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When it comes to losing weight, it’s very important to perform various exercises together which involve your core, legs, arms, and shoulder. Doing a lot of cardio on the treadmill is not the best approach to losing weight because it can lead to muscle atrophy. This means that you can lose muscles during a weight loss process. To avoid that, you should perform some strength training workouts so that your muscles are not lost and all you lose is fat.
You can do so many effective exercises on the stepper. Most of them will not only help you to burn more fat but will also help you in building more muscles. Some of the best stepper exercises are front and lateral step-ups, burpees on the stepper, stepper push-ups, and stepper jumps. We will talk about all of these exercises and a lot more in this blog. I have arranged all the exercises from the lower difficulty level to the higher level. So let’s start with the easier ones first!
Contents
For Beginners
Here you will find some basic easy exercises which are suitable for beginners and seniors. You can perform all these exercises in one circuit to make it a great fat burner workout.
1. Front Step-Ups
This is a basic and the easiest exercise you can do on a stepper. Beginners can start any stepper workout with this move which allows your entire body to prepare for the other major exercises.
How to do
1. Place one foot on the stepper and stand straight with your shoulders pinched back.
2. Now start stepping on the stepper with your front foot without bending your back. Make sure that your knees are in line with the toes.
3. Place both the feet on the stepper and then return to the starting position. Do the same with the other leg.
You can do about 50 step-ups at a medium speed. As you get comfortable with the movement you can increase the speed accordingly. This will increase your heart rate and will warm your body to kickstart the workout. You can also do this at the end of the session to burn some extra calories.
2. Lateral Step-Ups
This is another great exercise for beginners. Side step-ups. Here you will need a good balance and coordination to perform this exercise correctly.
How to do
1. Stand to the side of the stepper and place one leg on the stepper.
2. Step on the stepper with one foot while keeping your back straight and place both feet on the stepper.
3. Return to the starting position and then perform the same with the other leg.
You can do this exercise with more speed to make it a fat burner exercise. Do at least 50 step-ups with both legs and take 30 seconds to rest in between to recover.
3. Dumbbell Step-Ups
This is a regular front step-up done with the dumbbells. Here, dumbbells will add more resistance to the exercise which makes it a little difficult than the regular step-ups.
How to do
1. Place one foot on the stepper and stand straight with your shoulders pinched back.
2. Now start stepping on the stepper with your front foot without bending your back. Make sure that your knees are in line with the toes.
3. Place both the feet on the stepper and then return to the starting position. Do the same with the other leg.
You can start with lighter dumbbells and then move to the heavier ones. Holding a dumbbell during step-ups will engage your abs and other stabilizer muscles during the movement which is a plus point of this exercise.
One of the major mistakes people make here is that they don’t fully place their foot on the stepper. Make sure that your foot is completely on the stepper. Also, don’t lean forward during the movement. Watch the above video to know some other common mistakes to avoid.
4. Stepper Push Back Push Ups
Another great stepper exercise to increase your pushing power. If you have done regular pushups, then this won’t is difficult for you.
How to do
1. Sit on a mat with your knees and place your hands at about shoulder-width on the edge of the stepper.
2. Keep your back straight and abs engaged. Your shoulder should be in line with the arms.
3. Start the exercise by lowering your body and bring your lower chest close to the stepper and hold there for a second.
4. From the bottom position, powerfully push with your arms and bring your body up as shown in the video.
If you find this difficult, then do normal push-ups without bringing your body completely up. You can do 10-12 reps of this with 30-45 seconds rest on between each set.
Intermediate Level
Now we have moved to the intermediate stage! Here the workout will be challenging and will make you burn more calories. So people who can perform beginner-level exercises easily can start with these.
5. Burpee Step-Up
This is a powerful exercise to burn fat! It is a high-intensity exercise that is good for your cardiovascular fitness. This is a whole body exercise that will help in improving muscular endurance and stamina.
How to do
1. Stand close to the stepper and place your hands both at about shoulder-width apart on the stepper.
2. With both feet together, start jumping backward such that your feet go back and get in a push-up position.
3. Again jump and bring your feet close to the stepper and then perform front step-ups.
Try to do about 3 sets of 15 reps of these and take 1-minutes rest in between each set. If this is easier for you then more challenging stuff is coming as you proceed reading further
6. Push Ups with Stepper
This is the basic push-up exercise done on the stepper. Push-ups are great in building amazing upper body strength. This will strengthen your arms, chest, and shoulder muscles.
1. Place both hands on the edge of the stepper at about shoulder-width apart.
2. Place both feet on the floor with your knees and elbow extended while keeping your back straight. This will be your starting position.
3. Start moving your body down and bring the chest closer to the stepper and pause their for a second.
4. Push your body up with your hands and bring the body back to the starting position.
You can do 3 sets of these with about 1-2 minute rest in between each set. Makes sure that your hips don’t drop during the movement. Also, your back should be straight.
7. Stepper Up And Down Push-Up
This exercise is a little advanced exercise that will make your arms and chest strong. It will also strengthen your core and will burn more calories.
How to do
1. Place your hands on the edge of the stepper and stay in a push-up position with your knees extended back straight.
2. Start performing a pushup by lowering the body while keeping your back straight.
3. After that, bring both hands down to the floor while staying in a pushup position and then again do another push-up.
Make sure that you have a quality stopper that doesn’t slip during the exercise. The bottom grip should be strong such that the stepper doesn’t move while you do any pushing exercise on them. It’s always better to invest in quality products to avoid any injuries.
8. Toe Tapping Push-up
Another great way to burn some extra calories. You can do this exercise very easily at home and all you want is just a stepper. Here, we are adding a push-up along with toe-tapping to focus on strength along with endurance.
