stairmasters

nichols

just curious why everyone talks about treadmills and elipticals but nobody talks about or uses the stair master. If u dont lean on the machine or hold yourself up, It gives a great leg and glute toning work out and on a good setting i burn up to 7 to 9 hundred calories in 45 min as to 4 to 5 on the eliptical and less on the treadmill for the same time at a lower setting. just wandering. mabey im using the others wrong and need pointers. i know the answer i get at the gym from people is that its to hard and they cant go as long. To this i respond that isnt burning calories, acheiving your best and toning the point ,not the length of time u spend on the equipment. i have not had one person that does an hour on the eliptical or treadmill every day, be able to do 15 minutes on the stairmaster without saying they were out of breath and felt like thier legs were going to fall off. Just a thought i had. Good luck to every one.

nichols

just curious why everyone talks about treadmills and elipticals but nobody talks about or uses the stair master. If u dont lean on the machine or hold yourself up, It gives a great leg and glute toning work out and on a good setting i burn up to 7 to 9 hundred calories in 45 min as to 4 to 5 on the eliptical and less on the treadmill for the same time at a lower setting. just wandering. mabey im using the others wrong and need pointers. i know the answer i get at the gym from people is that its to hard and they cant go as long. To this i respond that isnt burning calories, acheiving your best and toning the point ,not the length of time u spend on the equipment. i have not had one person that does an hour on the eliptical or treadmill every day, be able to do 15 minutes on the stairmaster without saying they were out of breath and felt like thier legs were going to fall off. Just a thought i had. Good luck to every one.

time2wrk

One of my instructors at my gym challenges us to the stair master. The problem is, they only have 2 of them, but they have a ton of other cardio equipment. So, on the few times I have decided I would try it, someone is always on them already.

lyla29

I used to use the stairmaster all the time before I had kids. I have been doing a fast walk on the treadmill lately, but I did try the stairmaster again a few months ago, and I could hardly do it at all. It is a really good workout, and I would really like to work myself back into using it again because I got great results before. I think I will try to gradually increase my time (from about 5 minutes the last time I used it lol).

GoGetterMom

I've tried the stairmaster, but it just kills my bad knees after about 10 minutes. I have found if I use the elliptical (at home or in the gym) that I can burn 700-900 calories in an hour. If I adjust the resistance, it works the muscles different (and going backward helps too). I really like the Arc Trainer at the gym. I can get more of that stair feel as I increase the level and work the muscles more when I increase the resistance. The arc trainer doesn't hurt my knees until I hit a 5 out of 10 on the incline, so as long as I stay below that, I can still work my glutes and isolate some of the other muscles I don't get as much on the elliptical.

SGFlyinHi

I use the stairmaster occasionaly. My gym also only has two so they are busy a lot of the time. Also, I just twisted my ankle and broke my toe a few weeks ago, so I have been sticking to the bike & rower and more recently the elliptical since they are easier on my foot.

When I do use the stairmaster, I do 30min at level 6. When I started I could barely do level 3. If you want a good cardio & leg workout, I challenge you to try a rowing machine. I did one the other day for 30min, granted I didn't burn as many cals, as my heartrate doesn't get as high as the stairmaster or elliptical, but it is challenging and a good leg workout.

TNTPete

I use the stairmaster occasionally, sometimes I just use the stairs and run up and then down them at work.. Anyway, good point - excellent workout!

songbyrdsweet

I am a stairmasteraholic. I do circuits on the machines...10 minutes on the Versaclimber (you 'climb'...omg it's hard lol), 10-15 minutes intervals on the stairstepper, then 10-15 on the elliptical and sometimes another 10-15 spinning. I do that 5X a week.