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Shopping for a brand new piece of health gear is thrilling (if you already know what to search for), however then comes the true problem: really understanding. So, you have bought your stair stepper all arrange—now what? How do you get a exercise from this factor that does not bore you to tears?
As a marathon runner, I personally flip to my Merach stair stepper to get glorious low-impact cardio, giving my joints a much-needed break from pounding the pavement. Not like operating, a stair stepper forces you to work towards gravity with each step, constructing highly effective glutes, hamstrings, and calves whereas bettering your operating financial system.
Nonetheless, with regards to cross-training, I would like a routine with selection. If all I did was step up and down for Half-hour, I might lose my thoughts. It is simply not the identical as zoning out for 26.2 miles. Here is my go-to stair stepper exercise that I take advantage of to maintain my thoughts and my muscle tissues engaged for Half-hour.
A notice on manually adjusting resistance
Earlier than breaking down the specifics of the exercise, I would like to put out a notice on resistance. My stair stepper requires handbook resistance changes, which might really feel cumbersome throughout a exercise. However with the ability of optimistic pondering, I contemplate these resistance modifications extra as “deliberate intervals” slightly than “annoying interruptions.” Listed here are some tricks to manually alter resistance throughout your exercise:
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Pre-workout planning. Earlier than beginning, map out your complete exercise together with resistance ranges and timing. I’ve finished this for you under. This eliminates guesswork mid-workout and makes transitions smoother.
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Strategic timing. My plan contains resistance modifications throughout pure restoration intervals. For instance, if you happen to’re doing 3-minute intervals, alter resistance throughout the first 15-20 seconds of every new interval, when your depth is of course decrease.
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The 2-level system. As an alternative of regularly adjusting, work primarily with two resistance ranges: your “base” degree for reasonable efforts and your “work” degree for intense intervals.
If you happen to even have the Merach stair stepper, alter resistance by pulling on the cables close to the underside of the machine, proven within the picture under. Then hook these cables into certainly one of three ranges. By securing the cable larger up on the machine, you will get extra resistance (aka, a more durable exercise).

Adjusting resistance.
Credit score: Meredith Dietz
A notice on correct kind
Earlier than stepping into your exercise, be sure to’ve mastered good kind. In any other case, you danger harm, or just losing your individual time:
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Maintain your again straight and core engaged.
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Place your complete foot on the pedal, not simply your toes.
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Preserve a slight ahead lean out of your ankles, not your waist.
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Maintain your knees aligned over your toes.
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Use the handrails for stability, to not help your physique weight.
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Preserve a gradual, managed rhythm.
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Spend your first few classes prioritizing kind over velocity or resistance.
My 30(ish)-minute stair stepper exercise
Let’s get into it. My principal objective with this exercise is sufficient selection to maintain me mentally engaged. Be at liberty to regulate the occasions right here to search out what works for you. What ought to keep the identical is the spirit of the completely different efforts. “Marathon tempo” interprets to “comfortably onerous.” Threshold is a bit more durable than that, after which VO2 max is your most depth effort.
Heat-up (3-5 minutes)
Begin at low resistance, step by step growing each minute till you attain your base degree. It is best to be capable to maintain a dialog at this degree.
Foremost set (30-45 minutes)
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5 minutes at base resistance (marathon tempo effort)
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2 minutes at excessive resistance (threshold effort)
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3 minutes at base resistance (restoration)
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1 minute at excessive resistance (VO2 max effort)
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4 minutes at base resistance (restoration)
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Repeat this 15-minute cycle 2-3 occasions
Cool-down (3-5 minutes)
Regularly lower resistance, ending with straightforward stepping.
What do you assume to date?
Tricks to mentally hack your exercise
I get it, stepping alone in your house will get uninteresting. My primary trick is to maintain myself entertained. Like a toddler with an iPad, you already know?
Along with motion pictures and TV exhibits, you possibly can create completely different playlists for various phases of your exercise. Upbeat music for intervals, regular rhythms for base tempo, and motivating songs for the ultimate push.
Another psychological methods I take advantage of:
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Visualization runs: Use stair stepper time to mentally rehearse your upcoming races. Visualize completely different course sections, climate circumstances, and the way you will deal with difficult moments. That is my model of meditation.
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Counting video games: Break your exercise into smaller psychological chunks. Depend steps in units of 100, or problem your self to hit particular step counts throughout intervals.
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Type focus intervals: Dedicate 2-3 minute blocks to focusing solely on completely different facets of your stepping kind—posture, arm swing, or foot placement. This improves each your stair-stepper effectivity and running-form consciousness.
Different methods to include stair stepper exercises
If the above exercise is not for you, no sweat! (Or…a lot of sweat?) Listed here are different concepts to include your stair stepper into a bigger coaching routine.
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Straightforward days: 20-Half-hour at base resistance, specializing in sustaining cardio base whereas giving your legs a break from impression.
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Tempo days: Use the stair stepper for tempo runs when climate is poor otherwise you want a managed setting. Preserve larger resistance for sustained efforts.
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Restoration days: Very low resistance for 15-20 minutes, treating it as energetic restoration whereas catching up on exhibits or podcasts.
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Bonus classes: If nothing else, you need to use stair stepper classes as bookends to energy coaching, like warming up beforehand or including cardiovascular work afterward.
The important thing to loving your stair stepper exercises is all about framing them as purposeful coaching instruments, slightly than boring cardio machines. As a result of in spite of everything, the very best exercise is the one you will really do persistently.