step mill

bananas007 · Feb 23, 2012

do you guys keep your hands on the rail and lean or stand striaght up. also what level and how long?

GeauxDATY · Feb 23, 2012

Personally I stay off that freaking torture machine, but when I have my clients do it I make them use a towel wrapped around the "neck" under the display. This keeps them off their hands yet gives them something for balance. Give it a try and lmk what you think.

TheGoldenChild · Feb 23, 2012

Usually keep my hands on the rail. Do it for balance so I make sure not to put weight on my arms.

I have to focus more on stepping when I'm hands free and just makes my time on it feel so much longer.

718si · Feb 23, 2012

Fingertips on the rail to make sure I don't move around and fall, but can still watch tv. Just having my fingers touching the rails ensures that all the work comes from my legs.

ROCKEDUP · Feb 23, 2012

My new love! It seems like holding the rail is a good safety measure as long as your not using it to lift yourself onto the next step. I do low intensity, like 50 to 60, for 30 minutes

Chode Logan · Feb 23, 2012

My new gym doesn't have one...I miss it. I feared it for years but finally forced myself to use it, I loved it. It is DEATH.

I didn't keep track of what I did with my hands much, generally I would just place my hands on the sides for balance, and 15-20 mins in if I started dying I would lean forward for as long as I have just to allow me to finish.

dalvare1 · Feb 23, 2012

i put my hands together behind my head with my fingers intertwined

as if it didnt suck enough to begin with lol

Joejo · Feb 23, 2012

First time I used it 15 mins was like death. I was breathing hard, had cramps and was out of breath. Now I do 45 mins and sometimes an hour. Great machine!!!

bananas007 · Feb 23, 2012

Joejo said:
First time I used it 15 mins was like death. I was breathing hard, had cramps and was out of breath. Now I do 45 mins and sometimes an hour. Great machine!!!

what level do u use it at

ajpt · Feb 23, 2012

I keep my hands on the side, but imitate a standing calf raise on every step, making sure to get a full stretch at the bottom and a full contraction at the top. I have seen more calf development from that machine than any resistance training I did. I stopped training calfs and just do 20 mins on the step mill 5x week and my claves have grown

red5150 · Feb 23, 2012

towards the last few weeks of contest prep i hold on in case i feel faint. i also try to walk sideways alternating sides early on when i have energy. and also really try to squeeze the glute hamstring on the extension part. looks fairyish but def think it helped get the glutes in last time, as it was my first time to ever have striated glutes

Joejo · Feb 23, 2012

grenada said:
what level do u use it at

The one at my gym has levels 1 through 10 i usually use 4. I started at 1. If i go past 6 I can't last as long as I'd like. Been doing it 6 days a week for the last 5 months. It has helped me lose a ton of weight. My shirt has not one dry spot on it when i'm done.

buck · Feb 23, 2012

don't touch the rail, and if it feels like you are doing more work it is because you are. have to use those core muscles to stabilize you more. a study i saw a few years ago showed people that don't hold onto the rails burn 25% more calories.

718si · Feb 23, 2012

buck said:
don't touch the rail, and if it feels like you are doing more work it is because you are. have to use those core muscles to stabilize you more. a study i saw a few years ago showed people that don't hold onto the rails burn 25% more calories.

Exactly why I don't hold the rail....

Fingertips just gives me a reference of where I'm at on it without having to "watch my step"... Usually watch a game or sports center while doing cardio.

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anthrogeekuconn · Feb 24, 2012

Ahh, the Stair Monster! Him and I have a love/hate relationship. I hate being on it, but love what it does for me!

Usually I just hold on with my finger to make sure I don't fall on my ass if and when I trip on a step.

qbkilla · Feb 24, 2012

you guys mean the up and down stepper or the escalator thing? when i had a gym with escalator i leaned forward onto the rails,,,thats the only way i could get intensity up and really burn it up and sweat,,,,on the up and down i do the same,,,i lean on rails,,,,i can go much longer and harder this way then standing straight up,,,straight up you tire easy and have to stop and stay at the bottom for a sec to catch your breath,,,i can put it on like 18 out of 20 levels doing this,,,but leaning forward i can stay on 20 for the full 40 mins and burn 300 cals in ten minutes or 1200 cals in 40 minutes,,,,and i dont feel dead afterwards,,it just gets me nice and lean,,,ive had the best results doing it like this,,,better than on the big scary stepmill escalator thing and better than standing straight up on the stepper,,,best results leaning forward on stepper at max intensity,,,your not really trying to work your legs and kill them just get going up and down get heart rate up burn off the fat

718si · Feb 24, 2012

qbkilla said:
you guys mean the up and down stepper or the escalator thing? when i had a gym with escalator i leaned forward onto the rails,,,thats the only way i could get intensity up and really burn it up and sweat,,,,on the up and down i do the same,,,i lean on rails,,,,i can go much longer and harder this way then standing straight up,,,straight up you tire easy and have to stop and stay at the bottom for a sec to catch your breath,,,i can put it on like 18 out of 20 levels doing this,,,but leaning forward i can stay on 20 for the full 40 mins and burn 300 cals in ten minutes or 1200 cals in 40 minutes,,,,and i dont feel dead afterwards,,it just gets me nice and lean,,,ive had the best results doing it like this,,,better than on the big scary stepmill escalator thing and better than standing straight up on the stepper,,,best results leaning forward on stepper at max intensity,,,your not really trying to work your legs and kill them just get going up and down get heart rate up burn off the fat

Stepmill = escalator thingy

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buck · Feb 24, 2012

when people lean over they crush there diaphragm and take in less oxygen so that it feels tougher. yet if your are laying your weight on the rails you are lifting less weight with every step and less work(calories) are being burned.