Like hill repeats, bleacher workouts build muscle that you don’t normally develop while running on flat surfaces. They increase leg strength, increase power and can make you a faster, strong runner. These workouts, also known as stair climbs, can be done on bleachers at a local high school track or college stadium while intermixing it with sets on the track and other strength workouts next to the bleachers.

Here are a few of our favorite workouts which

formed the foundation of many of our Boston

Marathon training cycles. We love these not only

because they are great workouts, but they

introduce some variety into what are otherwise

long, daily runs.

High School Track Workout

While doing your speed workouts on at a local high school track, intermix a few additional workouts in between sets on the track to improve strength and make the workouts fun: 1. Do 8 laps easy on the track, then stretch 2. Use a weighted jump rope (300 times) 3. For a standard high school bleachers, 10 sets of the bleachers - up and down 4. 1 lap running backwards (this exercises different muscles than when running forward) 5. Jump rope again until you count to 300 6. Run up the stadium stairs followed by a sprint to the end of the track and back. 7. Rest 8. Walking lunges, preferably with a weighted bar on your shoulders or light dumbbells in your hands. 30 one way and 30 back. 9. Run 2 laps on the track as a fast pace 10. Rest 11. Step ups on a bench or steps - 25 right leg then 25 left leg...followed by a sprint to the end of the track...rest. 12. Jump rope 300 hundred times 13. Finish with 4 laps on the track easy, then stretch.

Stadium Bleacher Climb Workouts For

Beginners

For this workout, find a nearby university stadium that you have access to. This is a great, basic stadium bleacher climb that will also help you build some endurance. 1. Warm up 5-10 minutes jogging on the track or field 2. Walk or run up the stadium steps or bleachers for 1 minute. 3. Rest for 30 seconds. 4. Walk or run up the stadium steps or bleachers for 2 minute. 5. Rest for 30 seconds. 6. Walk or run up the stadium steps or bleachers for 3 minute. 7. Rest for 30 seconds. 8. Walk or run up the stadium steps or bleachers for 4 minute. 9. Rest for 30 seconds. 10. Walk or run up the stadium steps or bleachers for 3 minute. 11. Rest for 30 seconds. 12. Walk or run up the stadium steps or bleachers for 2 minute. 13. Rest for 30 seconds. 14. Walk or run up the stadium steps or bleachers for 1 minute. 15. Rest for 30 seconds.

Stadium Bleacher Climb Workouts

For this workout, find a nearby university stadium that you have access to. The following include a few different options to give you some variety to your training. 1. Warm up 5-10 minutes jogging on the track or field 2. Walk or run up the seats of the stadium and run down the steps. To introduce some variety, you can play with the following options: a. Full Stadium Circuit: Complete the steps / seats for an entire loop of the stadium b. Half Stadium Circuit: Complete the steps / seats for half the stadium c. Timed Circuit: Focus your steps / seats for a specific time interval. Our suggestion is for at least 20 minutes, but this can be any duration you want. d. Cadence: Introducing some an increased cadence can help introduce some speed to your workout. For these workouts, focus just on the stadium steps doing these as a faster pace. Alternate stadium sections between taking every step for the first section and then skipping a step for the next section

Stadium Bleacher Climb Strength

Training Workouts

For this workout, find a nearby university stadium that you have access to. This workout will introduce some strength training sets. 1. Warm up 5-10 minutes jogging on the track or field 2. Run up and down the first section of stairs. 3. At the bottom, do 25-50 squats. See our strength training section for tips on how to do these properly. 4. Run the section of stairs again, then do 25 push-ups. 5. Run the section of stairs again, then do 20 burpees. 6. Run the section of stairs again, then do 25 forward lunges per leg. 7. Run the section of stairs again, then do 25 reverse lunges per leg. 8. Run the section of stairs again, then do 20 step jumps, jumping with both feet up and down the first step like a box jump. See our strength training section for tips on how to do these properly. 9. Continue this pattern starting back at the squats again for the entire stadium or duration of your stadium workout.