Every now and then, it is beneficial for gym-goers to hit a cardio session. Even those who are crazy about weight-lifting can’t ignore the benefits that come with cardio and try to do it at least once or twice a week. If you’ve ever been to a gym, you probably notice that the cardio machine that gets the most attention is the Stairmaster. It’s a perfect combination of aerobic fitness and strength training which is why it’s slowly become more popular than the basic treadmill. With that being said, do all major gyms have them? More particularly, does Planet Fitness have Stairmasters?
The majority of Planet Fitness’ locations have between three to five Stairmasters. However, due to that low number, you may have to wait for one of the machines to be available, especially during busy hours.
In this article, we’ll talk more in-depth about if Planet Fitness Have Stairmasters as well as the correct way to use them.
Table of Contents
Does Planet Fitness Have a Stairmaster?
During my body transformation journey, I used to do cardio sessions once per week since I knew neglecting aerobic fitness would only cause me harm in the long term.
Throughout that time, I had a Planet Fitness membership and would go there almost every day.
For some reason, I used to hate treadmills, and to be honest, I still do.
Running for a long duration of time while staring at the same thing over and over again was just not my forte and I prefer running outdoors. If I had no choice but to do that, I would at least need something challenging that would distract me from the boring scenery.
And that’s exactly when I discovered the Stairmasters that I consider to be the perfect combination of cardio and strength training. Not only do they improve your cardiovascular health, but they also strengthen your quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, and pretty much all the effects that come with going up and down the stairs for long periods of time.
At my local Planet Fitness, they had around 5 to 6 Stairmasters all ready for use. However, I used to always wait for one of the machines to be available since they’re taken the majority of the time, especially during busy hours. If you go during the off-peak hours, you won’t experience this problem.
I remember asking one of the staff about the availability of Stairmaster at other Planet Fitness centers, and he said it depends since the equipment is added and removed on a monthly basis, but on average, there are around 3 to 6 Stairmasters per Planet Fitness club.
How to Use the Stairmaster at Planet Fitness?
If you’ve never used a Stairmaster before, I understand how hard it can get, especially with all the buttons that feel more confusing than driving a plane.
Below will be a step-by-step guide on the best way to use the Stairmaster at your local Planet Fitness gym.
Step 1: Warm-Up
Before even thinking about using the Stairmaster, it’s better to warm up your legs first in order to avoid any sort of injury. Walk or lightly jog in your place or do a quick 5-minute session on the treadmill and use a combination of leg stretches to maximize flexibility.
Step 2: Get On the Stairmaster
The first thing that you need to do is to get on the Stairmaster (or get up?) while watching your steps to avoid tripping. Get into a comfortable stance where you’re not too far or too close to the Stairmaster’s console. Do NOT get on it while it’s running, I personally did it one time and it was not a pleasant experience.
Step 3: Press The Big Green “Go” Button
Now that you’re comfortable standing on the Stairmaster, it’s time to get to work. Press the big green “go” button that should normally be at the center of your console. (but this could change depending on the machine).
As soon as you hit the button, you’ll have a 3-second countdown to get ready before the stairs start moving.
After the timer, the stairs will be moving slowly at first and you’re in full control of their speed.
Step 4: Control Your Speed
Now that the stairs are moving, you’ll be in full control of their speed based on the commands that you give to the console. Don’t get distracted by all the other buttons which are all just different types of workouts, ignore them for now until you get used to manual controls. Just focus on the most important buttons, the plus, and minus buttons.
Normally, you should have them both on your Stairmaster’s handrails for ease of use and in the console. But no matter their position, the plus button will increase the speed of the stairs and the minus one will decrease it.
Experiment with the different speeds, and choose one where you feel the most comfortable. The speed variations will appear on the digital square on the left of your machine.
Step 5: Stopping & Getting Off
After you’re done with your workout, it’s time to stop the machine. In order to do that, you have three choices, you either press the red button situated next to the “go” button or at the handrails to stop the machine instantly, or you manually decrease the speed using the minus button until it stops, or you press the “cool-down” button next to the “go” button which will decrease the speed automatically for you to a level where you can easily stop it.
After that, you can safely get off the machine while watching over your steps to avoid tripping.
Conclusion:
If you’ve never used a Stairmaster before, even though I explained how to do it in this article, it’s better to ask a trainer at your local gym to supervise and guide you during your first try in order to minimize risks. I’m sure you’ll find plenty all ready to help you at Planet Fitness.