Stepmill
The stepmill is one of the most under-used, under-rated machines in most public, and home, gyms. It is, admittedly, quite a challenging exercise, that places a great work out on the legs- particularly the calf muscles. No other exercise machine targets these muscles, as effectively, or as quickly, as a stepmill.
As its name implies, somewhat, a stepmill simulates the effect of walking up a flight of stairs, continuously, for a pre-determined length of time. This time is one of the variables that can be adjusted to each individual's unique fitness, and experience. The exercise time can then be lengthened, incrementally, as the user's strength and fitness improve.
Another variable that can usually be adjusted, in some way, is the incline. This angle increases, or decreases, to put more, or less, pressure on the calf muscles. The best way to co-relate this to actual stair climbing is to consider how much harder is to climb a flight of stairs, the same height as another, but with larger steps. This can also be adjusted further along the program as strength, and endurance, pick up.
Aside from the leg strength benefits, the stepmill is also an excellent cardiovascular workout that can have a dramatic effect on your fitness. If you've ever climbed an extra-high staircase, or even a shorter one - if your fitness is not at its best- and felt breathless, almost gasping for air, then you know what an effective cardio workout stair climbing can be.
An important fact to note about this machine is that it requires some level of fitness to use optimally, and rushing right into a full blown workout is inadvisable. You may well wind up getting very little work done, due to insufficient preparation. It is well worth the time to do some squats, and some other simple leg exercise, to prepare your muscles for the workout they're about to get.
The good thing about a stepmill is that a variety of possibilities exist for you to target specific areas of weakness. You can improve balance, and coordination, by not holding onto the bars and, instead, keeping both hands out to the side, as you climb. To increase the effectiveness, of this clever modification, on your sense of balance, you can try to keep your hands behind your back. This will require still-greater concentration, which will improve your balance, and coordination, most noticeably, outside of the gym.
One little-known fact about stepmills is that, compared to traditional stair climbing, notoriously rough on the knees, it is very low-impact and does not involve stepping down hard. This means that the chance of mis-stepping due to carelessness of fatigue, often associated with stair climbing, is all but removed.
This useful piece of equipment, while not widely popular, can work wonders for your legs, and overall fitness. From the casual home gym user, to the professional athlete, a stepmill can be used according to individual needs to achieve the desired results. The stepmill also has a very low rate of injury, as compared to other comparable gym equipment. This is due, mainly, to the lack of artificial weights that can cause damage. It simply provides an excellent, natural workout, in a relatively short period of time, leaving more time free than would be left by other, slower machines - such as those that involve pushing heavy weights with your legs.
Finally, its lack of widespread popularity makes it easily accessible, in most gyms, and also makes it relatively cheap - if bought for a home gym, at the right store. The stepmill provides an unmatched muscular, and cardio, workout that avoids the potential injury of a comparable stair-climbing program, by minimizing stress on the knees. This makes it a great addition to a workout regimen - or even an excellent stand-alone fitness tool.
