The Ultimate Guide to Buying a StairMaster in 2024

Climbing the stairs has been one of the toughest lower body workouts since the beginning of gym memberships, let alone the history of mankind. In the past people even challenged themselves, their endurance, and their strength by climbing the Great Wall of China, which can provide you with a decent workout of almost over 30 million steps. But essentially, you will be climbing endless stairs building up your lower body strength and that’s what Stairmaster is all about. It provides you with a lower-body workout, which activates the major muscle groups in your lower body — glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves. 

This is a basic introduction of Stairmaster. But if you are planning to invest somewhere around $5000, it is good to know a few key things about Stairmaster.  Plus its going to be sitting right there in your home gym for the next 10 years daring you to use it. Knowing all that matters about Stairmaster is worth investing your 7 minutes of reading before purchasing it.  

Table of Contents 

What is Stairmaster?

What Muscles Does a Stairmaster Provide Workout For?

Benefits of a Stairmaster

Stairmaster vs. Stepmill

How to choose the right Stairmaster?

FAQ on Stairmaster

Why chose Total Body Experts?

What is Stairmaster?

A Stairmaster is a stationary fitness machine that rotates steps. It simulates the climbing and allows the user to climb upward at the speed and duration he or she sets. It provides a lower body workout and above-average cardio workout. 

‘StairMaster®’ is actually a brand that makes fitness equipment. ‘Stepping machine’ is the right name for the equipment that you use to simulate climbing stairs. However, the words stepping machine and Stairmaster are often used interchangeably. For convenience, we will refer to it as Stairmaster in this post.   

StairMaster® is among the leading brands that manufacture the most advanced gym stepping machines and home Stairmaster machines.  

• What Muscles Stairmaster Provides Workout For? 

Stairmaster provides a workout for four key muscles in the lower body group:

• quadriceps
• hamstrings
• calves
• glutes

It does not provide a full-body workout but is the best machine for providing muscle strength training and cardio training at the same time. For strength training of the upper body muscles, you need to use other fitness equipment.   

Read More: TOP 7 BENEFITS OF A STAIRMASTER WORKOUT

• Benefits of Stairmaster 

Stairmaster offers a myriad of benefits from head to toe. IT makes an ideal home gym equipment. Have a look at some key benefits of Stairmaster. 

Improve heart health  

Stairmaster provides an excellent cardio workout. Your heart beats quickly during the workout, which results in a stronger heart that boosts your cardiovascular health. 

The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise for better heart health. 

If you spend 30 minutes regularly on Stairmaster, you can keep your heart in good shape. 

Strengthen lungs 

The function of the lungs is to breathe in more oxygen. This oxygen is then used by all the muscles and organs to function. If you exhaust quickly during the workout, it is a sign of weaker lungs. A half-hour of a stairmaster workout session five days a week can significantly improve the lungs’ health and make them stronger. 

Beginners may take some time to comfortably do a 30-minute session of the Stairmaster workout. They can start small with 5-10 minutes of a workout or try to workout at low or moderate speed.   

Build lower body muscle strength 

Stairmaster is not just good for the heart and lungs, but it also provides a decent workout for lower body muscles. As discussed earlier, it involves the four major muscles of the lower body. The entire time you are climbing and pumping your legs. This provides good strength training to your core muscles. 

Strengthen bones 

Fitness experts suggest that climbing stairs can improve bone mass. Bone is the living tissue. It is constantly being broken down and replaced. When you do any weight-bearing exercise, it prevents bone loss or strengthens already weak bones, which reduces your risk for osteoporosis.    

Healthier for joints 

Another major benefit of workout on Stairmaster is that it protects your joints. Most fitness enthusiasts prefer to workout on a Stairmaster rather than climbing the stairs because it is gentle on the knees. It provides a low-impact workout and is gentle on your knees. This is great both for beginners who do not have great endurance and advanced people who want to work out consistently and need low-impact exercise.    

• Stairmaster vs. Stepmill 

The parallels are often drawn between a Stairmaster and a stepmill. Both the machines are used for cardiovascular endurance and strengthening and toning of your lower body. People often ask this question: Which one is better between a Stairmaster and a stepmill? There is no universal winner. Fitness experts recommend cross-training with both. Have a look at three key points of comparison. 

Calorie burn 

If we consider the results, running on a stepmill wins over climbing stairs on a Stairmaster for burning calories in high-intensity training. On the other hand, if we look at the low and medium-intensity training, Stairmaster provides the above-average cardio workout and burns more calories than the stepmill. Thus, intensity plays a key role.

Impact 

A Stairmaster is a lower impact machine than a stepmill. Running on a stepmill or treadmill causes more impact on knees than climbing steps on a stairmaster. Thus, a Stairmaster is a better option considering the impact. On the other hand, if we consider balance, many people find it easy to balance on a treadmill. 

Muscle strength training

Stairmaster is a better option for muscle strength training and toning your lower body than the stepmill. It engages all the major muscles of the lower body in an effective way than the treadmill. Rachel Southard, Director of Personal Training Operations for Anytime Fitness, says, “The StairMaster is a great alternative to walking on the treadmill if you’re looking to lose weight.” 

• How to Choose the Right Stairmaster? 

