Stair master or treadmill?

Ashlove5
Ashlove5 Posts: 152 Member
Recently i started using the stair master and i work up a lot of sweat but after 10 mins it says I only burn around 70 - 100 calories on level 3 and on a treadmill i usually walk on speed 3.5 and 2 incline and usually burn around the same calories but i barely sweat half as much as i do in the stair master which makes me almost sweat a river. If i am burning the same amount of calories in both but one leaves me extremely sweaty and worked up and the other one doesn’t does it mean something? Am i some how burning more calories on rhe stair master?

Replies

  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 2,221 Member
    Those machines are not accurate regarding calories burned so don’t put faith there. They are both decent forms of cardio however I’d put my money on the stair master for calorie burning in most situations. Regardless of which you use don’t support yourself with your hands on the rails unless you have a condition that requires you to.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,204 Member
    Sweat has no particular reliable correlation with calorie burn, nor does perceived exertion. Among other things, conditioning is quite surprisingly activity specific. Most people are more conditioned to walking than to stairs.

    I don't know what your current weight is, and that matters to both walking and stair-climbing, but 600 calories per hour is quite a high calorie burn, IMO, though not impossible. (I know you're only doing it for 10 minutes. I multiplied.)
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,743 Member
    Mix it up. The stair master will strengthen your legs but can put stress on the knees so you want to build duration carefully. The treadmill is something you can do for much longer without stressing your body as much, but doesn't build as much muscle. Both will help your cardio-vascular system. Which do you enjoy more?
  • Ashlove5
    Ashlove5 Posts: 152 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Sweat has no particular reliable correlation with calorie burn, nor does perceived exertion. Among other things, conditioning is quite surprisingly activity specific. Most people are more conditioned to walking than to stairs.

    I don't know what your current weight is, and that matters to both walking and stair-climbing, but 600 calories per hour is quite a high calorie burn, IMO, though not impossible. (I know you're only doing it for 10 minutes. I multiplied.)

    I always thought more sweat = more calories burned but thats something new i learned today. I know somebody who burns around 1,000 calories on the stair master in 40 mins so it makes me think how are the managing to do that.
  • Ashlove5
    Ashlove5 Posts: 152 Member
    Mix it up. The stair master will strengthen your legs but can put stress on the knees so you want to build duration carefully. The treadmill is something you can do for much longer without stressing your body as much, but doesn't build as much muscle. Both will help your cardio-vascular system. Which do you enjoy more?

    Treadmill walking is the best, but i love how the stair master has been challenging me more and working up a sweat!
  • Ashlove5
    Ashlove5 Posts: 152 Member
    Mix it up. The stair master will strengthen your legs but can put stress on the knees so you want to build duration carefully. The treadmill is something you can do for much longer without stressing your body as much, but doesn't build as much muscle. Both will help your cardio-vascular system. Which do you enjoy more?

    I also heard people who lost twice as much weight using the stair master vs treadmill don’t know how accurate that is.
  • Ashlove5
    Ashlove5 Posts: 152 Member
    Those machines are not accurate regarding calories burned so don’t put faith there. They are both decent forms of cardio however I’d put my money on the stair master for calorie burning in most situations. Regardless of which you use don’t support yourself with your hands on the rails unless you have a condition that requires you to.

    I’d be too scared to do that with the stair master but i def heard it helps with building muscle so will try next time!
  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 2,221 Member
    Ashlove5 wrote: »
    Those machines are not accurate regarding calories burned so don’t put faith there. They are both decent forms of cardio however I’d put my money on the stair master for calorie burning in most situations. Regardless of which you use don’t support yourself with your hands on the rails unless you have a condition that requires you to.

    I’d be too scared to do that with the stair master but i def heard it helps with building muscle so will try next time!
    try it. It’s really good for activating more of the muscles of the legs plus it’s really good for improving overall balance. You also burn more calories.

  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,204 Member
    Ashlove5 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Sweat has no particular reliable correlation with calorie burn, nor does perceived exertion. Among other things, conditioning is quite surprisingly activity specific. Most people are more conditioned to walking than to stairs.

    I don't know what your current weight is, and that matters to both walking and stair-climbing, but 600 calories per hour is quite a high calorie burn, IMO, though not impossible. (I know you're only doing it for 10 minutes. I multiplied.)

