stairmaster- stair stepper

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rainbowbow
rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
how does anyone do this thing for longer than 5 minutes-



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no really....
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Replies

  • missADS1981
    missADS1981 Posts: 364 Member
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    it's tough. i do it for 20 minutes on level 8 with fat burner selected. i literally come off red faced and dripping in sweat
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    i dont know if i'm just crazy but my heart rate gets much higher than say, running, eliptical, etc. within 2 minutes it's at 185 and i'm tripping over steps. :laugh:
  • doirone
    doirone Posts: 51 Member
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    It's not that bad, maybe you're speed is too high to begin with. Start slow and work your way up. I LOVE it!!

    But, you have to stand straight up! I see some girls in the gym bent in half with their entire body weight on the hand rails. What's the point?!?
  • missADS1981
    missADS1981 Posts: 364 Member
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    i dont know if i'm just crazy but my heart rate gets much higher than say, running, eliptical, etc. within 2 minutes it's at 185 and i'm tripping over steps. :laugh:

    it's not an easy cardio machine at all. people think it might be but it's not your heart rate will be sky high the whole time just do NOT lean on the machine. i see so many people do this and it makes no sense. make sure you stand up straight and hold on lightly, otherwise it defeats the whole purpose :)
  • lesliev523
    lesliev523 Posts: 368 Member
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    I have worked my way up to about 20 minutes on this thing....

    What I don't understand is that I do 20 minutes, feel like i am going to die. And the damn machine says that I burned about 100 calories. Really? The same about of time on the elliptical is about 200 for me.
  • xandra
    xandra Posts: 101 Member
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    I love/hate the escalator from hell. I get to my target heart rate much faster than on the treadmill. I do 30 minutes at a slow pace (level 3).
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    I have worked my way up to about 20 minutes on this thing....

    What I don't understand is that I do 20 minutes, feel like i am going to die. And the damn machine says that I burned about 100 calories. Really? The same about of time on the elliptical is about 200 for me.

    yeah i burn about 20 calories on it and them i'm out.
  • MsEndomorph
    MsEndomorph Posts: 604 Member
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    I can't figure it out. Part of my training plan is 20 minutes on the Stairmaster - I'm sitting pretty at 2 minutes.
    I guess I should spend less time hating it from a distance and more time on it.
  • drefaw
    drefaw Posts: 739
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    haha, I have one of those at home.. It is awesome !! It will kick your azz in 20 minutes ....
  • Grendel07
    Grendel07 Posts: 112 Member
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    ususally the calories burned on the machine (whichever one you're using) is incorrect. If you want to know exactly how many calories you're burning; i suggest a heart rate mointor. with the chest strap! :D
  • NaomiLyn15
    NaomiLyn15 Posts: 388 Member
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    oh my gosh, no joke! My trainer puts me on it for 10 min at the beginning of every session. It makes me want to die. He told me that he does it for 60 min at a time. 60 min!!! I can't imagine.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    That's a coincidence - used a Stairmaster today for first time in years.
    10 mins and forty something floors, no idea if that's good, bad or indifferent.

    I do a lot of rowing and cycling so didn't find it too tough but certainly keeps the heart rate up and burned a lot of calories (I use a HRM). Got a feeling that 20 mins would have been plenty!!
  • howardheilweil
    howardheilweil Posts: 604 Member
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    Just started using this and was shocked by how difficult it is. I'm currently doing about 20 mins and 60 or so floors. I would love to know the true calorie burn, but I don't have a HRM yet. I can't believe the # on the machine is accurate judging by the fact that my heart is jumping out of my chest after 5 minutes.
  • LeanButNotMean44
    LeanButNotMean44 Posts: 852 Member
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    I LOVE the "stairway to nowhere"! I do it for cross training about once per week, 45 minutes at a time but have gone as long as 60 minutes. My new favorite thing to do on it is intervals. :smile:
  • SwindonJogger
    SwindonJogger Posts: 325 Member
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    in my opinion the best cardio device! Put some effort in and it will try to annihilate you. I love it.
  • alyssawilges
    alyssawilges Posts: 1
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    I have a question! I've been doing the stairmaster for about 3 months now and I have worked my way up to 89 floors in 20 minutes (that's all the time that's allotted at my gym) I do the stairmaster every other day while running on the off days. Do you think from now til January 1st I could work my way up to 100 floors in my 20 minutes or is that just insane ?
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    who cares- just put in the work and see what happens. Everyone's body reacts differently.



    OP- yes- I use it- I go 30-45 minutes.

    There is a reason body builders use those.... they are a brutal cardio work out- great for slow steady state cardio. I hate it- but it's an azz kicker- I only do it when I'm cutting.
  • Ninob9978
    Ninob9978 Posts: 1
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    I do stairmaster everyday. I burn 2000 cal on each workout .. My spread is 120 nonstop with at least 17 miles. I don't count steps.. It's just to many :)
  • Zerodette
    Zerodette Posts: 200 Member
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    My old gym had one. I loved to hate it. I could survive at level 9 for 3 minutes at a time. I call this machine a Step Mill, it's different from a Stairmaster which is like stepping in place more than going up a down escalator.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,669 Member
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    Lots of times I'll do it for 30 minutes at level 10-13. Ours at the gym have personal TV monitors on them so it doesn't seem to bad when I'm watching say an NFL game while doing it. And you can't really cheat (unless you're really leaning alot). The steps keep moving consistently and at the set speed, so if you don't keep up you'll be face planted on the floor.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

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