equipment stores. Stair-climbing on a machine is a big improvement over jog-
ging up and down the bleachers at your local high school football stadium.
The machine eliminates most of the wear and tear on your joints.Who will like it
Women in particular love stair-climbers because these machines do a good
job of toning the butt and thighs. People who want to get in shape for skiing,
climbing, hiking, and running also love steppers, as they’re often called.This is a good time to clear up the myth that stair-climbing builds big, bulky
muscles in your legs. The truth is, virtually any type of activity will increase
the size of your muscles if you work very slowly against a lot of tension. And
if you have a genetic predisposition toward building muscular thighs, you’re
pretty much going to fight against that no matter what you do. But for most
people, this isn’t an issue. The fact is stair-climbing is a terrific way to burn
calories and tone your legs.Who will hate it
Beginners may get frustrated because stair-climbing is no vacation in Maui. If
you’re a complete novice, you may not last five minutes even on the lowest
level. In this case, use other machines, such as the treadmill or stationary
bike, until you build up some stamina and strength. Also, stair-climbing can
be tough to get the hang of; novices sometimes find themselves sinking to
the floor before they’re able to get into the rhythm of stepping. Finally, stair-
climbing bothers some people’s knees. If you’re one of those people but have
your heart set on stair-climbing, you may be able to eliminate the pain with a
solid weight-lifting program. Do exercises that strengthen your thighs, both
front and back, because those are the muscles that hold your knees together.Stair-climber user tips
Proper form is butchered on the stair-climber more than on any other single
piece of machinery. We’ve seen people clutch the railings so tightly their
knuckles turn white — or hug the console like it’s a long-lost relative. Some
less-informed exercisers think it’s really cool to be able to climb at the
machine’s highest level, regardless of their form. It’s not. When you clutch
the rails (or lean forward), you transfer your weight from your legs to your
arms or the machine, which drastically reduces the number of calories
you burn.Fortunately, many stair-climber manufacturers have rectified this problem by
designing handles that point straight up. This makes cheating more difficult.
Still, we see people hanging on these newer handles. Here’s how to use this
machine the right way:140 Part III: Getting to the Heart of the Matter