Did you know that climbing a flight of stairs can be a really great workout? From heading upstairs to put your kids to bed, to delivering a message to a co-worker on another floor in your building, we go up and down flights of stairs every day without giving it a second thought! Granted, doing it at a higher intensity (and for exercise purposes), is probably not the best idea when you’re in work clothes. Thankfully, you can get in a workout very similar, without having to go up and down the steps at work or at your apartment – and that’s where HIIT trainers and stair steppers come into play. A regular stair stepper can be found at just about any corporate gym or local fitness facility, and ProForm has two HIIT trainers that can be utilized in multiple different ways…. even from the comfort of your own home!
Don’t feel the need to be intimidated by these pieces of equipment though, they both provide a stellar cardiovascular workout, and can be a wonderful addition to your training program. Let’s break down both of the ProForm HIIT trainers available, as well as the stair steppers that you come across in the gym – and then you can determine which will give you the better workout based on your goals.
ProForm HIIT Trainers Pros & Cons
ProForm has two different HIIT trainers available right now; these include the Pro HIIT H14, and the Carbon HIIT H7. These machines combine the best of both worlds, with a stair stepper and elliptical combo that torches calories and increases muscular strength and endurance! Both of these HIIT trainers have your feet going back and forth on a 10” vertical path as if you were stepping, as well as a 5” horizontal path like an elliptical stride. These machines also allow the upper body to move at the same time as the legs, with moving handles that simulate a punching motion – perfect for targeting the arms!
ProForm HIIT trainers like the H14 and the H7 utilize high intensity interval training, which means that you work as hard as you can for a given set of time, then follow that work with a period of rest. With a connection to iFit, virtual trainers can help adjust resistance to get you the workout that you want!
Stair Steppers Pros & Cons
If you’re walking into your local fitness center, chances are you will come across some version of a stair stepper; this typically looks like a revolving set of stairs that you climb, with handrails on the sides for balance. These machines keep you moving in one specific pattern – literally just like you’re climbing stairs! This means big gains for your cardiovascular endurance, as well as being a fabulous strengthening piece for lower body muscles like your hamstrings, quads, calves, and glutes.
Another bonus to the stair stepper is that you can improve core strength and stability, and this is due to the fact that you have to maintain balance while the motor is revolving the stairs. Granted, you can always use the handlebars for assistance if needed, but removing your hands from the rails and stepping like you would on a normal set of stairs will not only improve overall coordination, but improve posture and core strength as well.
ProForm HIIT Trainer vs Stair Stepper – Deciding Between the Two
Both the ProForm HIIT trainers and regular stair steppers at your gym will give you good workouts; from boosting heart health and lung capacity to strengthening the lower body and burning calories, these machines are adaptable to whatever workout the user would like. Regular stair steppers won’t have moving handles though (so no upper body engagement, unless you pump your arms while stepping), and the HIIT trainers won’t get you the full range of motion like a stepper would (and can be considered a lower impact activity). If you’ve got injuries that you’re rehabbing from, the ProForm can certainly be a good option for you; meanwhile, if you’re needing to build bone strength, the stair stepper is a solid choice for cardio training. In the end, you can always utilize both in a workout program; just decide which one will be best for you and your training goals each day, and get ready to see some amazing results!
