Bleacher Exercises

Cardiovascular

Step 1

Warm up with a five-minute walk to the bleachers or around the track to prepare your body for the workout.

Step 2

Walk up the bleacher stairs one or two steps at a time. Place your entire foot on the step and face your toes forward. Walk down the stairs one step at a time. Repeat for a duration of four to five minutes.

Step 3

Increase your speed to a run, going up one or two steps at a time. Place the ball of your foot on the step and face your toes forward. Walk across the top bleacher row and then run down the next set of steps. Walk across the bottom bleacher row and then run up another set of stairs. Repeat for a total of 10 flights of stairs at a medium speed and then another 10 at top speed.

Step 4

Stand at the bottom of the stairs. Bend both knees and jump to the first step. Continue to jump and land on both feet until you reach the top. Walk down and complete another set of stair jumps.

Step 5

Repeat steps as your strength, power and endurance improve.

Step 6

Cool down with a five-minute walk.

Strength

Step 1

After your warmup and cardiovascular exercise, perform 10 to 12 pushups to strengthen your upper body. Vary your pushups and place your hands on a high bleacher seat and your feet on a lower bleacher seat so you are in an incline position. Add another variation and put your hands on the low seat and your feet on the higher seat so you are in a decline position. Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-distance. Position your body in a line from your shoulders to your heels. Inhale, bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the bleacher. Exhale, straighten your arms and return to the starting position.

Step 2

Sit on a bleacher seat. Place your feet flat on the floor. Rest your hands on the seat next to your hips with your fingers pointing down. Slide your hips off the seat and support your bodyweight with your straight arms. Inhale, bend your elbows and lower your hips. Exhale, straighten your arms and return to the starting position. Perform 10 to 12 dips to strengthen the backs of your upper arms.

Step 3

Perform alternating lunges onto the bottom step. Stand with your feet underneath your hips. Step forward with your right foot and place it on the bottom step. Inhale, bend both knees and lower toward the floor into a lunge. Keep your right knee over top of your right heel. Exhale, straighten your legs and return to a standing position. Complete 10 to 12 lunges on each leg.

Step 4

Stand on the bottom step with both feet. Slide your heels off the front edge of the step and balance on the balls and toes of your feet. Inhale, lower your heels. Exhale and lift your heels as high as possible. Keep your legs straight, with only a slight bend in your knees. Perform 10 to 12 calf raises.

Tips

• Wear supportive athletic shoes that provide traction on the bleacher steps. Wear a weight vest to increase the intensity of the exercises.

Warnings

• Use caution if the stadium steps are wet, as the surface will be slippery. Before you begin a bleacher workout, speak with your doctor regarding the safety of this type of exercise for you.