Aerial Stepper Instructions
A significant part of the home fitness equipment industry, aerial steppers are popular exercise machines because they are compact, portable and easy to use. They come with or without resistance bands and usually include a workout computer with LCD screen to track information such as calories burned and steps taken. Companies like Brookstone carry a selection of aerial steppers, including the Aerobic Twisting Stepper and Fold-A-Way Cardio Stepper. Brookstone designed both steppers to provide a combination strength training and cardiovascular workout.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Place the aerial stepper on a solid, level surface. Perform warm-up stretches to loosen muscles and increase blood flow, such as the soleus or quadriceps stretch. Find detailed instructions for warm-up stretches at Net Fit or Women's Heart Foundation.
-
2
Press "Power" or "Mode" to turn the exercise computer on. Press the button repeatedly to cycle through functions and select one. These may include time, total steps, heart rate, odometer or distance. Select "Cycle" to automatically display each function for a few seconds. With the Aerobic Twisting Stepper, an arrow appears to indicate your selection.
-
-
3
Step both feet onto the pedals. If your aerial stepper has a handle, grip it firmly with both hands. Step up and down in a smooth, continuous motion slowly at first, then gradually increase speed until you reach a comfortable pace.
-
4
Add resistance bands or cords. Resistance bands either come fully attached or attach onto the stepper with hooks. The four main arm exercises, according to the Brookstone owner manual for the Aerobic Twisting Stepper, are arm curl, arm extension, arm upright and arm raise.
-
5
Maintain exercise level appropriate for weight, height and age group to reach your target heart rate. For a simple target heart rate calculator based upon your age, visit the Mayo Clinic website. Start at 20 minutes for aerobic exercise and work up to 60-minute workout sessions.
-
6
Cool down. Gradually decrease speed until your heartbeat returns to normal. Step off the stepper and wipe down after each use. Most aerial stepper computers shut off automatically; the Stamina In-Stride Electronic Stepper shuts off after four minutes of disuse.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Use a heart rate monitor to help determine whether you are in your target heart rate zone.
Do not start an exercise program without consulting a physician.
Do not touch the cylinders after prolonged use to avoid burns.
Pregnant women and small children should not use aerobic steppers.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit gym man 3 image by Pavel Losevsky from Fotolia.com
