The StairMaster is back. It may have been all about the fitness bike for a good decade or so, but the Stairmaster is about to have a major comeback and it has everything to do with the brand new fitness studio, Bunda.
Bunda is Portuguese slang for ‘butt’ and a nod to the type of targeted toning that happens behind the studio’s doors. Founder Katie Lilly created the signature workout to help clients work the major group of muscles so often weakened by our sitting culture. Working out at Bunda involves half a session on a StairMaster and the other half on “the Bunda chair”. Other workouts factor in to a full week of workouts at Bunda, but everything angles in toward that booty.
Lower body training has many benefits, ranging from fat burning to core and back stability. We asked Bunda’s founder to give us her top secret tips for hitting any StairMaster, Bunda-style…
What makes the StairMaster so effective is that it’s a form of cardio where your foot leaves the ground, making it very metabolic. However, it is still low impact unlike running or jumping. This makes it useful for a wide range of fitness levels and people with knee and lower-back injuries. What makes the steps so unique, compared to other forms of cardio, is that you can move in all different directions. Front to back, side to side and rotation. This isn’t possible on a spin bike or elliptical — and it’s very challenging to do on a treadmill. Moving in different directions is essential to help tone and lift the booty. More importantly, moving in all different directions increases joint mobility and flexibility, making the steps a very functional form of exercise.
Skip a step: Normal single step, just letting one step come out before stepping on the next. This one is great to add some extra resistance for the legs, great for toning the hamstrings(back of legs).
Side Step: Moving laterally targets the outer hips, to not only tone and lift the butt, it also helps strengthen the glute medius (one of the three glute muscles) – this muscle plays a big role in the stabilization of lower back and knee.
Crossover step: Moving the hips through rotation (transverse plane of motion) targets the inner and outer thighs, as well as a lot of core engagement.
Alternating Kickbacks: A move to add some isolation to the glutes. Great for toning the area directly underneath the butt!!!
Single-leg Kickback: Same form as alternating, except just isolating one side before moving to the other.
Pair your StairMaster workout with this booty burning routine.
