A few years ago I started working from home, and while that's awesome, it also caused me to spend a ridiculous amount of time sitting at my desk, as there's no reason to get up to go to the copier, or consult with a co-worker, etc. I can't always go for a 15 or 20 minute walk several times a day, so I wanted something I could do indoors, and something I could do frequently throughout the day during quick work breaks, to counteract all that sitting. Anything I could think of to do on my own (with no equipment) didn't seem like enough. But I have a tiny apartment and really didn't have room for much in the way of equipment. I knew if it was something that could be folded up to fit in a closet or under the bed, well, it'd probably stay there. I needed something that could sit right in the middle of the living room in plain sight, without being 'in my way.'
This was it, and it's perfect. I get up from my desk every hour to hour and a half or so and do 5 minutes on this stepper. Five minutes isn't a lot to some people, but I'm out of shape so it's a pretty good workout for me (the way I have the tension set), and it gives me moving breaks all day long to break up all that sitting. Of course it could be used for longer sessions, but the point for my purpose wasn't to do a 30 minute cardio workout just on this, but instead to have some way to easily take 5 to 7 breaks during the day and really get my muscles moving and my heart pumping for a few minutes, to counteract all that sitting. This definitely does that.
The stepper came almost completely assembled, you just have to tighten a pulley cable with a knob, and the instructions explain it easily. The resistance bands with handles are adjustable for your height and/or how much resistance you want them to have. They are also optional, you can do the stepper with or without them. I actually usually don't use them.
I have some discomfort in my right knee, and was worried this would be a problem with the type of movement on this machine. Using the stepper while standing completely upright does cause some pain in my knee (tho I may have the tension a little high, too). Sometimes I wear a knee brace, which does help – but I also discovered another trick I like. I put the stepper in front of a sturdy table and lean forward with my hands on the table, sort of the same position you'd be in if you were riding a bike. When I use it that way I have no knee discomfort, and as a bonus, I can do more steps in the same amount of time, because it's a little bit easier.
So overall, I love it, it works great, I've had no problems with it at all. It's very sturdy and feels well built, but it's not too heavy to move around if you need to reposition it. I'd recommend it for anyone, but especially if space is a concern, and even if you're out of shape and can't do much exercise at one time (like a full 30 minute hard core cardio workout) – because with this, you can do just what you can, all throughout the day, and build up.
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