We have all heard climbing stairs up and down during the day is an effective in-home cardio exercise. Imagine doing this at your gym in the form of a machine. This simple idea led to the invention of Stairmaster in the 1980s.
Stairmaster is an innovative cardio machine targeting your calves, hips, glutes, and hamstrings. When you walk into the gym, there are many cardio machines, and people chuck out the Stairmaster and head onto a traditional treadmill.
Stairmaster offers many advantages over other cardio machines. It’s really helpful and interesting equipment to fulfill your fitness goals without complicated, hard work. In this article, we will enlighten you with some unmissable and proven benefits of Stairmaster and why you must include it in your fitness regime.
What Is A Stairmaster?
A Stairmaster is a stationary gym machine with a continuously moving platform resembling upward stairs. It is similar to a treadmill where you run but stays put in the same position.
On a Stairmaster, you need to do the climbing movement as the steps rotate beneath you. You can adjust the speed according to your preference and threshold. Stairmaster promotes weight loss and tones your different muscles.
It counts as good cardio as well. Stairmaster is highly recommended if your goal is to sculpt the lower portion of the body, like the glutes, hamstrings, or calves.
Unlike the treadmill or any other cardio machine, Stairmaster is low impact and poses less risk of pain or injuries. This machine seems to be very mediocre, but Stairmasters extends a myriad of valuable advantages you can imagine.
How Long Should You Use a Stairmaster?
The amount of time you spend on a Stairmaster depends on your experience level. If you are a newbie, then stick to 5 to 10 mins of workout and slowly escalate the time as you get better with practice. Novice users must not over workout in quest of gaining maximum benefit.
Experienced and active people can cover good 20- 30 minutes on the Stairmaster at a slow or high pace. This is an ideal time to spend on a Stairmaster. 3 to 5 sets of Stairmaster exercises per week are sufficient to feel a visibly positive effect on your heart health and muscles.
The maximum time you should spend on a Stairmaster is 60 mins. It should be noted that spending unnecessary extra time on Stairmaster won’t speed up your journey toward achieving your fitness goals. Maintaining a consistent time within your maximum fat loss range is the key to obtaining the best results from your Stairmaster.
7 Best Stairmaster Benefits
“The jack of all trades is a master of none, but sometimes better than a master of one.”
Stairmaster does not have a single core benefit; rather, it is multifunctional equipment with a plethora of productive features. Here are some best benefits of exercising on a Stairmaster:
1. Improved Cardiovascular Endurance
Stairmaster climbing is a cardio exercise. Cardio exercise refers to those workouts that accelerate your heart rate to a point where it burns the maximum amount of fat and calories.
If you often find yourself out of breath while doing any aerobic activity or simple daily climbing or running, then it’s an indication that you have poor cardiovascular endurance.
The Stairmaster makes your heart stronger and pushes it to pump blood better plus faster. It even reduces your chance of developing serious heart issues like heart attacks, high blood pressure, bad cholesterol, and much more. It increases the immunity of your heart.
As you walk on the Stairmaster, your heart rate increases, and after practice, it adapts to this change and gains positive strength. You will notice less weakness and shortness of breath after climbing or doing other exercises.
Therefore climbing Stairmaster for 20-30 mins should be included in your gym time at least thrice a week for improved cardiovascular function and endurance.
2. Easy On The Joints
Many other cardio equipment and exercises put a lot of pressure on your joints. Treadmills make your joints feel tremendous pain and can lead to several days of suffering.
This is because it involves running in which your joints have to function at an extreme. Descending normal stairs repeatedly is also heavy on joints.
In comparison to all these, Stairmaster is low-impact equipment. It does not stress out your knees, ankles, or feet with force. It’s easier to stay in a position and climb stairs in unilateral movement. This slims the risk of a knee injury. Also, disciplined and regular exercise on the Stairmaster strengthens your kneecap.
