The stair-stepper is an exercise machine that repetitively mimics the movement of climbing stairs. Stair-stepper machines are found in fitness gyms and are also available for home use. You can vary the intensity and speed of the stair-stepper for an added challenge in your workout. Using a stair-stepper can help promote a number of health benefits in daily living and in athletic performance.
Low Stress on the Lower Body
Stair-stepping is a low-impact exercise that promotes agility and strength in the legs and hips. The movement involved in stair-stepping focuses on the major muscles of the lower legs, and subsequently helps strengthen, build and protect the joints and ligaments. Hard-impact exercises like running can create complications in the joints, muscles and ligaments in the legs, so stair-stepping may be ideal for people who have a history of lower back, hip and knee problems. Ygoy.com explains that stair-stepping may also reduce your risk for osteoarthritis, a disease commonly developed in the hips and legs.
Efficient Calorie Burner
Properly using a stair-stepper can help you burn calories quickly. The number of calories you burn while using a stair-stepper depends on your level of intensity, thorough and complete movement of each step, and the amount of body weight you are supporting by leaning on the handrails. The Peak Performance website explains that on average, in one hour, an individual working at high intensity can burn up to 700 calories on a stair-stepper, as opposed to 650 calories on a cross-country glider or 600 calories on a stationary bicycle. Ygoy.com explains that pumping your arms simultaneously while stepping can increase the number of calories burned because you are incorporating more muscle groups.
Improves Overall Health and Fitness
As with other cardiovascular exercises and exercise machines, the stair stepper helps improve strength and overall health of the heart, lungs and blood vessels. Stair-stepping can improve circulation of the blood throughout the body, and may also help reduce your risk for heart disease, cancer, stroke, hardened arteries or heart attacks.
Effective for Cross-Training
The repetitive motion of the stair-steppers helps strengthen and build the lower leg muscles. Increased endurance of the lower legs can help in conditioning for other sports and activities including mountain hiking, bicycling, skiing and rowing. Runners, swimmers and sport athletes use stair-steppers to benefit from a low-impact workout that isolates, strengthens and conditions the lower extremities for greater endurance and power in their sport-specific performance.
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