The stair climber and cross trainer are not only big-time kilojoule scorchers; they can sculpt your hips, legs and bum, and are kind to your body in the process. To make the most of your time on the machines, follow these fitness gurus’ tips for a killer fat-burning routine.
THE WORKOUT:
Begin with a five-minute warm-up on the stair climber or cross trainer at a low intensity – you should be able to carry on a conversation. Then increase the resistance by one level (or two per cent) for one minute. Return to your warm-up pace for one minute. Then up the resistance two levels (four per cent) for another minute and recover at warm-up pace for one minute. Continue this pattern, increasing your resistance each time, until you reach an intensity at which you can no longer huff out words (or you hit the maximum resistance on the machine). Aim for six intervals. Then begin dropping your intervals the same way, minute-by-minute, until you’re back where you started. Finish with a five-minute cool-down.
STAIR CLIMBER TIPS
Step right up – use personal trainer Amy Gantwerk’s strategies for perfect form on the stair climber:1. Keep your body upright, with your hips centered over your legs.
2. Place your hands gently on the machine, elbows bent at 90º, or by your sides, moving back and forth as if you’re running.
3. Press your entire heel down on the step. This forces your glutes and hamstrings to work, instead of just those calves. Avoid pushing the step all the way down or letting it come all the way back up. This can make your pelvis sway up and down, which can end up leading to soreness and injury.
4. Your form slips when your mind drifts. Stay focused on squeezing your glutes every time you press your heel into the step.
CROSS TRAINER TIPS
Richie Gibson, owner of Brisbane’s Jetts 24-hour gym, offers these pointers for using the cross trainer:1. Put some oomph into the push and pull with your hands to burn 20 per cent more kilojoules.
2. Keep your head and neck long. Put your shoulderblades “in your back pocket” – keep them down.
3. To really work your core, imagine someone is pulling your perineum up into your body. This will make you contract your pelvic floor muscles.
4. To take the pressure off your back, always make sure your knees are bent, even just slightly. Take it further and semi-squat as you do the movement – this will isolate big muscle groups such as the quads, hamstrings and glutes.
5. Switch to a backwards motion – this will help improve your coordination. You can do it!
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