Choosing the right Stairmaster requires some consideration. There are so many brands in the market and models of stepping machines in the market that one can get easily confused about how to choose the right one. Have a look at the five things you need to consider while choosing a home Stairmaster machine.     

Size 

The first thing you need to consider is the size of a stairmaster. There are primarily two sizes of the Stairmaster machine available: 6-inch step and 8-inch step. 6-inch step-size machines are ideal for the home gym as they are small in size. 

Experts suggest that you will need at least 9 feet ceiling to accommodate an 8” step size Stairmaster. As most homes have an average 8-foot ceiling, you can opt for a 6” inch step size. However, a Stairmaster with an 8” size is more comfortable. If you have a large area or dedicated space for a home gym, you can go for a larger version.    

Workout program 

Stairmaster machines have come a long way from the late 90s. Nowadays, Stairmaster machines come with a range of workout programs that are designed to address specific aspects such as calorie burn, weight loss, muscle growth, and toning the body and advanced functions such as calorie-burn calculator and heart rate monitor. Look for a Stairmaster that provides you with a range of workout programs and advanced functions. 

Brand 

There are a number of brands in the market. For example, StairMaster® has been a legendary name in the gym for making stepping machines. The brand manufactured the first stepping machine in 1983. It has become so popular that people started calling stepping machines Stairmasters. But it does not mean you should not explore other options. Other top brands of stepping machines include Star Trac, Spirit Fitness, and Jacobs Ladder. You can read the detailed reviews of a brand before choosing one. 

Warranty 

Stairmasters are mechanical machines with moving parts. Thus, wear and tear are inevitable. They need maintenance from time to time to keep them in good condition. Look for a Stairmaster machine that comes with a repair warranty. Usually, the new stepper machines come with 3-5 years for labor warranty, but some manufacturers or retailers offer a lifetime repair warranty for additional costs. Take into account the warranty so that you can get easy repairs.      

Price 

The price of a stairmaster is another concerning point for users. You can expect to pay $5000 to $10000 for a good brand new Stairmaster machine. The price of a stairmaster increases with the functions and the build-in quality. So it is always a good idea to compare the features of two to three brands in the same price range. It is always advised to choose the best value option rather than the best price.   

• FAQs on Stairmaster 

1. Is Stairmaster a good option for weight loss at home?

Yes, Stairmaster is perfect fitness equipment for your weight loss journey at home. It provides more calorie burn than simple walking or running for low and medium-intensity training. Also, it causes a low impact on your joints.

2. How to design a Stairmaster workout program?

It is good to customize your workout session to get the most out of it. You can input your weight & age, choose the program, resistance level, and workout length. The more accurate the information you put, good it is to measure calorie burn and heart rate numbers. 

3. What is recommended workout session duration on Stairmaster?

The American Heart Association recommends working out for approximately 150 minutes weekly. However, it’s perfectly okay to do this at your own pace. Those who have never exercised on a StairMaster before can try out sets of 5 to 10 minutes climbing for a few days and then working your way up. 

4. What is a certified pre-owned Stairmaster?  

A certified pre-owned Stairmaster is a used machine that comes with the seller’s warranty. It is often available at discounted prices. It is primarily of two types: certified pre-owned and certified pre-owned remanufactured. A certified pre-owned Stairmaster means the machine is inspected by the seller for defects and marked free from defects. A certified remanufactured or refurbished Stairmaster machine means that the seller has inspected the machine, performed necessary repairs, and marked it free from defects.

5. Is it a good idea to buy a pre-owned certified Stairmaster?

If you are buying from a reputable & certified seller, there is no harm in buying pre-owned certified stairmasters. You can easily save a few thousand dollars by buying a pre-owned certified Stairmaster. The cost of pre-owned certified fitness equipment is nearly half of the original retail price, though it depends on the condition of the equipment.       

6. How Good are StairMaster® Stepping Machines?

StairMaster® is the leading brand in the industry and is known for making the highest quality stepping machines. The brand has launched the latest Stairmaster 8 Series Gauntlet machine. The machine offers more than 16+ workout programs. 

7. Can I get financing to buy my Stairmaster machine?

Yes, you can easily get financing to buy a stairmaster machine. Most of the reputable sellers have financing options that allow you to buy a Stairmaster machine for your home gym at easy monthly installments. It is always a good idea to read the terms and conditions of finance.       

8. Can I buy the Stairmaster online?  

Yes, you can buy a stairmaster machine online. Make sure you are buying from a certified seller or from a reputable online store so that you buy genuine, warranty-backed products.          

9. Can I get discounts on my Stairmaster purchase?

If you shop at the right time, you can get heavy discounts. Most people in America shop on the big sale days or events to find the best deals on the home gym fitness equipment. Rest, you can search for the offers and deals.   

Why Total Body Experts? 

Total Body Experts is the leading supplier of the brand new, certified pre-owned, or certified remanufactured fitness equipment of top brands Precor, StairMaster, Star Trac, Matrix, Nautilus, to name a few. We provide you with the best product warranty and the best price guarantee in the market. 

We are proud members of the Commercial Fitness Equipment Association. Our fitness experts can help you choose the right Stairmaster for your home gym. We provide you the option of financing also. Contact one of our experts to know more.