Work your butt: StairMaster workout for glutes
Are you looking for a new and challenging way to strengthen your glutes? The StairMaster can provide a highly effective glute workout.
You typically might lean towards elliptical machines or treadmills as a low-impact workout that will work your glutes for your cardio training.
However, the StairMaster is a great way to target your glutes and lower body in a short amount of time.
Whether you’re an experienced athlete or just starting out, using the proper form when stair climbing will is an effective way to knock out your cardio.
Why the Stairmaster?
A Stairmaster simulates the motion of climbing stairs by acting as a continuous mini-escalator. All you are required to do is walk up the rotating stairs.
The stairmaster is a machine that I have a love-hate relationship with. I love it because it shapes and strengthens the glutes. Yet, I hate it because it is kicks my tail every time.
Stairmaster climbing isn’t your typical low-impact exercise. The repetitive motion of lifting and propelling your legs forward targets the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and calves.
Your three glute muscles
Your glutes are made up of three muscles:
- Gluteus maximus
- Gluteus medius
- Gluteus minimus
While your gluteus maximus is the largest of the three muscles and makes up the majority of your butt, your medius and minimus are important too.
The gluteus maximus provides the rounded shape of your butt and helps with your hip movement. The gluteus medius and gluteus minimus muscles stabilize your pelvis when you walk or need to stay balanced.
Using the StairMaster can help improve your lower body muscles but will not bulk up your glutes.
The StairMaster provides a cardio workout, building cardiovascular endurance rather than muscle bulk.
Benefits of having strong glutes
The glutes are an important muscle group in your body. Research shows using battle ropes can help improve muscle strength and improve your daily activities.
Improved posture: Strong glutes help keep your hips in a neutral position, improving your posture and reducing back pain.
Better athletic performance: Your glutes are important for jumping, running and squatting. You can perform these activities with more power and stability when they are strong.
Injury prevention: Weak glutes can contribute to injuries in your hips, knees and lower back. Strengthening your glutes can help to prevent these injuries.
Improved balance: Strong glutes can help improve your balance, reducing your risk of falls and injuries.
Better overall health: Exercise that strengthens your glutes can help to improve your cardiovascular fitness and reduce your risk of chronic diseases.
StairMaster exercises
You can easily change the intensity of your workouts by the types of steps you take without having to change the speed.
Single step
Climb normally. Take one step at a time.
Skip a step
Booty and quad burner. Pick a lead leg step to over the second step to the third step. Bring your back leg up to meet the lead leg and then quickly step your lead leg up and over the next step to the third step again. Continue pulling your body up on the same leg. Then switch lead legs. Squeeze through the glute when you pull your back leg up and press through your heels to activate your butt even more.
Tip: Avoid skip a step if you have knee pain.
Side step-ups
Excellent for hips and quads. Turn sideways on the machine and get your bearings. Hold the middle bar with your inside hand for balance. When you’re ready, lift your inside foot to the next step. Quickly move your outside foot to meet it on the same step. Then lift your outside foot up again and so on. Switch sides to work the other leg.
Crossover steps
Side step, right side: Have both hips pointing to the right, bring your hands to the right-side handrails. Your right foot will cross over your left. Focus on engaging the outer right hip and glute.
Side step, left side: Have both hips pointing to the left, bring your hands to the left side handrails. Your left foot will cross over your right. Focus on engaging the outer left hip and glute.
Stairmaster workout routine
This simple, quick, and easy stair climber workout will target your core, glutes, quads, hamstrings, and get your heart rate up. Repeat desired amount of times for a low impact, but killer booty pump cardio session.
Start at a lower speed and increase as you build your endurance. Loosely holding onto the side rails and keeping your upper body upright versus bending over or slouching.
- 1 minute: single step
- 1 minute: skip a step
- 1 minute: side step right
- 1 minute: single step
- 1 minute: side step left
Repeat three times for a total of 15 minutes.
Every round, increase the single step minute by 1 level. You can then decrease the level for the variations. You want the workout to be challenging, but proper form is the most important part.
Want another stairs workout?
Try this 40-minute stairs workout that will fire up your glutes.