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As we ring in 2024, fitness is always at the top of our minds, more so than ever.
The New Year also comes with the advent of gym membership sign-ups. For some, the main driver to subscribe to a gym is the equipment — but most major equipment is accessible online.
Even stair masters.
You may be in disbelief, thinking: aren’t treadmills and at-home exercise bikes more common? Well, specifically on Amazon, you can grab top-rated stair masters, along with elliptical machines and rowing machines.
“The stair master is an oldie but a goody,” Ashley Borden, a certified personal trainer with more than 50,000 hours of hands-on experience, told the New York Post. “If you can walk upstairs without instruction, you probably can use the stair master with ease.”
Though a splurge, she says It’s a great piece of equipment “because of the decrease of impact and the challenge it presents.” Because you have to control your body moving through space while stepping up, you’re essentially putting in all of the effort.
StairMaster GMWD Stair Stepper
Pros:
- Reputable, well-known brand
- Best value for the quality
- Users say it offers a smooth step-up experience
Cons:
- None to speak of
Dimensions: 54″ L x 30″ W x 77″ H
Just as we say “Kleenex” when we want a tissue or “Purell” when we want hand sanitizer, the same holds true for the Stair Master. It’s the best brand on the market, based on our research, and is an interchangeable household name for the general class of stair climbers.
Enter the StairMaster GMWD Stair Stepper. It’s a top-of-the-line option that offers a step range of 26 to 162 steps per minute. With 10 total workout programs — including a fat burner, calorie burner and intervals.
With this machine, Borden recommends focusing on stepping every other step for 1 minute then every step for the next minute. “For a 16-minute challenge, change up your speed,” she offers. “Start slow and every minute you increase for four minutes. Then bring it back down to your starting minute. Repeat that for 16 minutes.” For best results, repeat this sequence four times.
What’s more, it comes with an easy-to-read backlit LCD display, which is perfect for following along to the settings you program.
Customer Review: “Overall very satisfied. I have only used it once for 30 minutes, but so far I am pretty impressed. Assembly was pretty easy. Machine is surprisingly quiet and is pretty smooth. I can watch videos on my phone while on the machine and the machine is not noisy at all. Only complaint is the plastic steps do flex a little bit in the center but I am 270 pounds so that is understandable. I plan on using this machine three to four times a week for 30 minutes each time.“
Aspen Stair Climber
Pros:
- Not as large as other stair climbers on this list
- Plenty of unique settings to customize your step-up experience and overall workout
Cons:
- Doesn’t include an LCD display as the Stair Master brand does
Dimensions: 44″ L x 26″ W x 68″ H
The Aspen Stair Climber offers a low-impact, high-calorie burn workout, offering a large range of movement compared to some other models. Namely, it’s one of the best for home use if you’re looking for a quality stepping machine and doesn’t take up too much space in your home gym (note: compared to a professional fitness model, this one is a bit smaller).
Moreover, it’s easy to use and is said to offer more benefits than a treadmill, requiring less floor space and consuming less energy. Its control panel seamlessly guides the user intuitively at all times, and you’ll appreciate how workouts can be programmed as “floors climbed,” “total exercise time,” or “calories burned.” Additionally, a manual override feature enables the workout to be varied at any time.
Even more interestingly, your own energy climbing steps drive Aspen. Because it isn’t powered by an electrical drive motor, power consumption is a mere 60 watts. So, an electromagnetic braking system regulates machine speed, matching the feed rate of steps per minute to the user’s set program and personal energy emitted during the workout. Cool, right?
Customer review: “Just about perfect size for home use; any bigger and it would be cumbersome [and] any smaller and you’d feel cramped while using it. I am 5’9″, and I use it in a room with 8’6″ ceilings and there is plenty of clearance. The steps are plenty big enough to take normal strides without feeling like you’re going to fall off.”
StairMaster 10 Series Gauntlet LCD Machine
Pros:
- Extra-long handle rail helps you stay in line and offers additional protection
- Connects with your Apple Watch to track and remain consistent with your workouts
- Boasts the “largest speed range available,” with up to 190SPM via 25 levels
Cons:
- The price may be unreachable for some
Dimensions: 22″ L x 12″ W x 68″ H
For a hefty option that won’t make you ever need a gym membership again (literally ever again), the StairMaster 10 Series Gauntlet LCD Machine is a beast and a half. Once assembled, you’ll enjoy its OverDrive Training Mode that stimulates carrying or pushing a load up the stairs for a never-before-seen level of HIIT. Oh, and if you’re willing to splurge, this is one of the best options from — we’ll say it — the most reputable brand in the stair-climbing arena.
Uniquely, it boasts the widest and deepest step in the stair master industry, along with the lowest step height. Its GymKit allows the LCD screen to be compatible with your Apple watch, too, making this a well-worth-it investment for the fitness lover (or, yourself).
Its performance handrail system supports a variety of workout positions, including push and carry in OverDrive Training Mode, along with optimal entry and exit to safely welcome and close out your workout. You’ll love how its GymKit allows LCD and OpenHub 15″ consoles to connect directly with your Apple Watch for real-time data sharing between the equipment and watch.
An FAQ on Stair Masters
Ahead, Borden dishes out the 411 on what to know about stair masters before using them — including what exercises may be effective for your next workout.
What is a stair master?
First things first: what is this popular equipment and is it worth it? Borden defines it simply: a stair master is a machine with a continual step that you can make faster or slower depending on the level you choose.
What are the benefits of using a stair master?
There are several benefits to using a stair master, as Borden lists. “They’re low impact and target the entire lower body —especially glutes with the stepping UP.”
Stair masters also rev up your cardiovascular health, “because you can go slow yet still get a challenging workout; you can truly focus on form and your core connection,” she adds.
What muscle groups do a stair master target?
“The stair master targets your entire lower body and core (if you stay braced),” Borden notes. This extends to your quads, glutes, calves, hamstrings and core.
Best stair master workouts, according to an expert
Borden outlines a workout to keep in mind while on the much-talked-about machine:
How can I tell which stair master speed is right for me?
Regardless of what you’re doing on the stair master, be sure to never drape over the bars or use the handles for total support.
“If you feel like you have to grab on for dear life, lower the speed so you feel like you are controlling your steps,” Borden advises. “You don’t want to feel like you trying to keep up with the stair master speed.”
And, as always, focus on posture and keeping your core engaged. “If you can’t keep your body engaged, it’s too fast,” she adds.
How do stair masters compare to treadmills and other machines?
Unlike an electric treadmill where it could ‘pull you along’ with the belt constantly moving, with the stair master, you’re stepping up and using your own body weight as the ‘resistance,’ Borden explains.
“The intensity will depend on you, your size and your aerobic capacity,” she notes. “There is no impact with a stair master and it’s a great alternative to running while being just as effective.
Check out the New York Post Shopping section for more content.
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