Cardiovascular fitness is essential to a healthy life. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults get a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercises weekly.When you do regular cardio your blood pressure decreases as does your resting heart rate. This means your heart doesn’t have to work as hard to keep you alive which is a very good thing! It also improves blood flow to your brain which help with memory and thinking and it also decreases the risk of erectile dysfunction in men and leads to enhanced arousal for women.
Cardio also improves your circulation for healthier, clearer skin and helps control blood sugar. With all these benefits there is no excuse not to have a regular cardio exercise routine.
If you are busy with a family, career, or other distractions in life it can sometimes be hard to find the time to exercise. But let me tell you something that you already know. You must make the time to take care of yourself!
There is one exercise that I have found at the gym that gives you the best cardio workout as efficiently as possible and that is the Stairmaster. This is the intimidating escalator looking machine at your local gym. But let me tell you, you don’t need to be intimated. It is easy to use and will give you one of the best cardio workouts you will find on the planet!
Why the Stairmaster is the best cardio workout
If you only have 20 minutes to exercise the StairMaster is perfect. I guarantee you that after 20 minutes of mild intensity on this machine you will be drenched in sweat. The StairMaster works out your calves, butt, quads, and hamstrings. It is a great way to burn calories and fat and build lean muscle mass. After work I go to the gym for 30 minutes and most days this is the only thing I do along with some brief stretching. After sitting around at work all day at my desk or at meetings it really feels good to get the blood flowing and to work up a sweat.
Tone up your lower body
Every step you take engages your glutes, calves, quads, and hamstrings. And who doesn’t want a nice butt? This is a nice bonus while keeping your heart and lungs strong!
Lose weight
You can burn some serious calories on the StairMaster. During some of my more intense sessions I have burned over 1100 calories. This can lead to some nice weight loss over time if that is your goal.
Low impact
Compared to running on the treadmill the StairMaster is easy on your joints and your knees. As you age you will appreciate this when your knees aren’t popping every time you take a step.
You will feel better
It’s hard to feel stressed out and anxious when you are in the middle of an intense workout. You will not only be be burning calories but also a ton of negative mental energy. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten on the Stairmaster dealing with high anxiety and stress and feeling so much better after my workout was over.
So what are you waiting for? Get to the gym and give the StairMaster a chance. You might just be surprised with the results!
If you have the resources it might be worth buying one. Check out the latest price on Stairmasters at Amazon
1 Comment
I love the stair master. It is a tough workout.