There’s a reason the StairMaster has become such a viral trend. No, scratch that. There are multiple reasons.
Today’s StairMaster routine for beginners, for instance, is an accessible (literally nothing needed more than a StairMaster), sustainable, and time-efficient way to hit your cardio training goals. It’ll also boost your lower body strength and help tone your legs.
Let’s get to it!
The Golden Tip for Step Climber Workouts:
Leaning on the console is a major no-no.
Remember that the main advantage of StairMaster routines over traditional treadmill workouts is that you’re working against gravity a bit more.
It helps to put your hand over your head or your hips. This way, you’re forcing yourself to stabilize from your core.Now, we’re NOT saying “Never use the handles.” You will need the stability boost now and then. Just don’t take the easy way out and shift your weight into the side supports/console.
Warm-Up
Let’s get the blood flowing to our muscles with a simple, joint-friendly warm-up.
How to perform:
- Set the intensity to level 5.
- Brace your core and start climbing.
- Keep going for 3 minutes.
Intensity Climb
Your muscles feel loosened up now? Good. You’ll need it.For the next section, we’re amping up the intensity and focusing on the cardio element of this stair climber workout.
How to perform:
- Raise the intensity to 9.
- Stand upright, preferably with your hands off the handles.
- Climb for 3 minutes.
Hamstring Focus
One possible flaw of the StairMaster is that it’s traditionally used for unidirectional movements. Rely on it solely, and you might end up with weak posterior muscles in the long run.
But the keyword here is “traditionally.” And today’s stairs workout plan is anything but traditional. If anything, it’s inclusive.
To work around the machine’s movement pattern problems, you’ll want to switch directions and target the hamstrings. Now, climbing backwards can be tricky. So, don’t feel bad for holding onto the handles.
How to perform:
- Slow your pace down to an easy level-3 climb.
- Turn around on the machine.
- Hold on for stability, at least at first.
- Start taking steps backwards and keep going for 3 minutes.
Lateral Movement
Fixing the StairMaster’s inherent movement pattern problems doesn’t just mean climbing backwards to work the hamstrings.For a well-rounded leg routine, you also need to target the hip abductors. So, let’s do just that.
How to perform:
- Go up one level.
- Pick a side and turn sideways.
- Keep one hand on the handle for support.
- Take side steps, alternating legs with each step.
- Climb laterally for 3 minutes, switch sides, and go for 3 more minutes.
Power Kickbacks
For the next 3 minutes, we want to pay attention to the glutes with some climbing-kickback combos.
This is also a tricky one, stability-wise. Holding the handles isn’t a terrible idea.
How to perform:
- Turn to face forward.
- Set the machine to level 5.
- Lift one leg off the step and send it backward for a gentle kickback. Squeeze your glute as you push back.
- Set your leg on the next step on the StairMaster.
- Alternate sides with each step.
Abductor Kickouts
Keep your form nice and tight during this outer glute workout, and you’ll really feel it burn!
How to perform:
- Drop the intensity level to 3.
- Turn to the side.
- Set one hand on the console for support (but don’t lean too much!) and the other hand on your hip.
- Lift the “outside” leg and move it laterally to the next step.
- Lift the other leg and move it a step above the outside leg.
- Send your outside leg to the side for a kick out.
- Repeat for 3 minutes, switch sides, and go at it again.
Deep Step-Ups
The StairMaster challenges your endurance and core-driven stability.
However, to get even more StairMaster workout benefits, you need to amp things up in a couple of ways: Intensity and step depth.
This next movement checks both boxes.
How to perform:
- Face forward and hold the handles with both hands.
- Amp up the intensity to level 4.
- Climb in double-steps (i.e., lift one leg, skip one step, and set it on the next).
- Go for 3 minutes.
The Finisher: Squat Jumps
We won’t sugarcoat it: Squat jumps on a stair climber are an INTENSE cardio challenge.
That being said, this is a finisher to a StairMaster routine for fat loss. And the whole point of workout finishers is to go all out for a short period of time.
The good news is that you don’t have to maintain this burst movement for the usual 3-minute interval. One minute will do.
How to perform:
- Increase the machine level to 5.
- Hinge slightly at the hips, almost as if you’re dropping for a squat.
- Hold the handles firmly with both hands. (This is very important here!)
- Wait until your current step gets a bit low and jump up to the next step.
- Land softly to avoid injuring your knees.
- Aim for 60 seconds.
Cool Down
It would be a shame if you were to get slightly light-headed after this killer workout. To avoid this, don’t skip the cool-down phase.
How to perform:
- Reduce the intensity to level 3.
- Climb slowly to allow your heart rate to recover gradually.
Article Medically reviewed by
I’m fitness coach Ashley Castleberry, an NASM-certified personal trainer and nutritionist, as well as a coach on an established YouTube Channel with over 1 million followers. With certifications from major fitness brands, I specialize in athletic, HIIT, and strength training. Leveraging my experience coaching clients on lifestyle changes, I provide customized exercise and nutrition guidance to help people reach their fitness goals, whether that be weight loss, muscle gain or overall health improvement.
