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The stair climber has seen a huge surge in popularity on social media in recent years. Proponents of the exercise machine rave about its benefits—claiming it can boost cardiovascular fitness, strength and bone health.

Evidence shows the stair climber does have many benefits when it comes to health and fitness. While it doesn't always win out over other types of cardio, there are a few key areas where it has an edge.

One reason for the stair climber's popularity is that it's thought to provide a high-intensity way of boosting cardiovascular fitness.

But when researchers compared the cardiovascular effects of exercising at the same relative intensity on a treadmill versus a stair climber, they found that those using the stair climbers had lower heart rates and oxygen consumption scores. This meant that stair climbing put less stress on the cardiovascular system, which may ultimately lead to smaller fitness gains.

That said, stair climbing has still been shown to be just as effective as brisk treadmill walking in lowering blood pressure. A comparison of stair climbing versus treadmill running also showed it improved cardiorespiratory fitness and even promoted similar increases in running performance.

So the stair climber is about comparable to running when it comes to improving cardiovascular health.

Another reason the stair climber is preferred by many gymgoers is because it's said to improve muscle health and strength more than other forms of cardio.

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