Your opinions on...

[Karmic Pendulum]

The stairmaster. I'm extremely curious to find out about this machine - considering everyone in my gym rates it the most difficult machine there. One of the most annoying (and right now it's the most difficult thing to lose..since it's not budging AT ALL with tons of cardio such as running) are my love handles. The shape is FINE, and then you slowly look lower and find these curvy things, then you look even lower and it's good from there on. Is the stairmaster effective in fighting love handles? It is definitely very difficult, especially as a medium pace. I usually handle only 15 minutes for this reason. I get off the machine sweating like a pig. Perhaps the machine is effective but I am doing an incorrect pace and going too slowly to lose anything? Someone, please feel me in - I am desperate to lose the handles and it's killing me.

I rather get the opinion from those who would most likely use such machines. Thank you

 

[musclemom]

The stairmaster. I'm extremely curious to find out about this machine - considering everyone in my gym rates it the most difficult machine there. One of the most annoying (and right now it's the most difficult thing to lose..since it's not budging AT ALL with tons of cardio such as running) are my love handles.

I rather get the opinion from those who would most likely use such machines. Thank you

There is no such thing as spot reduction. You're going to get rid of your love handles through diet. Unfortunately, the abdomen could be one of the last places you drop fat from (I totally emphathize there).

Stairmaster ... I used to have one and got rid of it because I have back trouble and I was told by a trainer that they REALLY beat up the lower back. I got an elliptical trainer, best decision I ever made, hard to do, serious cardio workout, and doesn't stress or strain my lower back. I was impressed with how hard the elliptical trainer is when I was talking to a woman who runs and SHE felt it was a serious cardio workout.

 

[Daisy_Girl]

Any cardio machine will give you a good workout. A good workout is ONLY what YOU put into it. Even a recumbant bike can be hard and make you sweat your ass off. It is all what you put into it. I don't think you should stick with simply ONE machine. Vary your modes of cardio, not only for results, but to eliminate overuse and boredom.

Reducing fat, even in specific areas, is all about diet. You cannot make fat come off in one area more than another. If you are eating a clean, smart diet and training hard, you will lose overall bodyfat. The stubborn areas will remain stubborn no matter what. Everyone has cerain areas that will always remain stubborn. That does NOT mean that the fat will not come off. It just takes time, patience and hard work. Again, I repeat, it is ALL ABOUT DIET.

As for the stairMaster, I prefer the StepMill. That machine is FAR superior to the plain StairMaster.

What is your diet like? SPECIFICS
What is your cardio training like? SPECIFICS
What is your weight training like? SPECIFICS
What are your stats? (age, weight, BF%, etc)

 

[newbiebynature]

i really like the stairmaster...i sweat my balls off on that machine

 

[littlemully]

I like the stair master but I also do 30 min.on either the elliptical or a new machine we have at my gym called the cybrex. The stair master gets boring rather quickly now so I only use it for a quick 10 min. warm up etc.