Following his misadventures in Korea (read about his discovery of a new maximum heart rate test), he is now in Tokyo with the Olympic hopefuls approaching the end of their two week Asian Tour. As many of us will have experienced, frequent travelling and staying in hotels takes its toll on our bodies and state of mind, with the jet lag, limited opportunities for exercise, buffet breakfasts etc.
On this trip Neil has “discovered” another often overlooked training opportunity to top up his SkiFit sessions so when he does finally get back to Chamonix he will ready to don skis and get after it in the white stuff. What is this hidden fitness apparatus? The hotel stairs! They are free to use, generally very quiet and can be very, very long! Here is what Neil has to say about his latest training regime:
Running up and down stairs/flights of stairs is a great training tool, ideal for activating those glutes and core. Always remember to keep a good posture, even as you fatigue, to maximise the benefits. My hotel in Tokyo has 46 floors so one rep provides about 300m of elevation gain. You’ll think I’m mad but my record is two ascents and descents in 14 minutes!
Twice… yes only Neil would run up and down all those stairs and then do it all again! Perhaps this is just a way to avoid meeting any more dogs!
Please don’t feel you have to chase Neil’s records but do take advantage of these free fitness facilities if you find yourself staying along way from home without other options. Bear in mind that if you do meet anyone as you do your stair repetitions they will think you are crazy… and they may be right! However inactivity can make us all a little crazy…
- How to train like a World Cup downhill skier - January 17, 2017
- Thinking about your knees when choosing a tech binding - October 14, 2016
- Lessons from my first Etape du Tour - August 9, 2016