    I always thought more sweat = more calories burned but thats something new i learned today. I know somebody who burns around 1,000 calories on the stair master in 40 mins so it makes me think how are the managing to do that.

    Regardless of what a person, exercise machine, or fitness tracker/heart rate monitor says, 1500 calories per hour (25 calories per minute) is unlikely.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Ashlove5 wrote: »
    [

    I always thought more sweat = more calories burned but thats something new i learned today. I know somebody who burns around 1,000 calories on the stair master in 40 mins so it makes me think how are the managing to do that.

    The more sweat = more calories is the nonsense sauna makers like to promote (ie burning more calories just sitting in a sauna sweating).

    I can virtually guarantee that anyone who tells you that they're burning 1,000 calories in 40 minutes is mistaken. They're probably using a fitness tracker of some sorts and they're notorious for overestimating calories expended. Having said that, exercise is for fitness and health not weight loss (that happens as a result of what you eat) and I would never want to discourage anyone from exercising on a regular basis.


  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Ashlove5 wrote: »
    Recently i started using the stair master and i work up a lot of sweat but after 10 mins it says I only burn around 70 - 100 calories on level 3 and on a treadmill i usually walk on speed 3.5 and 2 incline and usually burn around the same calories but i barely sweat half as much as i do in the stair master which makes me almost sweat a river. If i am burning the same amount of calories in both but one leaves me extremely sweaty and worked up and the other one doesn’t does it mean something? Am i some how burning more calories on rhe stair master?

    What do you get when you log your exercise in MFP using "Stair-treadmill ergometer, general" and "Walking, 3.5 mph, brisk pace" or "Walking, 3.5 mph, uphill?" (I don't know how much of an "uphill" is "2 incline."

    I get considerably more calories with the stairs entry.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Mix it up. The stair master will strengthen your legs but can put stress on the knees so you want to build duration carefully. The treadmill is something you can do for much longer without stressing your body as much, but doesn't build as much muscle. Both will help your cardio-vascular system. Which do you enjoy more?

    Yes, do be careful with the stair master due to the increased stress on the knees.

    Despite multiple rounds of physical therapy, I'm still dealing with a knee injury that happened 14 years ago >.<
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,982 Member
    Ashlove5 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Sweat has no particular reliable correlation with calorie burn, nor does perceived exertion. Among other things, conditioning is quite surprisingly activity specific. Most people are more conditioned to walking than to stairs.

    I don't know what your current weight is, and that matters to both walking and stair-climbing, but 600 calories per hour is quite a high calorie burn, IMO, though not impossible. (I know you're only doing it for 10 minutes. I multiplied.)

    I always thought more sweat = more calories burned but thats something new i learned today. I know somebody who burns around 1,000 calories on the stair master in 40 mins so it makes me think how are the managing to do that.
    Unless they are really heavy or running on those stairs, they not likely burning 1000 calories in 40 minutes. Maybe half that or a little over.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

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  • COGypsy
    COGypsy Posts: 1,352 Member
    Ashlove5 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Sweat has no particular reliable correlation with calorie burn, nor does perceived exertion. Among other things, conditioning is quite surprisingly activity specific. Most people are more conditioned to walking than to stairs.

    I don't know what your current weight is, and that matters to both walking and stair-climbing, but 600 calories per hour is quite a high calorie burn, IMO, though not impossible. (I know you're only doing it for 10 minutes. I multiplied.)

    I always thought more sweat = more calories burned but thats something new i learned today. I know somebody who burns around 1,000 calories on the stair master in 40 mins so it makes me think how are the managing to do that.

    Sweating is also highly individual. My sister and I were just stuck on the side of the road after her car broke down in the highway. She and I are close to the same size, she’s a couple of inches taller and a size up in clothes. But half an hour into our 2 hour wait on a 90 degree day, she’s red and sweaty and blotting her forehead with tissue. By the time the tow truck came, the back of my legs on the car seat were damp, but I still looked and felt dry. Activity level the same, if anything I did more out in the heat walking my dog around. It’s just interesting how different even related people are from each other.
  • JaysFan82
    JaysFan82 Posts: 853 Member
    Pick whatever you enjoy more. You never want this to become a chore.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,982 Member
    I like the stepmill a lot, but ours are always full whenever I want to use it.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png