Stair Stepper Machines

A butt and thigh blasting workout

Women have long had a love-hate relationship with stair steppers. They offer an unbeatable workout for the lower body, but it’s also a grueling one. The good thing about stair stepper machines as opposed to climbing actual stairs is they are low impact and actually put less force on the body than the real-life movement.

Stair stepper machine types

Look for a stair stepper with independently moving pedals for a more natural feeling workout. Since regular steps are often about 8 inches high, it’s also a good idea to take the stepper’s range of motion into consideration. Some only offer 4 inches of step height.

• Hydraulic - With these you step on one pedal, while the other goes back up. This type of machine can feel less realistic than some. Pass on the full-size expensive versions of these machines. If you do get a small one make sure it has a decent step height.
• Treadmill (belt) type - On this machine stairs revolve continuously much in the way a treadmill belt does. Most have a natural feel and will provide a good workout as long as you make sure to push off forcefully from one step to the next so the stair machine isn’t doing all the work. Make sure not to lean too far forward or support your body on the hand rails. These machines often cost between $3,000 and $5,000 dollars.

Mini stair machines

These miniaturized versions often consist of just the steps and cost as little as $50. Others have handles or resistance bands. Even if they don’t come with handles it’s a good thing because you won’t have anything but yourself to rely on for balance. Mini steppers are hydraulic but because they’re so small, cheap and convenient it’s easy to overlook their flaws.

Lateral balance steppers

Instead of stepping down on the pedal and it compressing on one end, the steps on these mini machines compress fully, so it’s like you’re stepping side to side instead of simply up and down. They can cost $60 to $100.

When buying a stair stepper there are a few things to consider that might mean the difference between a challenging routine and a pain in the back.