Of all cardio machines to step into the spotlight over the last five years, none have seen their popularity elevated like the StairMaster StepMill. After their creation in the 80’s, and reaching its peak in the early 90’s, the popularity of the StepMill decreased with the rise of the elliptical and improving treadmill technologies. However, due in part to the indisputable benefits of stairclimbing and the StepMill’s growing social media presence, we have seen a resurgence of people flocking back to one of the toughest workouts in the gym.

Thanks to a report put out by ECOFIT and data from Google Trends, we can see statistically how significant the growth of interest in and use of the StepMill has been over other cardio. Interest in StairMaster and StepMills has increased by around 64% over the last five years. ECOFIT attributes this rise in interest to increased usage in their report stating, “The StepMill popularity trend is as impressive as it is obvious. We’ve collected data from 967 clubs across North America, that varied in club type and member quantity. Then compared the equipment usage data of each cardio machine available. In every instance, ECOFIT data shows that StepMills are the second most popular cardio machine.”

A big part of the increased interest in StepMills, is due to their growing popularity on social media. Many users have turned to social media to post their workouts and boast their accomplishments with hashtags like #stairmonster. The love hate relationship with StepMills and StairMaster has taken a life of its own on platforms like Twitter and Instagram.

Beyond sheer toughness, many users have been drawn to stair climbing and StepMills because of the benefits associated with them. Beyond being a fantastic way to shape your glutes, the StepMill is great for both aerobic and anaerobic conditioning, allowing you to build strength while getting an intense cardio workout. Falling in the realm of high intensity, the StepMill is also more efficient than other cardio, allowing you to burn more calories per minute than jogging or using an elliptical. The StepMill allows you to get more done in less time. It has found its way into the workouts of runners & body builders, gym newbies & gym rats, and the young & old alike. With its ability to appeal to such a broad audience, it is no surprise that the StepMill has seen the growth that it has in recent years. And with so many benefits going for it, it is likely that the StepMill’s popularity will continue for the foreseeable future.

Return to Blog