When stepping into a fitness center, or considering exercise equipment at a store, there are literally hundreds of options to choose from. One of the most popular options is the stair stepper. Stair steppers mimic the action of walking up stairs while staying in a stationary position, providing the same strength-building and aerobic benefits of walking up a flight of stairs.
Aerobic Exercise
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest that all adults get 150 minutes of moderately intense exercise each week. The stair stepper is a substantial source for this type of exercise. The action of lifting your feet increases your need for energy which increases the body's need for oxygen. In response to this need your heart and breathing rates go up, increasing the use of calories for energy. This benefits your body as a calorie burn can go toward losing or maintaining your weight, and the work increase of your cardiovascular system strengthens the heart and lungs, making it easier for the heart to pump blood through your body even during times of rest.
Strength Training
As you lift your feet, you force muscle groups to work harder. More specifically, the stair stepper targets and strengthens groups such as the calves, hamstrings, adducters, hip flexors and the quadriceps. Each workout causes growth of muscle due to the breakdown and recovery of the muscle tissue. Strength training in this manner also helps strengthen the bones, reducing your risk for bone diseases such as osteoporosis, suggests the Mayo Clinic.
Calorie Burning
The aerobic workout from a stair stepper can provide a varying amount of calorie burn depending on your size and the intensity of your workout. The more you weigh, the faster you workout on the machine, and the higher resistance-level setting on the stepper increases the amount of calories burned per hour. However, for example purposes the average 145-pound person can burn an estimated 592 calories per hour of stair climbing, suggests LIVESTRONG.COM's MyPlate.
Safety
When using a stair stepper it's important to keep your overall safety in mind. Before using the machine as part of your exercise routine, talk to your doctor to ensure you don't have any limiting health concerns that may make using the stepper dangerous. If you feel light-headed, dizzy, or experience any type of pain, reduce the resistance level or your speed, or stop the exercise altogether to prevent injury.
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