Content
- 1 What is a stepper?
- 2 Types of steppers and their features
- 3 What muscles work on the stepper
- 4 Health benefits of a stepper
- 5 Is the stepper effective for losing weight
- 6 How to do the stepper correctly
- 7 Is it possible to train on a stepper with varicose veins
- 8 Stepper harm and contraindications
- 9 How to choose a stepper for your home
- 10 Conclusion
- 11 Reviews
Rarely does the process of losing weight or improving one's own physical form do without the beneficial properties of physical activity. Someone goes to the gym and works with a barbell or dumbbells, someone prefers horizontal bars and parallel bars, and someone works out on a stepper simulator. The latter should be dealt with in detail. What are the benefits and harms of a stepper?
What is a stepper?
The stepper is one of the useful cardiovascular equipment. Its principle of operation is similar to moving up stairs, like steps. Due to this, muscles located below or slightly above the waist, such as the pelvic muscles, are significantly strained.
Types of steppers and their features
The stepper is a fairly common simulator, convenient for practicing at home. Therefore, the market offers varieties of this useful apparatus suitable for various purposes.
Standard
Simulates climbing stairs. A healthy cardio workout has many more benefits than regular stair climbing, because during normal walking, the joints of the knees are subjected to shock loads that negatively affect their wear and tear. There is no such problem when practicing the stepper.
Mini stepper
The principle of useful work of the mini-stepper is no different from the standard model, however, the mini-version has a significant drawback. Due to their small size, all mobile mechanisms are compact and do not always allow the correct distribution of the load on the muscles, and this, of course, can harm the body.
Turning
Thanks to the pivoting support handle, the unit allows you to work with the muscles of the thighs, buttocks and elbows. This compares favorably with other models, which are limited only by the muscles of the buttocks and thighs.
Balancing
Works on the principle of shifting the center of gravity from side to side during "climbing steps". As a result, the calf muscles and abs, not to mention the buttocks, receive significant benefits from this property. Also, when working with this type of stepper, coordination develops well.
What muscles work on the stepper
The main muscles that are trained when exercising on a stepper installation:
- muscles of the thighs;
- abdominal muscles;
- gluteal.
The calf muscles also work. For them, "walking" is of particular benefit. Of course, the load on the abs during training on the stepper is somewhat less than on other muscle groups, but it is still there.
Health benefits of a stepper
Correct work with the installation of the stepper helps:
- get rid of ugly riding breeches;
- pump up and slim your legs.
In addition, classes on this device help get rid of cellulite, this can be called the undoubted benefit of a stepper for women. Exercise on the simulator can influence the health of the skin, thanks to the special properties of beneficial physical activity. Naturally, in parallel with the exercise, you need to undergo a course of treatment with various creams. This way the desired effect can be achieved much faster.
Exercises on the stepper will help to make the skin in problem areas on the legs elastic and smooth, get rid of the "orange peel".
In addition, regular and, most importantly, correctly performed exercises on the simulator will help get rid of the fatty sweetness on the stomach.
To achieve the most useful result, you should combine training on the installation with a course of proper nutrition. Diet food has a large number of beneficial properties necessary for weight loss.
Also work on the stepper installation:
- improves well-being;
- tones the body;
- beneficially affects the cardiovascular system;
- helps to adjust the correct breathing.
It also makes the lungs work more efficiently.
The benefits of stepper training are undeniable. But the main thing is not to overdo it with physical activity. From habit, you can seriously harm the body.
Is the stepper effective for losing weight
For a person who sets a goal to lose weight, the question of the effectiveness of the stepper simulator has only one answer: "Yes, it is useful."
Another question is "Is training harmful?" You can also answer positively to it, but they cause harm only if you perform all the exercises haphazardly and uncontrollably.
Harmful (excess) fat is excreted from the body largely due to oxygen, which has the following properties: the faster the blood passes through the body, the more oxygen passes with it, the more subcutaneous fat is burned.
Exercises on the stepper just make the cardiovascular system work actively, increase the payload on the heart, which acts as the main blood pump. True, it's important not to overdo it. Too much stress on the heart can be harmful.
How many calories are burned from exercising on a stepper
The number of calories burned depends on three factors of training:
- Duration.
- Intensity.
- Regularity.
For example, when a person weighs 60 kg, the following interdependence of training time and the number of calories burned is obtained due to the properties of physical exercises on a stepper.