3. Increased Muscle Strength
This is the most prominent benefit of using a Stairmaster for your workout session. Stairmaster targets your lower body muscles of calves, hamstring, quads, and glutes.
As you climb against resistance, your muscles naturally become more powerful and toned with time. Stairmaster benefits various muscle group such as:
Buttock strength: As you climb, you engage your gluteus muscles, a combination of three muscles- the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius gluteus minimus. This makes your hip density higher and increases the firmness of your glutes. The glute muscles gain mass and strength with step-up movement on Stairmaster. In fact, studies show it’s more effective than squats and hip thrusts.
Volume Calves: If you are looking to bulk up your slender calves, then Stairmaster is something you must try. With every step, your calve muscles contract and expand. This leads to firm, toned and juicy calves.
Improved hamstring strength: hamstrings activate as many times you climb as these muscles are responsible for bending your knee. Therefore, daily Stairmaster exercise builds stronger hamstrings.
4. Helps In Weight Loss
Stairmaster is great equipment to include in your weight loss journey since it helps in burning more calories. Stairmaster aids you in fat loss and weight management.
Weight loss demands you to burn more calories than your calorie consumption. People have reported that using Stairmaster speeded up their calorie burning by improving their metabolism.
We already know Stairmaster promotes cardiovascular energy. Thus it directly allows your heart to reach a stage where it can burn most fats and calories. One hour on Stairmaster burns 360 to 520 calories, which is very significant.
This is because 20 steps of a Stairmaster is equivalent to 80 steps of normal walking. A consistent Stairmaster routine with a well-balanced low-carb, low-fat diet high, protein diet will work wonders on your weight
5. Better Posture
A right posture reflects confidence. Correct Posture is very important for sustaining your joints and muscles. A proper posture puts little pressure on your knees, ankles, and shin and does not strain your muscles.
On the other hand, bad posture becomes a host of muscular and joint problems. It leads to soreness and dull ache in joints due to pressure. Unhealthy posture also leads to a bad body frame, such as a bulging stomach, dropped shoulders, and slouchy shoulders.
This can show up as early aging and weak bones. It can lead to arthritis as well. If you climb with straight and aligned shoulders and legs on a Stairmaster with a tight core, your posture will surely become perfect with time.
Good posture in the gym will build a habit or muscle memory to maintain the posture while sitting, standing, or even walking. It will enhance your lifestyle.
6. Improves Mood And Reduces Stress
Working out is not just physically beneficial but mentally fulfilling as well. The increased heart rate, blood circulation, and metabolism improve mood and reduces stress.
It produces happy hormones in your body, which make you feel good internally. When you hustle in the gym, your mind and body release all toxic and negative thoughts, feelings, and vibes.
A sense of pride and positivity fills your heart. Many studies have proven that using a Stairmaster for 30 mins at normal speed can be a fun and relaxing exercise that
- initiates a flow of positive energy
- keeps anxiety at bay
- makes you mentally robust
- builds self-confidence
- enhances creativity and sharpens the mind
7. Accessibility
Stairmaster is more accessible and convenient to use than most gym machines. The control and settings a very simple to understand. The straightforward panel allows you to catch on fast to its functions and allows you to work out without hassle.
You don’t need to be a trained athlete to use Stairmaster. It is beginner friendly to start your fitness journey. Also, this machine can be installed in your home as well, like treadmills. So, introverts or people with social anxiety can use the Stairmaster privately.
Conclusion
At last, we would just wish to recommend you try Stairmaster the next time you are in a gym. Maybe it’s time to rethink your equipment choice, as Stairmaster is one beast that gives benefits without extreme stress or pressure on body muscles and joints.
It strengthens physical and mental well-being. But make sure you take all proper precautions while climbing the moving stairs. Take it like an escalator where you need to move your legs instead of just standing.
Avoid Stairmaster if you have existing joint pain, cardiovascular disease, or spinal issues. If these benefits match your expectations, then make Stairmaster your go-to workout equipment. Keep up the active spirit.
