The stairs to hell

I've written about this beast before, but figured it was worth revisiting.

Does your gym have one of these?  Have you used it?  If not, I definitely suggest giving it a try if you're looking to mix things up.

This machine gets my heart rate up and the sweat pouring like no other machine.

Lately I've been using it for 15 minutes.  I start out relatively slow for the first 5 minutes and then add a level every 3 minutes or so, although it varies.  I try to really push myself for the final minute.  Just the warm up 5 has my heart rate up and my legs wondering how they're going to make it through the next 10 minutes.

When I get off the machine after 15 minutes I look as though I've just run a marathon, or fought a battle.  I am out of breath and seriously covered in sweat.  It blows my mind that just 15 minutes can have that effect.

If you give it a try, remember, it's all about the legs, so use the handle bars for balance, not support.  I frequently see people hunched over the handlebars holding themselves up because the level they're working at is too high.  The machine takes some getting used to.  It usually takes me a few minutes to be able to look up (as opposed to watching my feet and the steps so I don't fall), but then I change the level and have to acclimate all over again.

Thing is, your high up in the air, so if you lose your footing you might really fall.  That's a little intimidating.  But if you can get past that, it's a nice vantage point.