Is the Stairmaster really that bad?

FORTYnFIVE · Fri, November 6th, 2009, 08:51 PM

I've heard the tread mill is the best piece of cardio equipment. And I do tend to notice that the most "fit" ppl tend to use tread mills and the pudgier ppl tend to prefer the eliptical. But for me 30 minutes on a stair master has me sweating and breathing much harder than the eliptical.

The tread mill is very hard for me as I'm just starting out. I've gotten a gym membership and I'm going 5 days a week an hour a day. But I don't have the stamina to jog or run for very long at all.

Is the stair master really that bad? I never see anyone using it. I'm new to this and trying to lose about 25lbs. More so than that I'm trying to change to a healthier life style. Build new routines and habits etc ...

Any help is apreciatted. I just picked up a body bugg today too. Hopefully that helps me to reckognize my exsisting patterns.

KT Monahan · Fri, November 6th, 2009, 09:46 PM

Who said it was bad? It was very popular 15 years ago, now the eliptical is the big thing.

Nothing wrong with the stairmaster. If it gets your heart pumping, keep it up.

_Marcus · Sat, November 7th, 2009, 03:30 PM

[quote=KT Monahan;771290]Who said it was bad? It was very popular 15 years ago, now the eliptical is the big thing.

[quote]

thats true, havn´t seen on in the last 10 years

but the best kind of cardio mashine is the one you find motivation for

FORTYnFIVE · Sat, November 7th, 2009, 08:21 PM

See I can do 30 mins on the elip and 30 on the stair master and the latter just seem sto provide a much harder workout.

zenpharaohs · Sat, November 7th, 2009, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FORTYnFIVE

See I can do 30 mins on the elip and 30 on the stair master and the latter just seem sto provide a much harder workout.

Elliptical and stepper both can be fine. Whatever you can get intense on is probably best for you.

Lots of treadmill can be risky unless you are light, which is why you see more "fit" looking people on them.

Frankly once you get past the early stages of training, you will have lots and lots of sensible exercise choices. Don't get too worried about what flavor of cardio you like.

KT Monahan · Sat, November 7th, 2009, 10:19 PM

I saw a woman, probably in her late 20's, yawn today on an elliptical.

She. Yawned.

So, yeah, whatever gets you moving. Do it. AND MOVE !!!!!!!

Jaer · Tue, November 10th, 2009, 10:20 AM

The few people I see on the stair master typically take the shortest steps possible, not letting the footpad move down very far. They aren't even stepping up as high as a normal stair would be.

I don't find that very effective at keeping my heart rate going when I use the machine; I prefer to take steps that are higher than the normal stair height. I can feel the burn in the muscles more and feel it hit my heart more.

But that's all preference, and as long as you are getting the heartrate up, you are doing something right.

Shamie · Wed, November 11th, 2009, 09:09 AM

Quote:

But for me 30 minutes on a stair master has me sweating and breathing much harder than the eliptical.

I have the same experience, the stairmaster gives me a better workout then the elliptical. Recently though, I changed to the stair climber machine.

http://www.ehow.com/about_4617192_st...-machines.html

If you have access to this machine at your gym, I think it even gives a better workout then the stairmaster. Sweat pours off me when using it. But if you don't have access to one, the stairmaster also gives an excellent workout.

HevyMetal · Fri, November 13th, 2009, 02:57 PM

The manufacturers have done a really good selling job these days....equating cardio with a machine.

They've managed to affix the term "cardio" to three or four machines:-

Treadmill
Eliptical
Stairmaster
Stat bike.

These are all the ones they make the most money from in big box stores.

They've tried to convince us that unless we buy a treadmill (which according to them is the "king" of cardio machines)......we just ain't getting "cardio".

I hate to disappoint them....but....there are more ways to get cardio than you can shake a stick at.

And you don't need a treadmill or a Stairmaster to do it.

If you have any knee or joint problems you can still get amazing cardio without ever using a treadmill, eliptical or Stairmaster.

All you need is a Circuit routine and dumbells or free weights and even the weights are not really necessary.

IMO such machines as the treadmill and the eliptical are over-rated for cardio in the sense that they will force you to move through a fixed range of motion for an extended period which will burn up calories you might have used for muscle gain but offer nothing in other areas.

