Rowing vs Stairmaster: Which Should You Use?

Use the rowing machine rather than the Stairmaster if you want your back, core and arms working as well as your legs, and if you would like to sit down. Use the Stairmaster if your goal is leg and glute endurance, or you want a hard session with almost nothing to learn.

For most people with access to both, rowing is the better main machine and the stair climber is a useful second one. The exception is anyone whose back dislikes rowing. If your knees or balance are the issue, that verdict can flip the other way, so read the joints section first.

Energy and cardio

Both are demanding. The 2024 Compendium of Physical Activities lists general stair treadmill work at 9.3 METs and vigorous general rowing at 7.3. The NHS also lists walking up stairs as a vigorous activity. A common estimate is MET x body weight in kg x hours, which gives these rough figures for a 70 kg person:

Time	Rowing (7.3)	Stair climber (9.3)
15 minutes	about 130 kcal	about 165 kcal
20 minutes	about 170 kcal	about 215 kcal
30 minutes	about 255 kcal	about 325 kcal

The gap is smaller than it looks. Rowing’s value climbs to 11.0 between 150 and 199 watts, and heavy leaning on the handrails takes bodyweight off your legs. Hold the rails lightly, for balance only. Use the figures to compare sessions, not to plan food.

Muscles compared

Muscle group	Rowing	Stair climber
Quads, glutes, hamstrings	High, on the drive	High, on every step
Calves	Moderate	High
Back and lats	High	Low
Core	High	Moderate, for posture
Shoulders and arms	Moderate	Minimal

If you want a mostly lower-body session, the stair climber is more targeted. Our guide to rowing muscles shows what each phase of the stroke does.

Best choice by goal

Your goal	Better choice	Why
Whole-body cardio	Rowing	Back and arms work too
Leg and glute endurance	Stair climber	Constant leg work
Interval sessions	Either	Both respond quickly to effort
Training at home	Rowing	Easier to store
Measurable progress	Rowing	Pace and distance are comparable between sessions
No technique to learn	Stair climber	Ready in about five minutes

Joints and safety

Neither machine involves the landing of running, but they load you differently.

• Rowing. You sit, and your feet stay on the footplate. The catch bends the knees deeply, and rounding your back there is the usual cause of lower back trouble. Our page on whether rowing machines are safe covers the main checks.
• Stair climber. Your full bodyweight moves through one leg at a time, so feet, knees, hips and the Achilles tendon all work repeatedly. Balance matters, and a fall from a moving staircase is a real risk if you are unsteady.

If you have a joint, back or balance problem, ask a GP or physio before choosing, and stop if pain increases.

Learning curve

The stair climber takes about five minutes to learn: stand tall, step evenly, place your whole foot on each step and keep your hands light. Rowing takes a few weeks to feel natural, because the sequence runs legs, body, arms on the way back and arms, body, legs on the way forward. Start with how to use a rowing machine before you add intensity.

The common faults are mirror images. On the rower, people haul with their arms and rush the slide. On the stair climber, they hunch over the display and hang off the rails.

Space and equipment

Most gyms have both, so try each before you commit. At home, rowers win. A Concept2 RowErg has a footprint of 244 x 61 cm, splits in two without tools for storage and costs around £990 (checked 30 Oct 2026). A motorised stair climber is heavy and stays where you put it. For kit, supportive trainers suit the stair climber, while the footplate straps hold you on a rower, so any flat-soled shoe works.

A sample week using both

Day	Session	Effort
Monday	Row, 20 minutes steady, rate 18 to 22	4 out of 10
Wednesday	Stair climber, 5 x 2 minutes brisk, 90 seconds easy	Brisk is 7 out of 10
Friday	Row, 6 x 3 minutes moderate, 90 seconds easy	6 out of 10
Saturday	Stair climber or walk, 25 minutes	3 out of 10

Warm up for 5 minutes before the two interval sessions. Short on time? Do 15 minutes on the rower, then 15 on the stairs, keeping the rower first because technique slips once your legs are tired. Beginners can use the first month on the erg instead, and anyone weighing up bike classes should see rowing vs spinning. If the walk appeals more than the stairs, our comparison of rowing machines vs long-distance walking covers that choice.