Is there any muscle benefit for the legs from doing the stepper or stair master?
obviously its no substitute for squats and doing the stepper isnt going to build a lot of mass in my legs, but I need a short term leg exercise.
I’m working through some back problems which restrict me from doing lifts with overhead presses or weight on my shoulders.
the stepper is more for the cardiovascular system, rather than the musculoskeletal system.
how about some single leg work? squats, lunges, single leg RDLs etc.
I;m not sure what a stepper is…but assuming its a wooden block, it all depends on how high the step is relative to your knee location. If its at knee height or higher , you may find yourself struggling to do more than 20-30 repetitions with no added weight and simply holding a dumbbell in each hand will let you elicit some hypertrophy potential.
And yes, the “Berardi boy” gave it to you straight, so I take it its more a spring loaded mini stair stepper with low step height (you can take the moniker as a compliment, jf).
[quote]Azzurri wrote:
Is there any muscle benefit for the legs from doing the stepper or stair master?
obviously its no substitute for squats and doing the stepper isnt going to build a lot of mass in my legs, but I need a short term leg exercise.
I’m working through some back problems which restrict me from doing lifts with overhead presses or weight on my shoulders.
[/quote]
Can you hang weights from a belt? Or does that still aggravate your back?
long periods of time on stairmaster will give you big legs, but you need weights to harden them
hanging weights is okay.
[quote]Joe D. wrote:
Can you hang weights from a belt? Or does that still aggravate your back?[/quote]
Or use dumbbells.
Sissy Squats?
Strick form leg press?
Leg extensions.
sumo squats.
[quote]Boxer666 wrote:
long periods of time on stairmaster will give you big legs, but you need weights to harden them[/quote]
WTF? No.
[quote]Boxer666 wrote:
long periods of time on stairmaster will give you big legs, but you need weights to harden them[/quote]
I hope you realize that makes no sense whatsoever
[quote]Boxer666 wrote:
long periods of time on stairmaster will give you big legs, but you need weights to harden them[/quote]
This is not true Boxer.
Some people do swear by running sprints on stairs for big legs, but I can’t really say I see a difference whenever I am doing sprints. Long periods with low intensity? No, that will not make your legs big at all. Smaller? Perhaps.
[quote]doctasarge wrote:
Long periods with low intensity? No, that will not make your legs big at all. Smaller? Perhaps.[/quote]
Smaller? I don’t agree with that either.
[quote]PF_88 wrote:
doctasarge wrote:
Long periods with low intensity? No, that will not make your legs big at all. Smaller? Perhaps.
Smaller? I don’t agree with that either.[/quote]
Hence the perhaps. It was not a definitive statement. You could be right, but I was just saying that high amounts of low intensity cardio may get in the way when training legs. I’ve also observed quite a few endurance runners with pretty damn small legs (may just be a correlation and not the cause, but just an observation). Sprinters on the other hand usually have pretty big legs.
True, most runners do have small legs, but from what I’ve heard ALL they do is run. I run, but also squat and DL and what not.
Now, I run because I have to, and honestly if i didn’t have to I’d keep my out of the gym lower body workouts just to sprints and sled drags. Running to me does nothing for leg size, and I’d prolly take it out, but it’s never gotten in the way of my leg training.
That’s cool man. If it works for you then it’s all good. I run too, but it seems to slow my leg progress in the gym. Could be other reasons though too and it’s probably not a big effect even if it’s there.
The STEPPER this has to be a joke right?
Weighted Lunges
Goblet squats
Lumberjack squats
Hack squats
Box jumps
Weighted step up’s
Hill sprints
Sled drags
The list goes on and on, stop being so lazy and do something your body will thank you for. Stepper… F&*^ me!
Are you talking about the thing that’s like an escalator? With real steps? That thing will kick your ass. It’s not optimal for muscle gain, but you will get stronger. Hanging weights are a better idea, but using injury time to experiment is also a good idea.
[quote]Boxer666 wrote:
long periods of time on stairmaster will give you big legs, but you need weights to harden them[/quote]
Lulz.
I agree.
to quote the great vince lombardi, wtf is going out here?!
please this thread is making me nautious. expecting hypertrophy from cardio? “hardening” muscles? am I reading womens muscle and fitness?
sure some muscular growth may occur, but not much. can this settle it?