[NotOnEiger]

This must have been asked before but I could not find and answer to this specific question so here it goes:
I understand that stairmaster (I mean the escalator type one) may actually resemble uphill walking the most – it seems accepted that you actually do lift all your weight up the height of each step since you move together with the escalating stairs. 2nd to that then is Treadmill with incline (same principle). So if we don’t have easy access to mountains, this is the way to go.

However, we always have to come down too and as it seems, most accidents happen on the way down, right? Stairmaster/Treadmill only goes up! So why is it not better to actually find a steep (likely short) hill or a stair case (maybe just 2-3 flights) and go up and down for the time or ascent required, even if you have to do 20, 30, 60 or more laps? This way you train both up and down and if you do the down portion relatively quick, you can stay at your AeT too.

Topic

[Anonymous]

Anonymous on July 10, 2020 at 5:09 pm #43481

It would be ideal to simulate real uphill and down hill training on the actual terrain you plan to encounter, second to that can be stairs. But many people do not have access to these things and so the stair machine or treadmill is the only option.

Scott

[Jan]

Jan on July 11, 2020 at 12:22 am #43488

@Scott: What if you have the option of either a 150 feet hill or a treadmill and want to do 3000 feet of elevation gain in a training session? Would it be better to do them coninuously on the treadmill, but have no downhill and no “real” terrain? Or do it on the hill, but have no continuous uphill?

[NotOnEiger]

NotOnEiger on July 11, 2020 at 7:31 am #43491

Jan – that is exactly what I am referring to!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous on July 14, 2020 at 11:57 am #43572

Do both.

Downhill training will strengthen your legs in a very sport-specific way. But short uphills won’t prepare you well for the long ones. You could program some of each.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous on July 14, 2020 at 11:58 am #43573

EDIT: I shouldn’t have said, “won’t prepare you for the long ones”. But long sessions will prepare you better.