If you are a regular at your apartment complex fitness center, a member of a local gym, or you like hitting hotel exercise rooms when traveling, you might have been eyeing the powered stair climbers for a while as a new thing to add to your workout regimen.
This can be a great idea, and you have likely noticed that those who use them tend to be in great shape and have lots of energy. So who would not want to be one of them?
If you do decide to try powered stair climbers and you are coming from a background of treadmills or stationary bikes, you could be at huge risk of overestimating your ability to handle them. While the exercise sessions are of similar length for many people, the intensity can catch them off guard. Powered climbers use more muscles than other machines, and workout all of them harder.
Even if you are a seasoned pro who can spend hours running on a treadmill at inclines, go easy on yourself the first few times you get on a powered stair climber. If there are preset workouts based on your age and weight, you should actually use those. They give you a chance to get to know the machine, and you’ll have a few days to see how your muscles respond.
Expect your quads and calves in particular to start showing the first signs of use and soreness and growth. Over time, you’ll notice that your abs and low back also either enjoy or protest the workout. Honor what your body tells you and take a few weeks to figure out what pace on a stair climber is right for you. The workout has amazing benefits, but starting off at 20 minutes three times a week is a safe start you can grow from later.