A staple of any health club or gym, the is among the most oft-used pieces of equipment. It's easy to see why. Since most of us don't have access to an empty college football stadium in which to run up and down the stairs, the stair stepper is really the only way to climb 80 stairs a minute. This equipment also builds up both the heart and legs.
Cardiovascular
Climbing stairs burns off calories and improves cardiovascular health. Most professional and amateur athletes hit the stairs for conditioning purposes. But unlike real stairs, stair stepping equipment offers you a variety of options to get the most from your workout. Some have heart-rate monitors to adjust accordingly to whatever goal you're trying to reach. Most steppers have settings to program the press-down difficulty and speed with which to climb. The digital displays allow you to track how hard you're working.
Stepmills--the steppers with rotating stairs--are most effective because they more closely emulate actual stair climbing. Even at a level 10 of 20, one burns off around 13 calories a minute.
Muscular
Unlike running on a treadmill, the foot-pedaled steppers are low impact and easy on the knees. But like running, steppers build up almost all major leg muscles, but specifically focus on the calves, glutes and quads. By not leaning over on the rails, one also improves their core strength.
Size
Unlike the treadmill, a stepper does not require much space. Some mini-steppers can actually fit under the bed. Others can be tucked neatly in a corner. Some stepmills, on the other hand, require a minimum of 10 feet of ceiling space.
Cost
The prices fluctuate depending on the level of advancement you desire in your machine. Some basic steppers cost $100, while more advanced ones will set you back around $2,000. On the low end, the stepper is among the least expensive gym equipment pieces available.
Warning
Start out slowly. While the pedaled stepper is fairly straightforward, the rotating stepmills are a bit more tricky. Look at your feet until you become comfortable with the pace.
Tags: stair stepper, stairs stair,