Advice On The Stepmill

OneFitMom_

I need pointers on how to start out on this awesome machine. I started using it this week and need to know what is the best approach to it? I've heard from several people that it has great benefits.

polar5554

You need to seek the advice from MFP user StephanieLynn76... She is always on that thing!

OneFitMom_

Will do......thanks!

kelseyk14

In my opinion as well as what others have had success with, do interval training with the speeds

stephanielynn76

Hey there!!! Yes... I've got quite a relationship going with that stepmill machine.. we are hot and heavy.... lotsa sweatin' goin' on there I started using it years back shortly after my son was born... which would have been about 7 years ago. It is definitely my go-to piece of cardio equipment. IMO you will not get a better burn with minimal impact on your joints (no jarring) on any other cardio machine. I've tried them all and nothing makes me sweat or gets my HR up like the stepmill!!! Every time I get on an elliptical, treadmill, or any other machine I'm always disappointed because the calories burned (per my HR monitor) just cannot compete with doing the same amount of time on the stepmill.

Anyhoo.... my advice for a stepmill beginner....

#1 Start slow. This is one of those machines your body needs to get used to and adapt to. It will be hard at first. You may feel like your dying. Keep at it! When I started all those years ago I was probably on level 60 or so on the version my gym carries. That is quite slow considering what I do now (levels 105-135). I didn't just jump on and go fast... I worked my way up little by little!

#2 The first 10-15 min is the worst... after a bit it starts to get better. I notice this every time I get on there. The first 10 min I wonder how I'm gonna make it through the whole workout... then eventually I get my pace going and it gets easier. I find this to be the case with most cardio activity though....

#3 Time over pace... for beginners. Rather than even worry about your pace... I'd set a time goal. Start off with about 20 min... or even 10 min if you can't do 20. Once you know you can handle 20 min at a slower pace then you can start to increase your pace as you go. Eventually you'll increase both your pace and time!

#4 Trial and error! I had a friend get on the stepmill at the gym the other day and ask, "What should I do???" All I could tell her was to set it low and try it out. You don't know what you're capable of until you get up there and try it. While Kelseyk14 is right about doing interval training (I do a lot of that), I wouldn't recommend that to someone who is rather new to this machine. Start slow and see what you can handle. Just get on there and do a steady pace the first few times to gauge where you are. You will know when you are ready for more of a challenge.

#5 Challenge yourself! Once you can do a good 20 min or more at a moderate pace... it's time to step up your game. This is when you should try doing intervals or what I call calisthenics (which is going up sideways and stepping up every-other-step). This is helpful in a few ways... it challenges the body to some different moves... it revs up the metabolism... and it breaks up the doldrums of plain old steady pace exercise... and it makes it seem like the time is going by faster when you break up the workout into different intervals/moves. I like intervals because it's always changing. Every time I'm at a high interval I just keep motivating myself.... "It's only 2 mins..... 1 more min.... 30 seconds Stephanie you got this!!!!" ... and then it drops low again and I get a little break.

So.... that's my advice. Just like any other piece of equipment or exercise... it will take time for you body to adapt to the motion.... just stick with it! I truly believe the stepmill is what shrunk my butt/thighs so much!

I HTH!

OneFitMom_

Thanks so much for the advice! I can't wait to get my flow going with that machine.