So, does anyone else here like the StepMill? I just started it a few days ago. It took getting out of a comfort zone for me to get on it - since it's so *tall* and places your booty right at eye level of everyone on the ellipticals and bikes! (Just in case they hadn't noticed the size of it already.) Anyways, I started at 5 minutes after doing my regular 60 min on the elliptical. I've been adding 1 minute a day and look forward to being able to do it for 20+ minutes. Shy of running, which I'm leary of doing much of at this weight, it gets my HR WAY up there. It kicks my ***. Hopefully quite literally.
Anyone use it regularly? I never see many people on it at the gym. Occasionally, there's the mountain climber type training on it all geared up with huge backpacks. But most of the time it's sits there unused.
Yes, I've used it and I love it too! It really does kick butt. I also like that, similar to a treadmill (and unlike the elliptical, where it's up to me to maintain the pace), the machine sets the speed and I just have to keep up. I also like that it requires a lot less coordination than a stair master (which I am just miserable on). And it sort of cool to be up so high--you can really see what is going on. We have three stairmills at my gym and there's usually someone on at least one of them, if not all three.
Unfortunately, I injured my knee in October and since then I haven't been able to use it (no stairs until my knee is 100%). But until then, it was a regular part of my cardio workouts.
I love it! I just started using it too, I made it for about 5 minutes after I did my run, I want to add a minute like you said each day to get up to 20 minutes.
The stepmill is like an esculator, it has like 4-5 steps and you just keep on walking up the steps. The stairmaster I think is one of those things that you just walk step place.
StairMaster (Nautilus now?) makes the StepMill. The one at my gym looks like this:
For me it is lower impact on my knees than the stair stepper.
Caitbeans & MissGiggles - which program do you do? I've only done manual and "Rolling Hills" so far. I like the Rolling Hills one, but will try others.
Oooh, my gym has one of those too. And most of the time, it just sits there all neglected and lonely... I think I'm gonna pay it a little visit tomorrow!
I know, for as good of a workout as I feel I get on it, I'm suprised that it's not in use all the time. My gym only has 1 - to about 25 each of ellipticals and bikes and treadmills!
I know - an hour on it would wipe me out! My personal trainer said that mountain climers and firemen/women really like them.
Anyways, I did 15 minutes today. I think the only reason I could do more was because I did it at the beginning on my cardio session, instead of after an hour on the elliptical. I'm going to keep doing it first to mix things up for awhile.