What To Look For
Exercise steppers come in many shapes and sizes to fit the desires and needs of those looking to get their legs toned during a vigorous aerobic workout. The basic design of a stepper is meant to mirror the effect of walking a flight of stairs. Large machines with handgrips and full computer regulation increase and decrease tension, degree of rise and speed while smaller manual units may have just a couple of foot pedals with rope or pulley handgrips. For ultra low-tech, there are even steppers that are simply a stand just strong enough to support the weight of being stepped on.
Common Pitfalls
The biggest pitfall of using exercise steppers is the localized benefits of the exercise. Other downsides are a general lack of variety and early onset of boredom. While the activity of climbing provides aerobic exercise and a metabolic boost, other exercise programs are better suited to that goal.
Where To Buy
Exercise steppers are available at most sporting goods stores. You can find them at many department stores and drugstores. Look in the sporting goods sections or health and fitness aisles. Steppers are also available from companies such as NordicTrack, Stamina and Stairmaster in stores and online.
Cost
Costs of each exercise stepper depend greatly on the style of the equipment. In 2010, a large full-body, computer regulated stepper cost as much as $1,299 while manual steppers average between $99 and $119. Stair, stool and step models cost between $49 and $99.99.
Comparison Shopping
There are pros and cons to all types of steppers. The big, complex machines give a more powerful workout, but are cumbersome to move, take up a great deal of room and floor space, don't store easily and are expensive. Mid-range exercise steppers are easy to move about, don't take up a lot of room and often slide into small or narrow areas to store. They are still a little difficult to transport easily if you travel, but deliver a good deal of workout power in a small package. The step stool, step deck, or stair-style step is a low-cost alternative to stepping exercisers. The small size of the solid step makes it very easy to store and there are compact models that make it easy to carry along on trips so you can take your workout with you wherever you are.
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