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Training for the Sydney Tower Run-Up

The Sydney Tower run up is a high intensity event which will test your cardiovascular fitness and muscular endurance particularly in the lower body. To compete in this event it is highly recommended that you participate in a training program to best prepare your body for the event.

Stair climbing is one of the most challenging but rewarding forms of exercise, as it requires the use of the entire body to propel the body forward and upward. A good approach to training for this type of event should involve a range of exercise modes that focus on both muscular endurance and cardiovascular fitness. Running is one of the best forms of training to increase cardiovascular fitness, but must be complemented with exercise that more specifically mimics the action of stair climbing, such as bodyweight squats, lunges, step-ups or stair climbing itself. Try and run regularly in the lead up to the Sydney Tower Run-Up and be sure to include at least one of the exercises mentioned during each training session. Cycling is another form of exercise that should be included when youÕre training for stair climbing, as it is a great way to develop your cardiovascular fitness and also closely mimics the muscular action required.

Training guidelines:

Train regularly: 3x per week for beginners up to 6x per week for advanced trainers.

Rest adequately: Beginners should have at least every second day off and advanced trainers should break up hard sessions with recovery sessions every other day (easy running or cycling).

Be progressive: Don’t go too hard too soon. Beginners should start with easy running or cycling for the first 2-4 weeks to allow time for their bodies to adapt. From then on, progressively increase the intensity of the sessions by adding in more hills, stairs and repetitions.

Be specific to the movement: As well as running and cycling, include some of the bodyweight exercises mentioned above at the end of each training session. Beginners should start with 3 sets of 15 repetitions and advanced trainers should work up to performing 3 sets of 50 repetitions. If you have access to a good set of stairs this will be your best form of training. You should run up and down with a small amount of rest each time you reach the bottom and aim to increase the number of repetitions you perform from week to week.

Warm-up and cool down: Always include a low intensity warm-up and cool down at the beginning and end of each session consisting of 5-10 minutes of walking/light jogging and stretches.

Example week (Intermediate level week 1):

Note: This training article should only be used as a guide and may not be applicable to all. Participants should consult a doctor before starting any new training program.

Courtesy of:
Sean Delaney – Exercise Specialist
Justin Walsh-Exercise Physiologist, Newtown Gym