She’s not the only one using mini steppers at home to get more steps: There are hundreds of videos on TikTok of veteran fitness influencers and novices bouncing up and down on them. Some peopleLike Pavina, use a stepper In front of the TV; People like TikTok creators Follow, Take them outside Soak up the sun while walking. One creator said, Followchanging her even more. Step session to a mini dance partyAnd abundant Free stepper exercise routines on youtube If you need guidance.
The mini stepper is the latest model of at-home workout equipment, a successor to the under-desk treadmills and walking pads that dominated everyone’s feeds during the pandemic. At its most basic, a mini stepper is a stationary machine with two pedals that move up and down to mimic the movement of climbing stairs. Similar to the exercise you get from walking on a StairMaster or elliptical, it works different muscles in your lower body and core, providing a low-impact workout that gets your heart rate up. But what’s particularly appealing about this machine, as opposed to traditional home workout equipment, is that it comes in a compact package and is much cheaper in price. Most of the popular mini steppers online sell for prices between $50 and $90.
Certified personal trainers say the low barrier to entry for mini-steppers could make them especially appealing to people just starting out in fitness. Kelsey EllisSuch machines can remove many of the barriers that prevent beginners from starting to exercise. For example,Jim BlackmailIt helps to eliminate the anxiety you might feel when working out in public at the gym. Steppers are particularly useful, allowing you to get moving at home without having to pause your favorite TV show.
However, they’re not a one-stop fitness shop, and Ellis recommends supplementing your workout with other types of exercise, like strength and agility training, when possible. Still, “any movement is better than no movement at all,” she says.
Convenience was one of the main reasons Pavina decided to buy her own mini stepper. “It’s not something I’d go out of my way to do,” she told me over the phone while using the stepper, backing up her point. “If I go to the gym, I also have to factor in drive time and waiting in line for the equipment. This is literally in my living room.”
The low price was also a big motivator: “I told my husband, if I can use this to walk around Disney without getting out of breath, I don’t need a gym membership,” she says. Between the cost of a gym membership and the cost of childcare while at the gym, Pavina thinks the stepper is a better option. “I’d rather spend that money at Disney, to be honest,” she adds.
Most steppers available online (including the Niceday Stair Stepper that many fitness influencers pedal on TikTok) allow you to adjust the resistance of the pedals to vary the intensity of your workout. Low resistance makes it easier to pedal, which is good for endurance training. Increasing the resistance makes it harder to step and gets your heart rate up faster. Some steppers that have been trending on social media (such as the Sportsroyals Stair Stepper) have pedals that not only move up and down, but also rotate side to side, making the workout even more challenging.
If you’re thinking about buying a stepper for yourself, Ellis, the personal trainer, recommends checking the weight capacity first. Two of the most popular steppers on TikTok, the Niceday Stair Stepper and the Sportsroyals Stair Stepper, have weight capacities of 300 and 330 pounds, respectively. However, other steppers, such as the Keppi Fitness FitStep500 (350 lbs. capacity) and Noaovo Stair Stepper (400 lbs. capacity), have higher weight capacities.
If you keep doing it, using a stepper can really make a difference. I’ve been using the mini stepper for almost a year now.And she feels that it has helped her. Personal Fitness JourneyWhen she first started using the stepper, she averaged 500 steps per session; now, she can sometimes get as many as 2,000 before getting tired. Because it was so effective, she decided to feature it in her Amazon affiliate store, continuing the mini-stepper cycle of impact.
This article was edited by Hannah Rimm, Catherine Kast, and Maxine Builder.
