Out of Breath After Climbing the Stairs? Here's Why

You’ve just climbed a flight of stairs…just one…and you’re out of breath.  As you continue to walk down the hall, your breathing is still labored making you sound like you just ran a 10k.  You start thinking about when you last went to the gym, telling yourself that it hasn’t been long enough to make you feel this out of shape.

What’s going on?

Even if you stay pretty healthy, this is normal.  When you climb a flight of stairs, your heart rate elevates and your body (especially your legs) needs more oxygen.  Doing more cardio may help lessen the extent to which you feel out of breath, but it won’t eliminate it entirely.  When you walk up a flight of stairs, you’re using more muscles than you do when you’re just walking or running.

So, how can you fix it?

If you don’t exercise regularly, the first thing to do is start an aerobic routine.  Not only will you start to notice that you’re able to breathe more easily while taking the stairs, but you’ll notice that you’re starting to lose a few pounds too.  After you’re comfortable with an aerobic routine, start doing some strength exercises for the lower body.  Exercises that mimic the motion of going up stairs, such as lunges, will be the best.  Start with your own body weight and then start adding additional weight as the exercises become easier for you.

After all of this, your body will be more than ready to tackle the stairs.  No more labored breathing for you!