Sofia Sjöström Stahl - Step-Training Workout: Quick and Effective Workouts for the Whole Body

For Kimbecause you make me believe I can

Text Sofia Sjstrm Sthl, 2016, 2019.

Photography Erik Dilexit, 2016, 2019.

First published by Fitnessfrlaget in Stockholm, Sweden in 2016 as Trapptrning .

First Skyhorse Publishing edition, 2019.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Book design by Anders Timrn

Print ISBN: 978-1-5107-3019-9

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-5107-3024-3

Printed in China

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

My relationship with exercise has never been very consistentwe have had our ups and downs over the years. Physical training was an integral part of my life growing up; I competed in cross-country skiing, which meant that I did several workouts a week and went to long training camps in both summer and winter. Aside from all the hours on the ski trails, I also participated in off-season training and triathlons, and have covered many miles on roller-skis. In addition, I spent much of my free time at the stables and rode horses for over a decade. Ive also run cross-country and have tried out most team sports and several para-sports during my years as a personal assistant. You get the picture: Im quite the jock.

Exercise and physical activities have, quite simply, always taken up a lot of my and my familys spare time. This changed somewhat when, upon graduation, I moved to the United States, and then to Oslo, Norway. There, partying and having fun were far more tempting than putting myself through sweaty workouts. Later, when I moved back to Stockholm, Sweden, and got my credentials to become a personal trainer, I found my way back to my old routines, and my schedule filled up with exercise. I discovered strength training; I started rising early in the morning to crawl around outside doing military boot-camp workouts. Then everything changed when I became ill, suffering from burnout and depression.

My body became incredibly weak and I didnt train for a hundred days. I neither wanted to nor was able to engage in exercise. I fought hard to regain some motivation to get myself going again, but often found myself unable to rally. Who was I without my training? Once I began moving again and really rediscovered the joys of exercising, things almost immediately went off the rails again. I damaged my elbows so severely during a workout that I almost tore my muscles. Nearly two years of intense physical therapy sapped all my energy, and I had to start back at square one.

What Im trying to tell you, by recounting this long tale of woe, is that I was the girl bursting with energy, who had training deeply embedded in her DNA. You know, the one who was exhilarated at the prospect of going out into the woods and running until she came close to throwing up. I loved to sweat and to feel the taste of blood on my tongue. But I have had to face the harsh realities of being a jock. Ive had days when I physically could not do a thing because my body was too exhausted to move; Ive injured myself to the point where I was unable to lift so much as pitcher of water; and Ive gone all the way to the gym, only to realize that I should not be there, and gone back home to lie on the couch again. I do understand that working out can spark some of the most fantastic feelings ever, but also the most horrible pain. I also get that people who are wholly committed to training can often be incredibly challenging to be around.

However, Ive always appreciated what is simple as well as effective. That is probably why I always go back to step training. There are stretches of time when I dont do any step training, but then I find myself back at the foot of a flight of stairs again, ready to take on the challenge once more. What gives me the biggest rush? To be out on a walk and to suddenly feel the urge to run a few intervals on the stairs. Its so darn simple, after all!

Thats why I wanted to write a book about exercise that wasnt intimidating; I wanted it to be welcoming and to include something for everyone. This book is for anyone who already enjoys training, as well as for whoever has not quite made it out of the starting blocks yet. This book can be used by those who train to build functional strength, as well as by those who are looking for a reliable workout to provide their body with the basics. In short, it is for anyone seeking an effectiveand easy-to-followtraining plan.

You can use this book no matter your relationship to exercise and regardless of where you find yourself along the fitness spectrum. Theres always a set of stairs somewhere, waiting to be pressed into service. If youre a complete newbie, start out by simply walking up and down a few flights. Take one step at a time and you will reach the top. Keep in mind that things dont need to get any more intricate than this.

WHY STEP TRAINING?

I think its a pity that we make everything so complicated these days. The best we can do for ourselves is to move our bodies, and the dumbest thing we can do is to make this movement convoluted. Thats why Id like to introduce you to something so simple that it might be considered unacceptable: step training. What? Real training done on stairs? Thats right. I began using stairs to exercise a long time ago, in an attempt to find new ways to challenge my body. You might think that climbing stairs as fast as possible is all there is to it, and then its done. Trust methats not all; there are so many other things you can do!

Simple training is my thing. You know, exercise thats fun and straightforward; where you can just lace up your shoes and get going. Thats what I feel step training is all about. The equipment can be found just about anywhere, and its free and accessible to everyone. I love using the stairs that are located about a hundred yards from my home, which are completely covered in greenery in summertime. Ill go there when I dont feel like moving, and I become motivated again. Ill go there when I need to vent my frustrations. Ill go there when I want to train to the point of exhaustion, and when I want to challenge my body in different ways. Its so easy to provide your body with much-needed movement using a flight of stairs. Have you ever thought about it? If not, no matter. Hopefully, your curiosity will now have been aroused, and youll be tempted to make your way to the nearest set of stairs to try out an exercise or two.

There several advantages to performing a few of your workouts on stairs: youll see many exercises with fresh eyes, youll discover the importance of finding your center of gravity, and youll realize that balance and coordination are heavily involved. Youll see results.

In this book, Ive chosen to focus on training that challenges your strength, balance, coordination, fitness, and mobility. As an added bonus, youll even get to experience that great, slightly devil-may-care feeling of not giving a second thought to what people say or think while youre out doing fun exercises on stairs. I believe we also become mentally stronger by putting ourselves into these types of situations from time to time.