Fitness news
Oct 14, 2026
What Does the StairMaster Actually Do?
Oct 14, 2026- Cardio StairMaster
Benefits, Muscles Worked and How to Get Started
Few pieces of cardio equipment have quite the reputation of the StairMaster. Known for its revolving steps and ability to raise your heart rate quickly, it has become a staple in commercial gyms worldwide. But what makes stair climbing so effective?
More than a machine that makes your legs burn, the StairMaster delivers a challenging cardiovascular workout while engaging major lower-body muscles. For gym members, it offers an effective way to build endurance and add variety to their training. For gym owners, it complements treadmills, bikes and other commercial gym equipment.
Why Does the StairMaster Feel So Hard?
Unlike walking on a flat surface, stair climbing requires you to repeatedly lift your body against gravity. Each step challenges your legs and glutes while your cardiovascular system works to supply oxygen to your muscles.
The continuous stepping motion leaves little opportunity to rest, making even short sessions surprisingly intense. Members can adjust their pace to suit their fitness level, progressing from steady climbing to higher-intensity intervals as their endurance improves.
StairMaster Benefits: What Muscles Does It Work?
While primarily a cardiovascular machine, the StairMaster engages several major muscle groups.
-
Glutes: Help extend the hips and propel the body upwards.
-
Quadriceps: Extend the knees and support each step.
-
Hamstrings: Assist with hip extension and lower-body movement.
-
Calves: Support ankle movement throughout the climb.
-
Core: Helps stabilise the body and maintain an upright posture.
Stair climbing can improve cardiovascular endurance and contribute to energy expenditure and weight-management goals alongside a balanced exercise routine. However, it shouldn't replace dedicated strength training. Combining cardio with resistance exercise supports a more well-rounded approach to fitness.
StairMaster vs Incline Treadmill Walking
Both options provide an effective lower-body cardio workout, but the movement differs.
Incline treadmill walking allows members to adjust speed and gradient, making it versatile for building endurance and managing intensity.
The StairMaster uses continuous stepping to replicate climbing stairs, placing considerable demand on the glutes and quadriceps. Its climbing action can deliver a challenging workout in a relatively short time.
Neither option is universally better. Offering both gives members greater choice and creates a more varied cardio floor.
How to Use the StairMaster: Common Mistakes and a Beginner Workout
Technique matters, even on straightforward cardio equipment. Leaning heavily on the handrails can reduce the work required from the legs, while starting too fast can lead to early fatigue.
Members should maintain an upright posture, take controlled steps and choose a sustainable pace.
The 25-7-2 StairMaster workout:
-
Simply Set the StairMaster to Level 7 and climb for 25 minutes
-
Complete this 2 times a week
A simple 12-minute beginner workout:
-
3 minutes: Warm up
-
5 minutes: Continue at a steady, manageable speed.
-
2 minutes: Reduce the pace.
-
2 minutes: Finish with gentle climbing before stepping off carefully.
Beginners can start with shorter sessions and build gradually. Showing members how to adjust the speed, maintain balance and stop safely can also make the equipment more approachable.
The Original StairMaster in Your Commercial Gym
Since introducing its first rotating stair machine in 1983, StairMaster has become synonymous with challenging, efficient cardio. Its range now includes commercial stairmills and alternative climbing solutions such as Jacob's Ladder.
For gym owners, these machines add variety to the cardio floor and support everything from steady-state endurance to high-intensity intervals.
As a commercial cardio equipment supplier, NovoFit helps gyms select equipment suited to their members, floor space and operational requirements. From 24/7 clubs to leisure centres and hotel gyms, the right cardio mix can create a more engaging training environment.
Choosing the Right StairMaster for Your Gym
Every facility has different requirements. High-traffic gyms may prioritise durability and advanced features, while hotel gyms often need to maximise functionality within a compact footprint.
The StairMaster 10G features OverDrive mode and oversized steps, while the 8Gx offers ergonomic handrails and smooth commercial climbing. The 4G provides a more compact option, and Jacob's Ladder delivers self-powered, angled climbing that engages the upper and lower body.
