RIRLift app icon RIRLift

Exercises

Stairmaster warm up: before a climb, and as a leg-day warm-up

Published October 24, 2026

Before the StairMaster, walk on a flat treadmill for 3 minutes, do 10 bodyweight squats, 10 leg swings each way per leg, a set of clamshells and 12 calf raises off a step, then 10 step-ups per leg on a low box. Start the machine at its slowest level for the first 2 minutes and raise it one level each minute after that. About 8 minutes in total. If you use the StairMaster to warm up for legs, 5 easy minutes is enough before your first lift's warm-up sets.

  1. Treadmill Walk Quads, Glutes, Calves
  2. Bodyweight Squat Quads
  3. Leg Swings Hamstrings, Glutes
  4. Clamshell Abductors
  5. Standing Calf Raise Calves
  6. Step-Up Quads, Glutes
  7. Stair Climber Quads, Glutes, Calves

Step 1: easy walking (3 minutes)

A flat walk raises your heart rate before you start climbing. If you skip it, use the StairMaster's slowest speed for 3 minutes instead.

Raise, flat walk

Treadmill Walk

Quads, Glutes, Calves

A flat walk is gentler than climbing and gets you breathing a little harder before the steps.

How to do it

  1. Step on with the belt stopped, clip the safety key, and start at a slow walk.
  2. Raise the speed in small steps until you walk briskly with a full arm swing.
  3. Add a little incline in the final minute if the session starts uphill.
  4. Keep your hands off the rails so your legs carry you.

Cues

  • Eyes ahead, not on your feet
  • Heel, then toe, every step

Common mistakes

  • Holding the handrails
  • Jumping to running speed in the first minute

Swap for: Brisk Walk, Treadmill Run

Build a session with Treadmill Walk

Step 2: hips, knees and ankles (2 minutes)

Climbing bends the hips and knees more than walking. Squats and leg swings move them through that range.

Hip and knee range

Bodyweight Squat

Quads

Ten slow squats take your hips and knees deeper than a stair step does.

How to do it

  1. Set your feet about shoulder-width apart.
  2. Send your hips back and bend your knees to sit down between your heels.
  3. Go as deep as you can while the heels stay flat.
  4. Drive the floor away to stand up.

Cues

  • Knees follow the toes
  • Whole foot planted

Common mistakes

  • Knees caving in
  • Heels coming up

Swap for: Cossack Squat, Step-Up

Build a session with Bodyweight Squat

Hip mobility

Leg Swings

Hamstrings, Glutes

Swings loosen the hip flexors and hamstrings, which work hard on each step.

How to do it

  1. Stand side-on to a wall or rail and hold it with one hand.
  2. Swing the outside leg forward and back like a pendulum, small at first.
  3. Let each swing travel a bit farther while your torso stays upright.
  4. Finish the count, turn around, and swing the other leg.

Cues

  • Loose leg, still torso
  • A little bigger each swing

Common mistakes

  • Arching the lower back on the backswing
  • Forcing full range on the first rep

Swap for: Standing Cable Hip Flexion, Cossack Squat

Build a session with Leg Swings

Ankle mobility

Ankle Circles

Calves

Your ankle bends on every step. A few circles each way get it moving fully.

How to do it

  1. Hold a support and stand on one foot, or sit, with the other foot off the floor.
  2. Trace slow, full circles with your toes, moving only at the ankle.
  3. Do the count one way, then reverse.
  4. Change feet.

Cues

  • As big a circle as you can draw
  • Slow and even

Common mistakes

  • Turning the whole leg instead of the ankle
  • Rushing the circles

Swap for: Single-Leg Calf Raise, Standing Calf Raise

Build a session with Ankle Circles

Step 3: glutes and calves (2 minutes)

Every step on the stair climber is pushed by the glutes and calves. One short set of each wakes them up.

Glute activation

Clamshell

Abductors

The side of the hip keeps your knee in line on each step; a short set wakes it up.

How to do it

  1. Lie on one side, knees bent and heels stacked.
  2. Keep the heels touching and open the top knee like a shell.
  3. Stop before your pelvis rolls back, then lower slowly.
  4. Finish the count and turn over.

Cues

  • Heels stay together
  • Hips stacked

Common mistakes

  • Rolling the hips back to lift higher
  • Speeding through

Swap for: Fire Hydrant, Lateral Band Walk

Build a session with Clamshell

Calf activation

Standing Calf Raise

Calves

Calf raises off a step, with a full stretch, prepare the calves for the climb.

How to do it

  1. Stand with the front of your feet on a step and the heels hanging off.
  2. Let the heels sink below the step.
  3. Press up as high as you can onto your toes.
  4. Hold at the top a moment, then lower under control.

Cues

  • Full range
  • Pause at the top

Common mistakes

  • Bouncing at the bottom
  • Bending the knees to help

Swap for: Single-Leg Calf Raise, Ankle Circles

Build a session with Standing Calf Raise

Step 4: step-ups, then the slow climb

Step-ups rehearse the exact movement; the machine's slowest level then eases you into the session.

Step pattern rehearsal

Step-Up

Quads, Glutes

Step-ups onto a bench, light or unloaded, rehearse the exact push of the climb.

