Also called 'hybrid stair steppers' or 'treadmill alternatives,' treadclimbers combine the movements of a stepper with those of a treadmill and/or elliptical, working more muscle groups than a basic stepper.
Athletes have trained by running up (and down) stairs ever since, well, the invention of stairs. And the admonishment to take the stairs whenever possible as a way of staying fit is pretty much everywhere. It's hardly surprising that machines simulating the act of climbing stairs would become a standard piece of gym equipment.
Stair steppers are a great workout. Credit: Westend61/Westend61/GettyImages
While step machines in their various forms do a pretty good job of imitating real stairs, their main advantage is mainly just being in the same place with everything else. Are they a good workout? Absolutely.
Step machines offer moderate- to high-intensity aerobic activity with the added benefit of resistance training you get from pumping your legs. Of course, you'll want to balance things out with some upper body work, but stair steppers in their various forms are a worthy addition to any workout routine.
Tips
A stair stepper can help you achieve your fitness goals, but you'll need to supplement stepping with upper body work
Read more: How to Lose Pounds With a Stair Stepper
So Many Step Machines
Stair steppers have been pronounced passe more than once, yet the basic idea keeps getting recycled and the noble old beast keeps getting reincarnated. The elliptical, which upstaged the basic step machine in the 1990s, moves in a more circular motion and takes some of the burn out of the climbing motion — too much, according to critics.
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Nowadays, the more challenging stepmill reigns supreme. Step machines have two pedals to simulate the stair-climbing action, while stepmills are like little escalators with motor-driven steps going down as you climb upward.
Meeting Your Cardio Training Needs
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services most recent physical activity guidelines recommend that adults do a minimum of 2 hours and 30 minutes each week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, or 75 minutes of intense exercise. Step machines make it easy to achieve this: Put in 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, and you've achieved your goal.
Step machines can certainly help you accomplish that in spades because the simulated upward trajectory forces your heart to work all the harder. The pace depends on you. Most modern machines have sensors that will give you decent approximations of your heart rate, so you can be quite methodical about pushing your limits.
Building Muscle Mass
Step machines can certainly get you huffing and puffing, but what about building muscle mass? The good news is that because you're simulating the climbing of stairs, you'll be essentially using your legs to press the weight of your torso as you ascend the stairway to endorphin heaven.
In this way, you will get at least a good portion of the resistance training needed to build muscle mass, which in turn lowers cholesterol, and sets your blood sugar right. Needless to say, if you want to firm up or add bulk to your upper body, you'll need to look past the step machine.
Step Machine and Weight Loss
Step machines can assist you in achieving your weight-loss goals by helping you burn calories. According to HealthStatus, a 40-year-old, 150-pound woman would burn 232 calories in 30 minutes on a step machine, theoretically meaning she could lose three or four pounds in a month of daily, 30-minute workouts.
For most people, though, exercising more means eating more, in which case the calorie deficit is reduced and sometimes even wiped out. The relationship between exercise and weight loss is tricky, and if you're aiming to lose weight, adding calorie control to exercise is the surest path to victory.
The treadmill and the stair stepper are both long-time cardio favorites at the gym. Both are great ways to elevate the heart rate, burn calories and improve cardiovascular endurance. Examining the similarities and differences between them, as well as the benefits and disadvantages of each, can help you decide whether to incorporate each into your workout routine.
Should you abandon the treadmill for the stair stepper? Credit: IT Stock/Polka Dot/Getty Images
Function
The treadmill works by allowing a person to walk or run in place on a moving belt that theoretically mimics natural walking or running on the ground. Most have an incline feature that allows the user to create the effect of walking or running uphill. On a typical stair stepper, the user stands on two platforms supported by a given level of resistance and must lift alternating feet, as if walking up a set of stairs, to keep up with the machine. Some stair steppers, often called step mills, have a folding belt that folds out into a small flight of stairs as they circulate through the machines, somewhat like a treadmill, which creates a genuine stair-stepping effect.
Muscle Activation
Both the treadmill and stair stepper work the major muscle groups of the lower body, including the quadriceps, hamstrings and gluteals. The stair stepper generally places greater resistance on the quadriceps and gluteals than the treadmill. This can result in stronger and more toned glutes and thighs, but may also cause these muscles to increase in size. Depending on your goals, this may or may not be desirable.
Calorie Burn
A 1996 study published in the 'Journal of the American Medical Association' compared the energy expenditure for various indoor exercise equipment at a given level of perceived exertion. The study found that for the same intensity level as perceived by the exerciser, the treadmill burns more calories than the stair stepper. Therefore, if your goal is to burn as many calories as you can before feeling exhausted, the treadmill is the better alternative.
Treadmill Benefits
The treadmill, in addition to providing the highest calorie burn for the lowest perceived exertion, allows a high degree of variability in your workout. You can adjust speed, switch from walking to running, and adjust incline, which allows many types of workouts and accommodates a broad range of fitness levels. The stair stepper offers less variability in speed and resistance. Beginning exercisers often cannot spend much time on the stair stepper before exhaustion sets in. The treadmill makes it harder to 'cheat' the exercise; stair steppers have hand rails, and exercisers tend to lean on them or support much of their body weight with their arms.
Stair Stepper Benefits
The stair stepper is better than the treadmill if your goal is to build muscle in your legs and glutes. This strengthening effect also makes the stair stepper a very useful cross-training tool, even for loyal treadmill users. The stair stepper is also a lower-impact alternative to running, which can make it useful for those dealing with leg injuries. If you have knee problems, however, the stair stepper should be used with caution. Allowing the knee to press forward over the toes as you step or inadequately activating your glutes can place additional stress on the knees.
Warnings
Consult your physician before beginning any weight loss, diet or exercise program, and stop doing an activity if you experience pain. Exercise is most effective when it is part of a healthy lifestyle that includes good nutrition. Make sure to also take time to stretch at the end of your workouts to prevent overuse injuries.