142 Part III: Getting to the Heart of the Matter
continuously, like Sisyphus up the mountain, ever upward, but never getting
anywhere. You look straight ahead into the console, which allows you to
adjust the speed.Rolling staircases have been around a lot longer than steppers. At the turn of
the century, federal prisoners were forced to climb on them to provide elec-
trical power to the prison facility. When modern rolling staircases first came
out, there were a few kinks to work out, like the fact that they had a habit of
collapsing when in use. Liz had a client who came in for a workout on her
wedding day. The stairs folded underneath her and she slid to the ground,
breaking an arm and a leg in the process. We’re happy to report that this
defect has been fixed, and rolling staircases are as safe as any other piece
of equipment in the gym, as long as you use them correctly.Who will like it
In many ways, the rolling stair-climber is a better workout than a regular
stair-climber. It’s harder to cheat, because you’re forced to take a fairly deep
stride to place your foot onto the next step. (However, you can still cheat
by clenching the side rails.) This machine gives you a tremendous butt and
thigh workout, and you work up one helluva sweat. Start at a very slow speed
until you can confidently navigate the height of the step.Who will hate it
If you’re used to the stepper-type climbers, the rolling stair-climber takes
some getting used to. Also, if you’re just getting into shape, this contraption
may be a bit much for you. At some health clubs, this workout is referred to
as “climbing the stairway from hell.” If you have knee or back problems, this
form of exercise may not agree with you.Rolling-stair-climber user tips
The rolling stair-climber is a good machine to try when you’re looking to
make stair-climbing even more challenging. We know one woman who used
this machine to train for a race up the Empire State Building — 102 flights
of stairs. She came in second place. Here are some tips to keep in mind
(whether or not you plan to climb tall buildings):Start at a very slow speed. This is one machine you can definitely slide
off of if you can’t maintain the pace.
Start with just five or ten minutes.Even if you’re in great shape on the
traditional stair-climber, treadmill, or other machine, you may find this
contraption startlingly tough.Try climbing every other step. This technique gives you a killer butt
workout and a good stretch in your legs — but this technique is notfor
beginners.