How to do it

  1. Stand facing a bench or box, with light dumbbells at your sides or none.
  2. Place one whole foot on top.
  3. Drive through that foot to stand up on the box.
  4. Step back down with control.

Cues

  • Whole foot on the box
  • Push through the top leg

Common mistakes

  • Pushing off the bottom foot
  • Leaning far forward

Swap for: Stair Climber, Bodyweight Squat

Build a session with Step-Up

The climb, starting slow

Stair Climber

Quads, Glutes, Calves

The machine's slowest level for 2 minutes is the last part of the warm-up.

How to do it

  1. Step on, rest your hands lightly on the rails, and pick the slowest speed.
  2. Put your whole foot on each step and press through the heel.
  3. Stand tall with your hips over your feet rather than leaning on the rails.
  4. Raise the speed one level at a time as your breathing picks up.

Cues

  • Whole foot on the step
  • Chest up, light hands

Common mistakes

  • Hanging on the rails with locked arms
  • Tiptoeing on the front edge of the step

Swap for: Step-Up, Treadmill Walk

Build a session with Stair Climber

Using the StairMaster before leg day

Climbing is a popular warm-up before legs. Keep it to 5 minutes at an easy level, then do warm-up sets of your first lift.

First lift after the StairMaster

Leg Press

Quads, Glutes

After 5 minutes of climbing, do 3 or 4 light sets of the leg press before your first working set.

How to do it

  1. Sit in the machine with feet set shoulder-width on the platform.
  2. Release the safety and lower the platform under control.
  3. Go as deep as your hips stay on the pad.
  4. Press back up without locking your knees hard.

Cues

  • Hips stay down
  • Even pressure through the feet

Common mistakes

  • Lower back lifting off the pad
  • Bouncing at the bottom

Swap for: Barbell Back Squat, Goblet Squat

Build a session with Leg Press

Put them together: example sessions

Each session below picks from the exercises above for one situation, with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in. Open one in the session builder to change a pick, price it from a recent set, and add it to RIRLift.

Session 1

StairMaster cardio session

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets27 a week
  • Per workout~10 min
  • EquipmentTreadmill, Standing Calf Raise, Dumbbells, Flat Bench +1

You are doing a 20 to 30 minute StairMaster session.

The plan raises your heart rate on a flat walk, moves the hips and ankles, wakes up the glutes and calves, and then eases you into the climb.

Warm-Up + Climb
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Treadmill WalkSeconds. One-minute blocks back to back, easy pace. 3 × 60 4 0 s
Bodyweight Squat 1 × 10 4 0 s
Leg SwingsPer leg, each direction. 1 × 10 4 0 s
Standing Calf Raise 1 × 12 4 15 s
Step-UpPer leg, no weight. 1 × 10 4 0 s
Stair ClimberSeconds. Slowest level. 2 × 60 4 0 s
How to run it
Do the floor moves beside the machine, then start slow and raise the level each minute.
How to progress
Raise the level faster once the routine feels easy.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Stair climb or hiking day

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts1× a week
  • Working sets9 a week
  • Per workout~10 min
  • EquipmentTreadmill, Standing Calf Raise, Dumbbells, Flat Bench

You are doing a stair climb event or a hike with lots of steps.

Long climbs load the calves and glutes for a long time. Activation sets and step-ups get them ready before the first flight.

Warm-Up
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Treadmill WalkSeconds. One-minute blocks back to back, easy pace. 3 × 60 4 0 s
Ankle CirclesEach way, per foot. 1 × 10 4 0 s
ClamshellPer side. 1 × 10 4 0 s
Standing Calf Raise 2 × 12 4 15 s
Step-UpPer leg. 2 × 8 4 15 s
How to run it
Do the floor exercises before you start, then climb the first flights slowly.
How to progress
Add a second set of calf raises before longer climbs.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

StairMaster before leg day

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets20 a week
  • Per workout~20 min
  • EquipmentStair Climber, Leg Press

You use the StairMaster as your warm-up before lifting legs.

Five minutes of easy climbing raises your temperature and works your legs. Squats and clamshells then cover mobility, and the leg press warm-up sets prepare you for the weight.

Warm-Up + Leg Press
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Stair ClimberSeconds. Easy level, one-minute blocks. 5 × 60 4 0 s
Bodyweight Squat 1 × 10 4 0 s
ClamshellPer side. 1 × 10 4 0 s
Leg Press3 warm-up sets first 3 × 8–12 2 2 min
How to run it
Climb 5 minutes at an easy level, do the floor moves, then the leg press warm-up sets before your working sets.
How to progress
Keep the climb easy; the warm-up sets rise with your working weight.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

Should you warm up before doing StairMaster?

Yes. A few minutes of walking, squats and calf raises, then the slowest level for the first minutes, make the climb feel smoother.

Is the StairMaster a good warm-up?

Yes, especially before leg day. Five minutes at an easy level warms up your legs and raises your heart rate.

What should I do to warm up before stair climbing?

Walk for a few minutes, do squats and leg swings, wake up your glutes and calves, then do a few step-ups.

What stretches should I do before the StairMaster?

Use moving stretches like leg swings, ankle circles and squats; save longer holds for afterward.

How long should I warm up before the StairMaster?

About 5 to 8 minutes, including the first slow minutes on the machine.