Studies show that low-impact exercise is especially beneficial for the physical and cognitive health of older adults. If you’re looking to get more movement in without putting undue pressure on your joints (or wallet), we spotted a compact, folding, low-impact stair stepper and climbing machine currently on sale for 15% off. Reviewers call the machine a welcome addition to their home setup, calling it “a great workout for an old man” and “a very significant aerobic workout, plus excellent low-impact strength development.” While it usually goes for close to $150, you can nab it today for under $130 — but you have to act fast — this is a lightning deal that ends soon.
Weighing under 30 pounds, the machine “folds into the size of an ironing board,” making it an easy addition to your home setup. One reviewer says it’s “better than a gym membership.”
Made with alloy steel, this compact machine can help you move your legs, glutes and core without forceful landings on your feet, ankles and knees. The machine easily folds up, making it painless to store or move around your space. It can also hold up to 330 pounds.
When you’re ready to move, simply unfold the machine, adjust the handlebars, step height and stride length for intensity and comfort and move as fast or slow as you’d like, gliding your knees up and down. The digital interface tracks your speed, time, steps and calories, and there’s a spot for your phone to follow along with workouts.
“Space-saving design and light enough to transport and maneuver,” one wrote. “…The piston/hydraulic action is smooth and makes very little noise. For reference, I am 5′ 10″ and medium build, have no issues with knocking my knees on the pistons. The legs are sturdy as well and do not shake.”
Reviewers say this machine doesn’t just offer a solid cardio workout; it’s helping them rebuild strength and balance.
This climber lets you move fluidly, without harsh jumps or lifts; fans say it’s helping them regain their confidence while working out and feel physically stronger. Because it has no added resistance, you use your body weight and position to maintain the intensity, ensuring you always feel safe and in control.
“I am an old man who lost his butt muscles and was having back problems. This simple machine has been great for both problems and I’ve only had it a month,” one shopper wrote. “Sturdy, functional, easy to assemble and use-I could not recommend it more.”
66-year-old shopper Errin, who works a sitting desk job, got the machine “to strengthen my quads.” They say, “that set of muscles have gotten noticeably weaker as I’ve aged, and I could tell that the weak quads increased my fall risk. This stepper definitely targets quads! I use it a few times a day, about 50 steps each time. I really think it has helped already.”
Another reviewer, who enjoys the machine for indoor, all-weather fitness, says it’s also been great for their child who has self-described “neurological/motor issues.”
“It is kind of a challenge to find stuff for her to improve her strength and balance,” they wrote. “She uses this, too, and we started at doing ’10 steps’ each time, throughout the day. She’s doing 33 steps each session and does a few throughout the day, plus other activities that help her strength building and balance.”
Others love it for a “FULL BODY workout.”
Per the American Sport And Fitness Association, “low-impact exercise” means movements that don’t have forceful landings or cause “shock absorption” in your joints — like running and jumping. Generally, these movements include having one foot on the ground (or pedal) at all times, making them a great option for older folks and people with mobility limitations, according to the National Library of Medicine.
While the machine certainly targets your bottom half, users say it’s surprisingly versatile, offering “a wide range of motion, depending on how you use it.” (Some even say it makes for great cross-training if you also like to use a rowing machine.)
“You can stand up straight on it, reach your arms into the air, and work your upper body and improve your balance. You could even add free weights. This is GREAT for improving your posture and core stability,” Eva wrote. “…If you stand up and lean back while holding the rails, and hunch over slightly, you can engage your abs. A nice bonus is that this stretches out your low back and gives it a little break.”
Reviewers say this folding climber is a step above the rest. Read more 5-star reviews and grab one on sale.
“Best 100 bucks I ever spent. I am an old man who lost his butt muscles and was having back problems. This simple machine has been great for both problems and I’ve only had it a month. Sturdy, functional, easy to assemble and use- I could not recommend it more.” — Amazon customer
“My gym membership expired in early November of 2012, and being a basic cheapskate, I went online and found this nifty stairstepper, which paid for itself in six weeks, thanks to my newfound freedom from the shared virus and bacteria pool some call a gym. I used to have a Tectrix ClimbMax stairstepper, for which I paid around $3,200 way back in 1999, and it was terrific. This device is about half as nice, but for 1/25th the price.
[…]
I highly recommend this stairstepper as a suitable substitute for much more expensive models from Tectrix, StairMaster, etc., or as an ideal way to get your aerobic conditioning if that’s all you use a gym membership for. I simply could no longer justify driving seven miles round trip to the gym (given that the current government allowance for wear and tear on a car for each mile driven is $0.565, it’s fair to say those “mere 7 miles each day” cost me $3.95 each trip). Back when I was a gym victim, I went an average of 3 1/2 times a week, so I recouped my $120 acquisition cost in transportation costs alone within 9 weeks. Add to this savings the fact that I’m no longer paying a dollar a day for the membership, and I recouped my expense in even less time.
So if you enjoy saving money AND taking responsibility for your own health, buy this. You’ll be thrilled on multiple levels.” — Jean P R“I got this just over one week ago after much research. Years ago I used to walk 3-4 miles per day with a backpack on, and I had great tone in my legs, butt, and stomach. That was when I was a student. Now that I have a job, I’ve spent years sitting in a car and commuting 2 hours a day, so there goes my exercise, and my muscle tone! I still try to walk for a 1/2 hour 3-4 times per week, but it’s not the same.
I ordered this stepper because it was a “climber” stepper, which means taking higher steps which is more work for my butt, legs, and stomach. Boy is it ever! The first night I assembled it (very easy to do) and tried it out, I was completely out of breath in less than a minute! I adjusted the tension to somewhere in the middle that was comfortable, and decided that I would use it a few times every night until I get totally out of breath in order to build up my stamina. It has a little digital meter on it that tells you how much time you’ve worked out, how many steps taken, and how many calories burned. I have only been using this for a few minutes each night, for a total of 34 minutes in the first week of owning it, and already my calves are showing more definition, my stomach and butt is firmer, and I look and feel better! It’s amazing! I can’t wait to see how I look and feel in a few more weeks! I can’t stand the gym, but this thing is actually kind of fun to use while watching TV. It’s great! It’s also pretty compact and fits well into my tiny apartment living room.” — MissC
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