The stair stepper and the elliptical trainer are two popular cardio machines found in gyms and fitness clubs. They are both small enough and affordable enough to add to a home gym. These machines offer the benefits of cardio exercise while allowing the user to stay indoors. Each machine provides a cardiovascular experience that may result in users preferring one over the other.
Design
Stair steppers and elliptical trainers are designed to be lower impact cardio-training compared to running or walking outdoors or on treadmills. Stair steppers require you to be stationary by holding onto the machine with with your upper body. Stair steppers can be similar to treadmills, as they require you to keep a specific pace. Many steppers offer hybrid options similar to an elliptical, and you can set the speed by pushing down on one pedal when the other lifts up. Elliptical machines offer a larger range of movements as compared to steppers. Elliptical machines move in a forward to backward gliding motion similar to skiing. More advanced machines may allow the adjustment of the pedals to change stride length.
Safety
Users of either machine should start workouts with easy warm up and cool down routines. If not already built into the machine's program, create your own. For safety, monitor your heart rate before, after and during exercise on these machines. Stair steppers and ellipticals have hand rails to help stabilize you. Hand rails should be used at all times to keep balance and prevent injury. Never start a workout on an unstable machine or one that makes unusual noises. You should feel a smooth up and down motion on a stepper, allowing you to stand upright. Bending too far forward on either machine can cause back injuries. Bending too far forward on the elliptical may also cause knee injury. Neither machine offers an emergency shut-off key, so be cautious when exiting the machine or ending your workout.
Muscle Groups
Stair steppers offer cardio exercise by focusing on lower body movement. The upper body tends to be stabilized while exercising, causing you to primarily exercise the glutes, hamstrings, quads and calf muscles of lower body. Steppers mimic walking upstairs, and undertaking an intense workout can be boring. Some ellipticals include stationary and movable arm poles. The movable poles allow you to complete an upper and lower body workout that the stepper does not.
Calories Burned
The calories burned on each machine vary by individual body weight, heart rate and overall effort. Basic steppers and ellipticals display steps, distance or RPMs, time and estimated calories burned. More advanced units may show heart rate and offer more structured workout programs. Stair steppers can allow you to burn more calories in a shorter period of time. Steppers force you to maintain a higher intensity when set on a specific speed. Unfortunately (though maybe considered a positive), the elliptical gives you the ability to fluctuate your speed, which may inadvertently result in a lower intensity workout than desired. Ellipticals with upper body arm poles can increase calories burned with the added upper body workout.
Price
Pricing for the stepper and the elliptical machine is similar. Each type of machine can vary between $200 and $3,000, depending on features, warranty and brand name. Deciding which machine to purchase depends upon your workout interest and budget.
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