The stair climber at the gym is a great fitness machine to use if you are looking for a challenging workout. High school and college coaches often have their athletes run up and down bleachers to get in shape, and Rocky did the same thing when he was getting in shape for a fight. You don't need to be getting ready for a fight to enjoy the benefits of the stair climber, though. Just jump on and start climbing for a great workout.
What Is A Stair Climbing Workout?
How fit you are and what your goals are will determine how hard of a stair climbing workout you want to do. If you're just starting out, you can try walking up a flight of stairs in your home or office. For a more intense workout, try running up every flight of stairs in a stadium.
The following factors can determine what type of stair climbing workout is best for you:
Mode
The main determining factor for what type of stairs you use for your workout is what is available to you.
Options for stair workouts include:
- Basic steps in your home
- Stadium stairs at a local stadium
- Extended flights of stairs at an office building or skyscraper
- Portable, single-tier aerobic steps for up and down stair stepping
- Stair machines with pedals that go up and down
- Stair-climbing machines with revolving steps that you climb continuously
When it comes to a stair workout, you will usually have to walk or run back down the stairs that you climbed. This is because “what goes up must come down.” Climbing up stairs is more of a cardio and strengthening workout than walking down the stairs.
The only exception to this is stair climbing exercise machines. These machines provide a more challenging workout because there is no relative rest between flights, as you would usually get when you have to walk or run back down the stairs before climbing up again.
This means that if you want to get the most out of your cardio workout, you should use a stair climbing machine at the gym.
Pace
You can up the intensity of your stair-climbing workout by walking, jogging, or running up the stairs instead of just briskly walking. You'll burn more calories this way.
However, if you are just starting out, you might want to try brisk stair walking instead. Walking up stairs can get your heart rate relatively high, and the risk of injury and falls increases if you go at a faster pace.
Duration
The length of your stair climbing workout will depend on how fit you are, how hard you are working, what your goals are, and how much time you have.
The following text is about stair climbing as an excellent exercise for HIIT workouts. When doing HIIT workouts, you can use stair climbing as a way to get your heart rate up for the high-intensity intervals. The descent back to the bottom of the stairs can be used as a built-in recovery interval.
Working out by climbing stairs for just 10 to 20 minutes can already give beginners a lot of benefits. And as they continue to improve their fitness, they can gradually increase the duration and speed of their stair climbing workouts.
Here are just a few of the top stair stepper benefits you can look forward to:
1. EASY TO LEARN
The stair climber is a machine that is easy to use for people of all levels of fitness, even if you have never been to a gym before. However, if you have problems with movement or balance, it is better to stay on level ground.
The stair climber is a machine that makes you climb stairs by moving them at a pace you have to keep up with. You should start slowly when you first use it to get used to the feeling and focus on your form.
2. LOW IMPACT
If your knees, hips, or ankles are telling you to stay away from the treadmill today, try using a machine that's easier on your joints. A stair climber is a good low-impact cardio alternative, as long as you keep a moderate pace and don't jog or run up the stairs. You can also use the handlebars to take some of the weight off your lower body.
For a workout that won't put much strain on your body, consider swimming or cycling.
3. IMPROVED CARDIO HEALTH
After just a few minutes on the stair climber, you’ll start to see why it's such a good cardio workout. Your pulse will start to rise and your breathing will become heavier. Climbing stairs regularly will strengthen your heart and lungs, making them more efficient each time you do a stair climber workout. Not only will you improve your overall aerobic fitness, but you could also see some improvements in your heart health.
A study discovered that by having women climb stairs each day, their cholesterol would drop by 7.7% and their VO2max would improve by 17%.
4. STRENGTHENS YOUR MUSCLES
If your legs feel like jelly at the end of your stair climber workout, that means you did it successfully. That would be some of the largest and most powerful muscles in your body, including your:
- Glutes
- Hamstrings
- Quads
- Calves
- Core
If you want to get the most out of your stair climber workout, make sure you have good posture throughout the exercise. Use your core muscles to keep your chest up and your back straight. You may see other people hunched over the stair climber, reading a magazine or checking their email on their phone. They are not getting the full benefits of the workout because of their poor posture.