Explore the StairMaster Range with NovoFit
The StairMaster offers challenging, adaptable cardio that helps members build endurance, engage major lower-body muscles and add variety to their training.
As the official Australian distributor for StairMaster and Core Health & Fitness brands, NovoFit supports commercial gyms, leisure centres and health facilities with tailored equipment solutions.
Our service extends beyond supply, encompassing custom gym design, equipment selection, professional installation, preventative maintenance and ongoing after-sales support. From initial concept to completion, we help facilities find solutions that work for their space, members and business.
Explore the StairMaster range or contact the NovoFit team to discuss your next gym upgrade.
Related posts
Fitness news
Choosing the Right Treadmill for Your Gym
A treadmill is often among the most used machines in a gym. Members notice how it feels underfoot, how easily they can start a workout and whether it is available when they arrive.
- gym treadmill
Fitness news
The Guide to Starting a Hotel Gym
A hotel gym is no longer simply a room with a treadmill, a few dumbbells and a sign on the door.
- gym Hotel
Fitness news
How Gym Technology Is Changing the Way We Train
Walk into a modern gym and the biggest change may not be the equipment itself. It is what is happening behind it.
- egym gym technology
Fitness news
How to Improve Gym Member Retention in 2026
Getting a new member through the door is only half the job. Keeping members engaged for the long term is just as important as attracting them in the first place.
- gym members
Fitness news
How to Choose the Right Reformer for Your Pilates Studio
Choosing the right reformer for your Pilates studio is about more than finding equipment that looks good.
- Pilates Reformer
Fitness news
Nautilus: A Full History of Strength Training
Discover the history of Nautilus, the pioneering strength brand that revolutionised resistance training through innovative biomechanics.
- gym Nautilus Strength
Fitness news
Over $1.2M Raised for Very Special Kids
NovoFit helped power the 2026 Very Special Kids 24-Hour Treadmill Challenge, supplying and maintaining treadmills as the event raised over $1.2 million for seriously ill children and their families.
- Treadmill Challenge VSK
Fitness news
The Momentum of Strength Training
Strength training is not having a moment - it’s maintaining one. For more than a decade,...
- gyms strength
Fitness news
Recovery Spaces with Hyperice & NovoFit
Recovery is no longer an afterthought in the fitness landscape, it's a vital part of the...
- hyperice recovery wellness
Fitness news
The Guide to Building Your Own Gym: Everything You Need to Know
Starting your own gym is an exciting journey, but with so many moving parts, it can...
- boutique guide gym independent
Fitness news
The First Australian EGYM Site at Vitality Village
Australia’s First EGYM Site Launches 2025 marked an exciting milestone for health and fitness in Australia,...
- egym gym technology
Fitness news
Precor: A Legacy of Innovation in Commercial Fitness
Four Decades of Visionary Equipment In an industry that’s always changing and evolving, there’s only...
- History Legacy Precor
Fitness news
Why is Preventative Gym Maintenance So Important?
In the competitive fitness industry landscape, gym owners face the ongoing challenge of delivering exceptional experiences...
- gym maintenance repairs servicing
Fitness news
Creating Your Own Wellness and Recovery Space in 2025
As the global wellness economy continues to expand, there is an increasing demand for fitness facilities...
- hyperice recovery wellness
Fitness news
Scaling Hyper-Personalisation for Fitness Facilities
Tailoring Experiences: Scaling Hyper-Personalisation for Fitness Facilities In Australia’s fast-paced fitness industry, hyper-personalisation has become a...
- egym personalisation wattbike
Fitness news
The Upward Trend of Boutique Gyms and Personalised Fitness
Over the last few years, the fitness industry has seen a strong shift towards boutique gyms...
- boutique gym personalisation
Fitness news
The Strength Training Revolution: Equip Your Gym for the Future
In recent years, strength training has undergone a significant transformation, emerging as one of the most...
- gym strength training