For on-demand workouts — plus fitness challenges, meal plans and inspiration — download the Start TODAY app!
“Take the stairs” is common advice for getting more activity into your daily routine — and for good reason. Aside from the fact that stairs are typically easy to access, climbing them is a low-impact workout that provides both cardio and strength training benefits. Not to mention, it delivers a serious calorie burn. According to the American Council on Exercise, just 30 minutes on the stair climber can burn around 272 calories.
Knowing this, it makes sense that most gym setups feature at least a few stair climber machines for members to take advantage of. But how many stairs do you have to climb to see results, and how frequently?
TikTok fitness personality Camilla Akbas claims she found the sweet spot with her viral 25-7-2 StairMaster workout. To prepare for a pageant she was competing in, Akbas dedicated two days per week to climbing the stair climber at level 7 for 25 minutes, without holding onto the handrails. The result? More pronounced abdominal muscles in just eight weeks.
Since her StairMaster workout first went viral in September of 2021, TikTok has been flooded with people posting their own results after following the routine. Akbas previously told TODAY that the key to seeing results is to climb hands-free, activating your core instead of relying on the handlebars to support your body weight.
Other influencers, like Jamaal Banks, have also sung the StairMaster’s praises. In one video, he stated, “If you want to lose fat and tone your body, then the StairMaster is your friend,” noting the changes in his body when he stuck to stair climber training consistently.
But is using the stair climber a safe workout for everyone? And can you really see results by climbing just twice per week? Here's everything you need to know about safely incorporating the 25-7-2 StairMaster workout into your routine.
StairMaster benefits
Experts agree that stair climber machines deliver an effective workout — with health benefits that go beyond the number on the scale. The cardio workout you get from the machine is great for heart health, says N’Namdi Nelson, exercise physiologist at NYU Langone’s Sports Performance Center, adding that consistent use of the StairMaster improves cardiovascular health by reducing resting blood pressure and body fat — both risk factors for coronary heart disease. Consistently challenging your heart to work harder by climbing stairs improves endurance and cardiovascular stamina, so you may feel the workout becomes easier over time.
Using a stair climber also delivers strength-training benefits, particularly for the lower body. “On the StairMaster, you’re using bodyweight strength going from one leg to the next,” explains Dr. Jordan Metzl, a sports medicine physician at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. “You’re building a lot of glute, hamstring, quad, and core strength in the process.” This type of bodyweight exercise builds functional strength, or the kind of strength we use in our daily lives, which can help decrease the risk of injury and improve coordination.
The stair climber is also a low-impact workout, which is beneficial for joint health. “As you are stepping in a controlled manner, you’re placing less stress on the joints versus running or jumping,” Nelson explains. Even though using the stair climber is a low-impact workout, it’s still considered intense exercise. “Stair climber workouts fall higher on the excursion scale, which is how we rate exercise,” says Metzl. “Just walk up the stairs once or twice, and you can see that it’s hard — doing that for 25 minutes in a row is intense.”
What is the 25-7-2 workout?
The stair climber workout consists of using the machine hands free, focusing on these three key metrics:
- Time: 25 minutes
- Speed: Level 7
- Frequency: 2 times per week
Is the 25-7-2 workout safe?
Fitness influencers make the 25-7-2 workout look almost effortless on TikTok. But Metzl recommends adjusting your expectations and going at your own pace if you’re not a gym regular. “Most of these influencers have been doing what they’re doing for a long time — so if you haven’t, it’s not reasonable to jump in and try to do it at the same level they’ve been doing it at.”
That said, whether or not the 25-7-2 workout is safe for you largely depends on your current fitness level. “If you’re someone who doesn’t engage in regular cardiovascular exercise then this workout may be too intense,” says Nelson. He recommends that beginners start slowly and gradually on the stair climber machine, working their way up to the time and level outlined in the 25-7-2 workout. “This exercise also involves a certain level of balance and coordination, so I recommend holding onto the rails until you’re comfortable not using them,” he adds.
Is the 25-7-2 workout good for weight loss?
The results you’ll see doing the 25-7-2 workout also largely depend on your current fitness level. After doing this workout for one month as a beginner, Nelson says you may notice increased stamina and a change in body composition.
Initially, you may notice some weight loss, but experts agree that any results you see from doing this workout will likely plateau eventually. While any amount of exercise is better than none, the frequency of working out only twice per week isn’t enough to see meaningful results long term. “The evidence we have on the medicine of exercise is that 150 minutes per week, best spread out over five days, will have the biggest impact,” says Metzl. “Doing this twice per week can complement other workouts well, but it’s not enough.”
The 25-7-2 workout will also deliver short-term heart health and conditioning benefits. “25-7-2 is effective for increasing your cardiovascular health, especially if you’re in the later stages of the beginner to intermediate phase of fitness,” says Nelson. “But once acclimated to this, you will need to increase the intensity and duration to see continued results.”
Will the 25-7-2 workout give you abs?
Akbas previously told TODAY that her trainer recommended this as an ab workout over more common exercises like crunches, situps, or abdominal workout machines. While Abkas and others saw toning results in the midsection from following this routine, Metzl says it’s important to note that not everyone should expect the same results. “One downside is that these types of videos can create a lot of false expectations about what one can reasonably expect their bodies to do based on their own level of athleticism,” he cautions.
You won’t suddenly wake up with a six pack by doing the 25-7-2 workout alone. But combined with a consistently healthy diet and a well-rounded exercise routine, incorporating the 25-7-2 can help strengthen your abdominal muscles. The key to this lies in using the stair climber hands free, relying only on your core muscles to stabilize yourself. Keeping your body upright as it experiences the instability of walking up steps puts a high load on the abdominals, Metzl previously explained to TODAY.
How to safely add the 25-7-2 workout to your workout routine
- Modify by holding the rails. When trying this workout for the first time, Nelson strongly recommends holding on to the stair climber handles for support. Once acclimated, try doing periods of holding on and letting go until you’re able to complete the time without holding on.
- Go at your own pace. Start walking at a low-intensity level on the stair climber, then gradually work up to a higher intensity speed and duration. “Focus on maintaining proper form, and if you feel your form breaking don’t be afraid to slow down the speed,” says Nelson. Wearing comfortable clothing and sneakers can also enhance your experience, he adds.
- For beginners, add a third day of exercise. Nelson recommends adding a strength-training day into the mix in addition to the 25-7-2 workout twice a week. This additional day can be an opportunity to focus on weight-training movements that strengthen body parts less utilized on the stair climber, such as the upper body. Ideally, Nelson says the goal would be to work up to a five-day-per-week workout schedule, with two days focused on strength training and three days focused on aerobic activity, which can include the 25-7-2.
- Vary your workouts. Metzl recommends that beginners offset the 25-7-2 with two to three days of less intense workouts. “Maybe less intense days are yoga or Pilates or something else you enjoy,” he says. Metzl recommends slowly incorporating activities like running or high-intensity interval training on more intense days to complement the 25-7-5 as your fitness level increases.
- Have fun. As Metzl puts it, smiling is the number one factor for fitness compliance. “If you’re smiling while doing it, you’re much more likely to stick with it,” he says. If you hate the stair climber, don’t force yourself through the 25-7-2 just because it looks cool on TikTok. There are plenty of other workouts out there that will help you achieve your fitness goals. Find one you enjoy and will stick with.