Time, min |
Energy, kcal |
5 |
25 |
10 |
50 |
20 |
100 |
30 |
150 |
45 |
225 |
60 |
300 |
90 |
450 |
For an hour of useful physical exercises on the installation, a stepper person with a weight of 60 kg loses 300 kcal, which is 38 kcal more than when walking at a speed of 6 km / h.
True, even useful workouts on a stepper cannot be compared to running in terms of fat burning.
Cross country running Body weight 60 kg |
|
Speed, km / h |
Energy, kcal |
8 |
480 |
10 |
600 |
12 |
720 |
14 |
840 |
16 |
960 |
Classes on a stepper for weight loss
In order for physical activity to be beneficial due to its properties, and not harm, all exercises should be correctly performed.
Before starting the lesson, you need to warm up thoroughly. Otherwise, during the execution of the program, you can harm your own body.
When doing the exercises, the abdominal muscles should be tense, the back is straightened, and the feet are firmly pressed against the pedals. You need to start walking slowly, then increase the intensity of pressing the pedal. This will give the body more benefits. No harm. The amplitude of the steps can be different.
You will have to lean forward a little to load your core, and doing exercises with a straight trunk will affect the front of your pelvis. These properties of exercise are also worth considering.
The first useful workout on the stepper should not exceed 15 minutes. The body must get used to the stress. Further, the duration of the exercise will need to be increased every day.
During training, be sure to monitor your heart rate. It should not exceed 100 beats per minute. So the body will get more benefits from physical activity.
How to do the stepper correctly
Those who regularly and usefully try to exercise on the stepper simulator should adhere to the following recommendations:
- You must follow the diet. The benefits of proper nutrition are undeniable. The last meal should be no later than an hour before training. Otherwise, you can only get harm. No benefit.
- To maximize the benefits of physical activity, do not eat any food for half an hour after exercising. Next, you can eat something low-fat and sugar-free.
- Do not take any medications before physical activity. This can lead, if not to death, then to causing enormous harm to the body.
- It is common for useful work on the installation to be carried out at least two hours before bedtime.
- It is necessary to monitor the rhythm of breathing in order to benefit, not harm the body. If intermittent breaths and breaths begin to appear, then you need to reduce the load, otherwise it is very easy to harm, for example, the health of the lungs or heart.
Is it possible to train on a stepper with varicose veins
What are the properties of a stepper that are useful for people suffering from varicose veins?
When doing exercises on the unit:
- muscles become more elastic and veins stronger;
- the work of the circulatory system is normalized;
- metabolism improves.
This is how the useful properties of the stepper are manifested, which over time will help get rid of varicose veins. True, before trying to cure varicose veins with a stepper on your own, you should consult a doctor for advice so as not to harm the body instead of the desired benefit.
For someone, training on this simulator may be strictly prohibited, because they have properties that are harmful specifically for them.
Stepper harm and contraindications
It is forbidden to exercise on the installation for those who:
- any damage has not been completely cured;
- have joint or spinal problems;
- there have been cases of stroke / heart attack;
- there are chronic diseases of internal organs;
- arterial hypertension was identified;
- have diabetes mellitus;
- colds with high fever are observed.
Also, you cannot exercise on the stepper for women who are at the end of pregnancy.
Sport can be both beneficial and harmful to health. This also applies to the stepper.
How to choose a stepper for your home
Before buying a stepper home, you need to not only study its properties, but also take into account a few additional points.
- Housing dimensions. If the home simply does not allow you to buy a large stationary stepper, then you can take a balancing or mini-version. The latter, of course, has its own contraindications and special properties. A mini-stepper can do both good and harm, but if there is no choice, then you can buy it.
- The presence of handrails or resistance bands. These supplements help maintain balance and activate the upper muscles during exercise.
- Weight. In the technical specifications of the simulator, you can find the maximum permissible weight. If the weight of a person is greater than this critical value, a more lifting option should be considered.
- Training program. If you have a serious intention to lose weight by doing exercises on a stepper simulator, then you should choose a model that is equipped with technical additions like load adjustment and other things. These properties are useful for detailed program planning.
Conclusion
The benefits and harms of a stepper depend solely on how seriously you take exercise on the simulator. The stepper can not only raise the tone of the body and improve the well-being of those who practice it, but also help to lose weight or, for example, get rid of cellulite.
True, not everyone can work on this installation. Pregnant women, people who have suffered a heart attack or stroke, and also have the diseases listed above, should not be dealt with.
Before starting a course of exercises on a stepper, it is better to consult with a specialist for contraindications.