Stair Climbers

A stair climber provides the same benefits of climbing real stairs without much pressure on the knees. It is also known as stair master or step machine. A stair climber machine is a highly popular fitness tool used in modern workouts. For years, athletes have been using bleacher stands and other flights of stairs for conditioning. Stair climbing helps burn calories, strengthens the bones, has low impact and low risk of injuries than climbing real stairs, and prepares a person for climbing the flights of stairs encountered everyday. Most stair climbers are of the stepper variety where the exerciser stands on two foot plates, holds onto the handrails, and presses one foot down while picking the other up in alternate motions.

Stair climbers

Another variety is the rolling staircase, which is a cross between a staircase and a tread mill. Stair climbers may be cylinder-driven, wind-driven or computer-controlled. These fitness machines have programs to focus on particular areas of the body. The exerciser may speed up or slow down the stepping rate using the controls as well as adjust the resistance to set the intensity of the workout. Other variables to control include duration and step height.