A That's Fit commenter recently posed the question:

Which is better - walking on treadmill 4.8 miles per hour for 35 minutes or exercising on a stepper (stair climber) for 25 minutes at a brisk pace?

As a certified personal trainer, I can tell you that the answer is "neither." Surprised? This question highlights the simple truth that no one piece of cardiovascular training at the gym is going to provide a better workout. It's what you do while you're on them that makes a difference, not the type of machine.

Using a treadmill, stepper or a StairMaster (these are actually two different kinds of equipment ) are all good ways to increase your cardiovascular health and burn body fat. In this case, 4.8 miles per hour is fast enough to be a light jog for most people and a very high intensity workout. It's also done for 35 minutes, so the person doing this workout will probably burn more calories and give their heart more of a challenge than if they only worked out for 25 minutes.

But the question also says the person on the stepper is working at a "brisk pace" and it's hard to know how difficult that is. If the intensity, or how hard that workout is, is higher than it is when jogging on the treadmill, then that person will be getting just as much of a workout in a shorter period of time.

How can you figure this out by yourself? You can use Rate of Perceived Exertion, a simple scale used by fitness professionals all over the country.