The StairMaster is An Amazing Machine
Written: May 09 '00 (Updated Feb 17 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great workout, heart rate monitor
Cons: Doesn't have a good magazine holder
The Bottom Line: An amazing workout..one of the hardest, in my opinion..but that's good!
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| jo.com's Full Review: Stairmaster 4400CL |
I never liked stairmasters until yesterday; then I found my latest favorite cardiovascular workout.
My gym had the usual variety of stairsteppers and I hated them all. They just got new Stairmasters which are being reviewed here. There are a lot of features that make this machine outstanding. Probably the most practical feature for me is that I could use it!! I find others almost impossible to step on. I sink:) or can't change intensities quickly enough, which is very important if you have the intensity set high for a short interval and want it dropped quickly.
This has a heart rate monitor; the first piece of equipment in my gym to have that option. It is an option I love. In my opinion, you can't get a good/great workout unless you know how intensely your heart is pumping. Unless you have a heart rate monitor you really don't know for sure and most of us work at less than optimum capacity even though it feels like we are working HARD. Now we can't cheat because this machine says it all.
It also has comfortable steps and is designed in a way that it is comfortable to use. No back pain, no knee pain...no pain (except the good kind). I love the water bottle holder and the holder specifically made for a CD player or tape player. (Re: the CD holder: I wrote the previous sentence BEFORE I used it; I just knew it had one. At the gym today I actually had my CD player and COULD NOT use it because of the nature of the stairstepper - not because of the manufacturer. I found that it bounces too much for the CD player to work even with my 40 second anti-skip device. So just to note: this is NOT a machine you can listen to your CDs on.)
Get ready for a great workout! But don't worry, you can start out with an intensity of 1 which is very comfortable and work up to 10 which will have you huffing and puffing. The highest intensity level is 20 and I'd like to meet someone who can do that!! Enjoy
Other reviews you may be interested in:
Thane Ab-DOer
NordicTrack Classic Pro
Precor Stationary Bike
StairMaster
Precor Elliptical Machine
Precor Stretch Trainer
Cybex Treadmill
ConceptII Rower
Recommended:
Yes
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