How to do
1. Stand next to the stepper and start tapping both feet one by one on it. Jump and tap four times without losing balance
2. After that, move your feet back while placing the hands on the stepper and then perform a push-up while keeping your back straight.
3. Jump back towards the starting position and then repeat the exercise.
This will be a great exercise to burn more fat along with building strength. You should do about 12 reps of these with 1 minute rest in between each set.
9. Stepper Lateral Pushups
Another great exercise for your upper body strength. This is a very good functional exercise which will help you in burning fat and building strength at the same time. Your abs will also engage a lot during here which is an added benefit.
How to do
1. Place both hands on the stepper and set yourself in a pushup position just like another exercise we discussed above and that will be your starting position.
2. Start the exercise by moving your hands to the side exactly as shown in the above video and place one hand down at the end.
3. Lower your body and perform a push-up when your one hand is on the floor. Keep your back straight and abs tight during the movement.
4. Come up and repeat the same exercise by moving to the opposite side.
You should have the good arm strength to perform this movement. So people who can’t perform push-ups easily will face difficulty here. Also, the exercises get challenging as we proceed further, so those who are finding these easy, just wait for the big ones!
10. Stepper Box Jumps
Box jumps are a great plyometric exercise, to build power and strength for athletes. Many sports athletes perform box jumps to enhance their sports performance. You should also perform these athletic moves to improve balance and muscle coordination.
How to do
1. Stand at about 1-2 feet away from the box with your hands raised at about shoulder level. Place both feet at about hip-width apart. This will be your starting position.
2. Start the squats by moving your hips back and stop until your legs are parallel to the floor. Your knee should not come in during the movement.
3. Jump from the bottom position and land onto the stepper and then perform a squat. Again jump back to the starting position and then repeat the movement.
Some major points to keep in mind are the form and technique. Make sure that your knees are out whenever you jump and perform a squat. Your knee should remain inside the toes and should not come forward.
Advance Level
Now we will talk about some difficult exercises which you can do to challenge your body to the next level. These exercises could be done by people at an intermediate or advanced level. Beginners should first cross the intermediate stage before jumping right over the advance stage.
11. Stepper Burpee Pushup
This exercise is not as easy as it looks. You need to have good balance and upper body strength to perform them effectively. But still, it’s an easier exercise for advanced lifters.
How to do
1. Stand at about one foot away from the stepper and place both hands on the floor. Then jump and bring your toes on to the stepper.
2. Perform one pushup and then again jump and bring your feet back to the starting position.
This is a great endurance exercise to improve your core strength. This will help you in burning more calories if done properly with the right program design. Do at least 20 reps of these to make it a fat burner exercise.
12. Stepper Lateral Jump Pushup
If you want to lose weight, then this is a great exercise for you. Here you will simultaneously perform burpees with a lateral jump which makes it an intensive exercise. You should definitely try this!
How to do
1. Place one stepper on the floor and stand to the side. Start performing a burpee by placing your hands on the floor and perform a pushup.
2. After performing one burpee, jump over the stepper and land on the other side of the floor without slipping.
3. Perform one more burpee and then continue with the other side.
Make sure that the surface you choose is not slippery otherwise you might slip and can get injured. You should do about 15-20 reps of these with 90 seconds rest in between sets.
13. Jumping Squats on Stepper
If you want to train your legs using the stepper then this exercise is for you. This will train your hamstrings, glutes, and quad muscles. You can do this exercise at the end of the leg workout or you can also add this in a full body circuit training session.
How to do
1. Place both steppers at about 2 feet from each other and stand in between them on the floor. Keep your feet close to each other. This will be your starting position.
2. Start squatting by moving your hips back while keeping your back upright. Stop at the bottom until your quads are parallel to the floor.
3. Bring your body up and jump from halfway on to the stepper. Perform a sumo squat while standing on the stepper.
4. After sumo squats, jump right back to the starting position and then repeat the exercise.
Make sure that your knees are out while performing sumo squats. Your back should also remain straight and upright. You should do about 3 sets of 12 reps of these with about 1 minute of rest in between sets.
14. Stepper Plyometric Pushups
If you love challenges, then you should try this one out. Plyometric exercises are great in building power and strength, which is required in every sport. So athletes can do these exercises to improve their core and pushing power. Also, it is a high-intensity exercise that will help in burning calories if combined with other exercises.
How to do
1. Place 4 steppers at about 2 feet from each other and place both hands and feet on each stepper. Be in a pushup position while keeping your abs tight and back straight. This will be your starting position.
2. Start the pushup by lowering your body and stop until your chest is fully stretched at the bottom. Then push your body up and then jump onto the floor in between the stepper.
3. Perform another pushup and then again jump with your arms and feet and return to the starting position.
This is a difficult exercise that requires a lot of strength and power. So beginners should not try this. Also, you should try first with your hands and then do it with your feet.
Conclusion
So these were some of the best exercises you can do on a stepper. Stepper is a great thing to have at home if you are into fitness. Even if you don’t have time to go to the gym, you can still perform an intensive effective workout at home using a stepper.
If you found this blog helpful then do share it with your friends. If you have any doubts or suggestions then please do mention that in the comment section below.
Also Read
- 7 Best Decline Sit-Up Alternatives (Without Bench)
- Can You Train Shoulder And Chest Together
- Should You Train Back And Chest Together On Same Day?
- 7 Best Ab Rollout Alternatives (With Progression)
- 10 Best One-Arm Row Alternatives (Better and Effective)
Roshan Pillai is an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer with more than 6 years of experience in lifting weights and guiding people to get fit. He has worked as a personal trainer in gyms and is the owner and editor of fitnessproworkout.com. He is passionate about fitness and helping people to get in shape.
