Stepping with Cathe as compared to a stair stepper machine...

or running up and down stadium stairs.

You could NEVER get me on a stair stepper machine, even with the best old Frank Capra movie to watch on the TV. I have done some step intervals at a local track, however.

To get to the true point....how does step aerobics compare to doing drills on stadium steps? I never counted, but we've got to up and down that step hundreds of times during a video, and I wondered if that compared at all to a stair step machine or step drills (as in up and down flights of them).

I don't think I've seen this question posed by anyone, I just figured if it compared in any way, I'd sure as heck rather do a Cathe step tape.

Cathe, if your can make sense out of this question, please enlighten me with your thoughts.

[SusanR]

Hi Honeybunch,
I don't know how it compares but there is a new step machine at the gym I go to. It looks like an escalator. The steps are wide and they rotate around. I thought I would try it the other day and it about killed me to do it for 15 minutes. The next day my legs were really sore and I do step 3-4 times a week.

I wouldn't say it is an equal comparison because we aren't constantly stepping or climbing but I would say some of the leg workout we get from stepping is probably working some of those mucsles that climbing stairs is working.

Just my thoughts.

SusanR

[JulieannC]

I love that machine too. Its called the gauntlet. Try taking two steps at a time, its a real bun burner.

[shnikes18]

I don't know an official answer, but when I was in college living in the dorms, I lived in an eight story building, and I would run those stairs (all the way up, down, back up), etc, for 30-45 minutes at a time. That was about the toughest thing I've done - lots tougher than stepping on a bench or on a stairmaster or on that gauntlet. I was in the best shape ever! I wish I still had access to those stairs.

Emily

I have started to run/walk a staircase at work for an added workout. It IS tough! I know a guy who trained for mountain climbing by running up and down stadium steps. Works the quads, and I really need that.

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Honeybunch! Stepping compares to these activities in that it would be categorized as vertical training. So you would be using similar muscle groups however, each activity varies a bit and would recruit and exhaust muscles specific to that exact motion. For instance, in stepping you could be on different step heights and adding low impact and traveling in with your workout. With the stepper, your motion is at a fixed speed (depends on the unit)and your step is at a fixed distance. With stadium steps you have the option to take on as many steps as you want in each step, you descend in a continuous pattern for a duration of time, and your pace is not at a fixed rate(you will most likely slow down as you fatigue).

In summary, we can say that all of these activities are different styles of verticle training.

Thanks for taking the time to answer. You tapes are the funnest form of vertical training!