Which Is Better For Weight Loss: A Treadmill Or A Stair Climber?

According to a 2010 study published in the "Journal of the American Medical Association," more than 30 percent of American adults are obese. This condition can lead to a host of health issues, so weight loss should be a priority to many people. While both the treadmill and stair-stepper are effective at helping you burn calories, the treadmill is likely to be a better choice if you're looking to lose weight in the most effective way.

Facts

Research published in 2004 by the Harvard Medical School revealed that using a stair-stepper machine is more effective at burning calories than walking on a treadmill at 4.5 mph. The research found that the average person weighing 155 lbs. could expect to burn 223 calories after 30 minutes of exercise on a stair-stepper, as opposed to walking on a treadmill, which only burned 186 calories. However, adding less than 10 minutes of jogging to the walking period raised the calories burned between the two machines to the same level. Running at 5 mph for the entire 30 minutes increases the calories burned to 298.

Function

According to the Treadmill Ratings and Reviews website, stair-steppers and treadmills are both relatively effective at helping you lose weight. However, by the nature of its function, the stair-stepper may also counteract gains you make in fat loss. This is because stair-steppers are designed to increase the muscle strength in your quadriceps, hamstrings and calves. Increasing the size of these muscles adds weight to your body. Meanwhile, a treadmill tones and increases muscle endurance, but is not likely to add a lot of muscle mass to your lower body.

Expert Insight

A 1996 study published in the "Journal of the American Medical Association" researched perceived exertion and energy expended on a treadmill against other cardio machines. The study found that users on a treadmill felt like they were expending less energy than those on a stair-stepper, but were burning more calories. This means that you can likely run longer on a treadmill than you can climb on a stair-stepper, and have better results doing it.

Considerations

Keeping a workout interesting is key to helping you stay focused on your weight-loss goal. Most treadmills offer more variety for you to choose from when it comes to workout programs. Features like adjustable incline and interval training programs can challenge you in different ways from workout to workout. High-end stepping machines may also have interval training programs, and some allow you to race against other stair-steppers in the same gym.

Warning

One drawback of treadmills when compared to stair-steppers is that they are a much higher impact exercise. People with hip, joint and ankle pain can aggravate these pains and even injure themselves when walking or running for sustained periods on a treadmill. Being sidelined with an injury can ruin your workout routine and prevent you from losing the weight you want. If you have existing pain in these areas, a stair-stepper may be a better choice for your workout program.