Aaptiv’s stair climber workouts are here!
Yes, the stair climber might be a relic of the gym world, but it’s a classic for a reason: straightforward and effective, stair climbers provide one of the best low-impact workouts around. Just 30 minutes on the stairs can burn calories, improve overall cardio endurance, and give your lower body a major toning boost. They may not be fancy, but they werk.
Here’s what you need to know:
- The exercises you’ll perform on a stair climber are simple and familiar, making them the perfect cardio machines for beginners. If you’re a gym newbie, start here!
- Because the stair climber is low-impact, it’s ideal if you’re recovering from any kind of lower-body injury (no knee-pounding treadmill action!).
- Hands off those handles! Leaning into the handles for support leads to poor form and wasted energy, and doesn’t give you the bonus you’ll get from standing straight: a killer core workout. Your midsection needs to work double-time to provide lift and support while climbing, so you’re basically getting an ab workout for free — as long as you’re giving your form the attention it deserves!
- Unlike other cardio exercises, the focus here is really on your glutes: you hit all three of the muscle groups in your butt and hips in the upward motion of the stairs. You’ll want to give those muscles extra love with a warm up and cool down that focuses on lengthening your quads and hamstrings.
- It’s not all about the climb: regular stair-stepping motion only works some of your lower body muscles. That’s why Aaptiv’s classes get you working sideways and backwards, skipping steps and incorporating leg lifts — all the dynamic moves you need to activate all the small, hidden muscles in your legs and butt for some insane lift and tone.
Ready to head on up? Try a class in the Aaptiv app today.