Get Winded Climbing Stairs? These 5 Moves Will Make It Easier - TODAY.com

What the report says

TODAY.com reported that feeling breathless while climbing stairs is common and does not automatically mean someone is unfit. In its Expert Tip of the Day feature, Brianna Steinhilber, a certified personal trainer and TODAY.com health editor, said stair climbing is demanding because each step requires the body to move its weight upward against gravity.

As part of Start TODAY’s Functional Fitness Series, Steinhilber recommended five exercises intended to strengthen the muscles used on stairs: sit-to-stands, step-ups, calf raises, marching and split squats. The article explains that these movements target lower-body strength, core control, balance and coordination, with step-ups most closely resembling the stair-climbing motion.

TODAY.com said stairs challenge both strength and cardiovascular capacity because the glutes, quadriceps, calves and core are engaged while the heart and lungs work to supply oxygen. The guidance frames stair climbing as an everyday task that can become easier through functional training rather than relying only on a stair-climber machine at a gym.

The article also outlined basic ways to perform each move, such as standing from a chair without using the hands, stepping onto a bench, lifting the heels for calf raises, raising knees in a marching pattern and lowering into a split squat. The broader context is that functional fitness focuses on exercises that support routine activities, including standing, carrying objects and climbing stairs.