If one adds up the total time we spend on a treadmill or eliptical per month, we will see that we spent a lot of time in one fixed plane working a minimum number of muscles simultaneously for endurance purposes.

True, the eliptical has "arm levers"....but for most people this is simply a "follow-through" movement" as they pedal away.

A Stairmaster is just as good as any other cardio machine.

Which burns the most calories should not be a deciding factor in the use thereof IMO.

Calories are for building muscle....not for being burned off ad infinitum three times a week in the hope of losing weight.

Circuit training gives better results IMO overall with the judicious careful use of a cardio machine in the mix as well.

I would go for short intense sessions on a machine rather than a long drawn out pedal-fest all the time.

Elipts, Treadmills, Stairmasters?.....yes...but..never to be regarded as the Holy Grail of cardio equipment.....

MixweLL · Fri, November 13th, 2009, 10:04 PM

My question kind of on the same lines is that I can do 45 mins easily on an elliptical but 45 mins at a steady speed on a treadmill I would be dead.. When I was using the treadmill I went for distance over time. I may have only been on the treadmill for 20 mins but I would make sure I got 2.5 miles each time. I think the poster is saying 60 mins on elliptical would be as tiring as say 1/4 mile on the treadmill with only maybe (10 mins involved)

I have wondered this also because I would love to hit up the treadmill again but my calves kill me now for some reason which is why I FEEL I get better cardio doing the elliptical for 45 mins.

angell · Mon, November 16th, 2009, 02:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MixweLL

My question kind of on the same lines is that I can do 45 mins easily on an elliptical but 45 mins at a steady speed on a treadmill I would be dead.. When I was using the treadmill I went for distance over time. I may have only been on the treadmill for 20 mins but I would make sure I got 2.5 miles each time. I think the poster is saying 60 mins on elliptical would be as tiring as say 1/4 mile on the treadmill with only maybe (10 mins involved)

I have wondered this also because I would love to hit up the treadmill again but my calves kill me now for some reason which is why I FEEL I get better cardio doing the elliptical for 45 mins.

/+1

Also when I'm running on asphalt I experience this. When I've been enjoing running in the woods I don't notice this too much tho.

Geo2007 · Tue, November 17th, 2009, 11:25 PM

For me it's not a choice actually. If i run on treadmill everyday my knee (just one) starts to hurt. Elliptical do not do that to my knee.
So i do 2 times a week treadmill and 3 times elliptical.
Never tried the stairmaster but can guess that it will hurt my knee as well.
I guess that comes with age

I am 35.

MixweLL · Thu, November 19th, 2009, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geo2007

For me it's not a choice actually. If i run on treadmill everyday my knee (just one) starts to hurt. Elliptical do not do that to my knee.
So i do 2 times a week treadmill and 3 times elliptical.
Never tried the stairmaster but can guess that it will hurt my knee as well.
I guess that comes with age

I am 35.

Ahh hell bro you aren't even old !! haha.. I would think the movement of your leg on the stairmaster would eventually hurt.. I would suggest maybe trying it out for 10-15 mins and see how you feel. If you notice your knee starts to give you problems then you have your answer. My friend tells me that the elliptical is for the female sex organ between the legs but again he is fit and runs 4 miles at the gym.. Asshole.. haha

MixweLL · Thu, November 19th, 2009, 12:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by angell

/+1

Also when I'm running on asphalt I experience this. When I've been enjoing running in the woods I don't notice this too much tho.

Its odd angell because I used to do fine on the treadmill but then I was about 220 and dropped to about 210 (wish I had the pics) but I don't know if it is the weight gain to 260 and the extra LBs that make my calves hurt or if it is the fact that I haven't been on a treadmill in about 1 year. My friend currently jogs about 2-3 miles in the river bed (asphalt) and he says that yea the first day or so your calves hurt but eventually it goes away.. Well If i strain my calves one day then they will be soo sore that I couldn't possibly continue it the next day (which is one thing I want to avoid is being out of commission from over working my body).

The thing I really enjoyed on the treadmill was that my heart rate was higher and I felt very exhausted and would walk about 2-3 mins and gain my breath back and then jog again.. Currently I can do 45 mins on the elliptical and NEVER feel that tired. I usually try to put on a song on my mp3 player that pumps me up and up the resistance but I've still yet to feel as fatigued as jogging on the treadmill.. /shrug