Stair Climbers: The Most Effective Method Of Stepping Up Your Fitness Regime

By: Michael Skatoli Click author's name for more of his/her articles

It is a well-known fact that one of the most effective ways to burn calories and increase fitness levels is to mount stairs. Although spending an hour each day in the stairwell of your office building or apartment block doesn't hold much appeal, but fortunately there is an alternative.

Stair climber exercise machines basically copy the act of climbing a flight of stairs. In fact, stair climbers are even more effective than the real thing because, as well as to building your leg muscles, many of them also provide an intense workout for your arms and abdomen.

Here are just some of the most obvious benefits of steppers:

Aerobic exercise - Using with a stair climber stimulates the heart rate and makes for great aerobic exercise. Even just half an hour's exercise every day will promote a strong and healthy heart.

Muscle toning - Stair climbers help build muscles throughout the body. A lot of the strain is concentrated in the leg region, where almost all of your leg muscles are used, but it also helps promote strength in the arms and the upper body. All in all, regular use will keep you toned and help you maintain a great physique. Unlike many fitness machines and training regimes, steppers provide results all over the body.

Convenience - As mentioned earlier, stair climbers are an all-in-one exercise solution. They are also quite small and can fit easily in your home without using too much space.

Most stair climbers have the same features, though they can differ in other ways depending on the manufacturer, model and how much you are willing to pay. The most low cost stair climber will have footholds, a mechanism that copies climbing a flight of steps and armrests. Many will also involve a back and forth action of the arms, while others will have an electronic readout that will show such details as your heart rate, steps climbed every sixty seconds, the number of calories used, and so on.

There is a right way and a bad way to use a stair climber. Good posture is essential, with the back kept straight. The workout should be carried out under control with all of the work being done by the legs and arms. If you are unsure, some quick advice from a fitness expert at your nearby gym should have you getting the best from your stepper in no time.

Stair climbers remain among the most popular home-fitness exercise machines because they are easy to use and affordable. Quality stair climbers can be found for as cheap as $1,000, and with proper and regular training this outlay will soon pay itself off in terms of fitness and health.

Article Source: ABC Article Directory

About The Author: Michael is a columnist with more than twelve years editorial experience. Michael is currently consulting as a publicist for the fuzing.com portal and is considered the in house authority on exercise equipment. Be sure to visit our useful web portal for more information on Stair Climbers and Stair Steppers.