By maintaining good form, you can target your lower body muscles, including your glutes, thighs, and abs.
5. TORCHES CALORIES
The large muscles in your body require a lot of energy to function, and stair climbers provide an excellent workout for these muscles. As a result, you can burn a significant number of calories in a short period of time by using a stair climber. According to research from Harvard Health Publishing, you can burn anywhere from 180 to 250 calories in a half-hour workout session. The number of calories you burn will depend on how quickly you go and other factors such as your weight, age, and metabolism.
6. MORE FITNESS IN LESS TIME
Stair climber exercises are tough, but often, the more challenging the exercise, the more calories you'll burn. So, the stair climber is a good choice for people who only have a limited time at the gym, or who want to get the best workout in the shortest amount of time. For example, taking ten steps on a stair climber is about the same as taking 38 steps on level ground. That means if you use the stair climber instead of walking on a flat treadmill, you'll get four times the workout in the same amount of time as walking on flat ground.
7. FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT
Stair climbing is a movement often performed in daily life, making it a functional exercise. Adding functional movements to your workout routine can help you maintain a good quality of life as you age. Staying in a home with stairs, for example, requires the functionality that stair climbing can provide.
8. IMPROVED BALANCE AND COORDINATION
If you want to maintain a good quality of life, stair climbing can help you by improving your balance and coordination. This will help you stay mobile for longer, because each time you climb a stair you are briefly balancing on one leg. Also, stabilizer muscles in your foot and ankle are used to keep yourself balanced while stair climbing.
9. STAIR CLIMBERS COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE
A Harvard Health Alumni Study found that men who climbed stairs more frequently had a lower rate of death from all causes. This is likely because stair climbers offer resistance and cardio workouts, which have been shown to improve overall health and well-being. If you want to improve your health, a stair climber can be a good option.
10. OFFERS MANY DIFFERENT WORKOUTS
If you thought that the only way to use a stair climber was to climb stairs at a moderate pace, then you still have a lot to learn. Stair climbers have different programs that you can use, but that's just the beginning. You can also incorporate a stair climber into your workout in other ways.
You can up the ante by performing side steps, skipping steps, or walking backward to activate different parts of your muscles and challenging your coordination. You can also perform:
- Squat steps – Squat to parallel on the stair climber and slowly climb while maintaining the squat position. Your quads will burn in the moment but thank you later.
- Sumo steps – Take exaggerated steps to the right and left as you walk on the stair climber to work the outer glute and thigh.
- Alternate leg raises – As you step up with one leg, kick the alternate leg behind you. Squeeze your glute at the top of each kick. This will add extra glute work to your stair climber workout and activate your lower back.
Stair climbers can also be incorporated into cardio circuit workouts and high-intensity interval training workouts. Check out some of our other favorite workout blogs:
- Best HIIT Workouts to Burn Calories and Build Muscle
- Best Cardio Workouts for Weight Loss
- Five Full Body Kettlebell Workouts
THREE STAIR CLIMBER WORKOUTS
If you're looking for a workout that provides plenty of benefits, consider using a stair climber machine. Here are 10 reasons why these machines are worth your time: 1. They're low-impact. 2. They're great for toning your legs and butt. 3. They're a cardio workout. 4. They're easy on your knees. 5. You can control the intensity of your workout. 6. They're great for burning calories. 7. They're low-maintenance. 8. They're portable. 9. They're quiet. 10. They're affordable. Take advantage of these benefits by incorporating a stair climber machine into your workout routine.
1. STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN
3 Rounds
- 1 minute stair climb: Moderate pace
- 1 minute backward climb: Keep the pace slow and hold onto the handles if needed for balance
- 1 minute side steps: 30 seconds on each side. Keep peace slow and hold onto handles if needed to maintain balance
- 30 fast climb
- 1 minute rest
2. STAIR STEPPER CARDIO CIRCUIT WORKOUT
3 Rounds
This text is telling beginners to go slow and, if needed, to cut the time for each exercise to 1:30.
Intermediate: Moderate pace on all equipment
More advanced classes will challenge you with a faster pace on all equipment. You will also have less time to rest between rounds, with only one minute for rest.
- 2 minutes on a stationary bike
- 2 minutes on the stair climber
- 2 minutes on the rower
- 2 minutes of burpees
- 2 minutes of rest
3. STAIR-STEPPER HIIT WORKOUT
Perform 5 Rounds
, 8 sets 20 seconds at a fast speed, then 40 seconds of rest. This should be done 8 times.
To paraphrase this text, you could say that someone should work out at a fast pace for 30 seconds, and then take a 30 second break. They could optionally do some light activity during their break.
(slow pedaling) Repeat this cycle 8 times Intermediate: 30 seconds “on” at fast speed, 30 seconds of active rest (slow pedaling) Repeat this cycle 6 times Novice: 20 seconds “on” at fast speed, 40 seconds of active rest (slow pedaling) Repeat this cycle 4 times This workout consists of intervals of high-intensity pedaling followed by periods of slower pedaling to rest. The length of time and number of intervals depends on your fitness level, with the advanced level being the most difficult.
- Stair climber squat steps
- Bear crawl sprints
- Medicine ball slams
- Rowing sprint
- Butterfly sit ups
5 Benefits Of Climbing Stairs
The benefits of stair walking and stair climbing workouts include the following:
#1: Climbing Stairs Is a Great Cardio Workout
If you're looking for a cardio workout that will really get your heart rate up, try climbing stairs. It's a great total-body workout that will leave you feeling breathless in no time.
Climbing stairs is a great way to improve your cardiovascular health, as well as your lung and muscle strength.
#2: Climbing Stairs Burns a Lot of Calories
Climbing stairs burns more calories than jogging, which can be an effective way to maintain a healthy weight.
#3: Climbing Stairs Strengthens Your Muscles
Climbing stairs employs most of the major muscles in your body. By just avoiding holding onto the railings, you can work out your glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves in your lower body, in addition to your core and arms.
The benefits you gain from climbing stairs in terms of strength and power can be seen in other activities such as running, jumping, lifting weights, and improving your performance in sports such as cycling and rowing.
#4: Climbing Stairs Improves Markers of Health and Reduces Your Risk of Lifestyle Diseases
Regular physical activity can help to reduce your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Walking up and down the stairs for a few minutes after eating may also help to lower your blood sugar levels.
Other studies have shown that stair climbing can help lower the chance of dying from any cause.
#5: Stair Climbing Increases VO2 Max
It’s thought that your VO2 max is partly determined by the amount of mitochondria in your muscles. Your VO2 max is a measure of your aerobic capacity, which is the amount of oxygen your body can use. The higher your VO2 max, the better your cardiovascular fitness. It’s thought that your VO2 max is partly determined by the number of mitochondria in your muscles.
The study showed that even a small amount of stair climbing every day can increase your VO2 max.
Stair climbing five days a week for up to two minutes at a time led to a 17.1% increase in VO2 and a 7.7% reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in previously sedentary women over an 8-week period.
FIND A STAIR CLIMBING MACHINE NEAR YOU
While stair climbers are beneficial in many ways, they are expensive and can be bulky, which may deter some people from buying one for their home. Luckily, most major gyms, like E?S Fitness, offer stair climbers for those who still want to enjoy the benefits without making the purchase. At the gym, you can use the stair climber to tone your lower body, improve your heart health, and burn a lot of calories all at once. To find the nearest E?S Fitness location, use the gym's online locator tool.
