StairMaster vs Elliptical: Which One is Better?

Just like squats vs deadlifts, the StairMaster vs elliptical debate is one of the most heated arguments in the fitness world. Both these exercises are regarded as some of the greatest calorie burners out there and are loved by cardio enthusiasts.

As you progress on your fitness journey, you may find die-hard fans of both exercises and start to wonder which exercise is the best for your goals.

Is there even an objective winner in this debate? When should we do each one of these exercises? This article will answer all these questions and more as we put a definitive end to this feud. Read on!

What Is a StairMaster?

Generally, StairMaster is the brand name of the stair step machine,  similar to how jet-skis are actually water bikes or Q-tips are cotton swabs. This machine simulates an endless set of stairs that you climb to work out, just like when you used to climb mall escalators in the opposite direction as a kid.

Climbing stairs to work out isn’t new, people have been doing it since the invention of stairs, and for good reason: it really works when it comes to burning calories. Who doesn’t remember Stallone’s epic stair-climbing scene at the end of the training montage in “Rocky”?

The StairMaster simply makes it easier and more efficient to do so. Since you don’t have to go down the stairs every time you reach the top and you can easily adjust the difficulty settings on the machine to make it a challenging workout.

What Muscles Are Engaged In the StairMaster?

The StairMaster is a full lower-body workout in its own right since it engages all your leg muscles such as quads, glutes (maximus, medius and minimus), hamstrings, calves and you even get some core muscle activation as well.

However, it’s important to note that the most activated muscles during a session of StairMaster are the glutes, so they are an awesome choice if you want to say goodbye to a pancake butt.

What Is an Elliptical?

The Elliptical is probably the second most famous cardio machine out there, with the first place being the classic treadmill. Even if you’re too lazy to workout, you’ve probably stood on an elliptical just to see how it feels.

It consists of a machine with two suspended pedals and two handles you can grab onto. It mimics the motion of walking or running, depending on the speed, with the benefit of being very low-impact if compared to other cardio options due to its gliding motion.

This means the elliptical is a great option if you’re recovering from an injury or can’t put your ankles, knees, and hips under stress for any other reason.

What Muscles Are Engaged In The Elliptical?

The elliptical is a full-body workout engaging several muscle groups. Here’s a quick list of all of them:

• Core Muscles
• Quadriceps
• Glutes
• Hamstrings
• Calves
• Rhomboids
• Trapezius
• Pectoral Muscles
• Biceps
• Deltoids

The key factors here are the handles on the elliptical, allowing it to engage upper body muscles, especially the back, depending on the strength you pull them. However, not every single muscle in this list is going to be engaged with the same intensity.

Besides, the elliptical focus is cardio, and it does not compare to other exercises such as compound back and compound bicep exercises.

StairMaster Vs. Elliptical: Which One Burns More Calories?

Before we get into the calorie-burning efficiency of StairMaster vs elliptical, it’s important to disclose some information:

• Heavier people tend to burn more calories than people on the lighter side of the spectrum.

• Men tend to burn more calories than women in general due to differences in muscle mass.

• If you’re fit, you may burn fewer calories doing the same exercise as someone who’s not because your body is more adapted to the exercise. You can counteract this by varying your cardio exercises.

This is all to say that calorie burning is situational, and not everyone is going to have the same results doing the same exercises.

Nonetheless, a Harvard Medical School study pointed out that 30 minutes of StairMaster can burn something around 180 to 252 calories depending on weight. While the same 30 minutes on the elliptical will burn you 270 to 378 calories depending on weight.

StairMaster Vs Elliptical: Which One Should You Have at Home?

If you want to choose one of these 2 equipment to have at home, there are some factors you should consider. The first thing you should think about is your fitness goals.

• Do you want to lose weight and give yourself a light full-body workout? Then perhaps the Elliptical is the better option since it will put you into a calorie deficit more efficiently.

• Do you already have a home gym set up and want to give your leg equipment more attention? Then maybe the StairMaster is ideal for you since it has a bigger focus on the lower body while still being highly effective cardio.

Both these machines have similar price points, with the cheapest ones starting at around $200 and they can get as expensive as $4000. Perhaps you don’t need the best model available, but we also suggest doing your research and choosing a product that’s worth it and will last.

What Other People Think of StairMaster Vs Elliptical?

Both the StairMaster and the elliptical have been around for ages now, and a ton of people have had the chance to have a say in this debate. Let’s look at some opinions online and get a better understanding of what people think:

For example, Reddit user Red-n-Gold has very interesting thoughts on the matter:

“Elliptical vs Stairmaster: They both recruit the gluteus muscles and your quads. Note that the stairmaster will mostly use your gluteus muscles. It also repeats one movement in a small range of motion while the Elliptical has a greater range. Because of the range of motion and the fact that you can use your hands, It will then be easier to reach a cardio effective effort on the elliptical.”

User Vampedvixen urges us to think about the variety of exercises:

“Something I've found helpful is actually switching between different forms of cardio. Your body will get used to doing the same thing every day and will burn fewer calories once it figures out how to do it effectively. Also, you run less risk of repetitive stress injuries if you switch it up a bit.”

Finally, user Jackydee40 is very fond of the StairMaster:

“I have been using the stair master now for about two months. It is a magnificent piece of equipment! I really didn't have the patience to do cardio on the elliptical machine, rowing machine or treadmill. They all took too long to burn calories. The stairmaster burns calories FAR quicker than these other gym cardio machines. It's fair to say the stair master has completely changed my gym routine. I have become kinda addicted to cardio; I blame the stair master. You will not regret using it imo.”

StairMaster Vs Elliptical: Which One Is Better?

If you’ve read this far, you have probably guessed that there's no right answer when picking between the StairMaster vs the elliptical. Both these machines are excellent calorie burners but have different secondary purposes.

Another point to consider is the muscle recruitment of each machine and how easy it is to get a proper cardio workout. Chances are that you’ll get muscle fatigue before you’ve gone all out on your cardio training if you’re new to the StairMaster.

In contrast, the elliptical’s gentle movement and full body effort may make it easier to reach your cardio peak performance.

At the same time, if you’re doing cardio on leg day, you may want to try the StairMaster since it has a bigger focus on the lower body.

Finally, perhaps you simply enjoy doing one more than the other without any real reasonable explanation. That’s a valid reason to pick a favorite as well.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this article has cleared your doubts and has about the StairMaster vs elliptical debate once and for all.

Ready to conquer the body of a Greek god? We’ve made it simple to work on customized fitness plans or to introduce a little friendly competition to your fitness community by sharing exercises with your friends. Get started for free through the Flex fitness app.