People Are Seeing Results From This Viral 10-Minute Workout In Two Weeks

I’ve always hated (with a capital “H”) cardio. The redundant laps around the track in high school PE may be to blame, or it could’ve been the gym shorts—a far cry from a cute workout ‘fit—that we were subjected to wear while running said circles. If you asked me to willingly lace up my sneakers to pound the pavement, it’s a hard pass. But if I had to pick my cardio poison, it would have to be the no-nonsense StairMaster. It’s equal parts effective and simple (there’s no complicated setup, and you can expect a serious sweat and muscle burn without needing any other equipment), high-intensity and low-impact; it’s no wonder the stair-stepper is having a renaissance.

First, there was the 25-7-2 StairMaster workout that caused a frenzy on FitTok—now allow me to introduce the 10-8-4. Another routine that’s gone viral, the 10-8-4 StairMaster workout takes even less time than its predecessor (10 Beyoncé songs long, give or take). And TikTok creators are crediting it for tightening their glutes and toning their cores in just two weeks. Here’s what you need to know about the 10-8-4 StairMaster workout, including what to consider before stepping into it and whether it actually works.

What Is the 10-8-4 StairMaster Workout?

Equipment needed to try the 10-8-4 workout: a stair climber machine (or you can do stair “laps” at a stairway in your local public park). The step-by-step breakdown of it is just as straightforward:

• Set the StairMaster to pace level 8
• Climb for 10 minutes
• Repeat four days per week

If you’ve yet to step foot on the StairMaster or cardio isn’t your thing, determine your baseline and start there. It may take some trial and error, but no matter where you kick off, keep these basics in mind: Don’t lean on the machine or stick your butt out (read: mind your posture), refrain from gripping the handrails (they’re there as a safety net, not to bear your weight), engage your core, and focus on stepping up with your weight in your heel so you activate your quads and glutes (if you only put your toes on the step and leave your heel hanging off, you won’t be doing your lower body muscles justice).

What Are Its Benefits?

Whether you’re new to fitness or an exercise junkie, the 10-8-4 StairMaster workout has its hype-worthy advantages.

It’s adaptable

You don’t have to follow the 10-8-4 workout to a T for it to be worthwhile. You can modify it however you see fit; use the numbered structure as a guide, but make it work best for you based on what you have available and your current fitness level. There’s no shame in lowering the pace, shortening the duration, or taking breaks—you just might prevent yourself from burning out or getting injured. Once you feel comfortable with the movement, make it more challenging by going hands-free to fire up your core and lower body strength (more on that later), upping the pace, strutting longer than 10 minutes, or wearing a weighted vest.

Don’t have access to a StairMaster? Stairs at a local park or in your apartment building will do. Think: five rounds of two-minute sets of climbing at a constant rate or two rounds of five-minute sets (with 30 to 60 seconds of rest between each set). Then, up the ante by speeding up your pace, increasing the time spent climbing, or skipping steps. Or, say you have a treadmill and want to apply the 10-8-4 concept to walking—walk at an incline of your choice for 10 minutes instead.

It strengthens muscles

Although the StairMaster is no doubt a cardio workout, stair climbing is a weight-bearing exercise that builds your calves, quads, glutes, hamstrings, and core (a 2024 study confirmed that the exercise is effective in improving muscle strength). Aside from lending a hand in muscle gains, the 10-8-4 StairMaster workout is a form of functional training (it mimics how your body moves IRL outside the gym), helping you more easily and effectively perform everyday activities, like walking up a flight of stairs and bending down to pick up your laundry or groceries.

It’s low-impact

The 10-8-4 StairMaster workout delivers a low-impact yet high-intensity cardio workout, reducing stress on your joints. Translation: It’s a sustainable alternative to higher-impact workouts that involve pounding or jumping on repeat, with less chance of injury and quicker recovery times. Research published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise concluded that the benefits of exercising on the StairMaster are comparable to those of running, further proving that the 10-8-4 routine can make a solid running substitute that’s easier on the body.

It improves cardiovascular health

If you’ve ever been on the StairMaster, you know that being on it for just a few minutes will raise your heart rate (it’s no joke). Getting your heart rate up consistently through cardio can lower your risk of conditions like heart disease, so the 10-8-4 can help make strides in your overall cardio needs. What’s more, stair climbing boosts VO2 max (the maximum amount of oxygen the body can utilize during intense exercise). According to Harvard Health, a high VO2 max is linked to better physical fitness and a lower risk for cardiovascular disease. And a 2024 study found that regular stair climbing for at least four to eight weeks can improve cardio-metabolic risk factors, such as body composition, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and insulin sensitivity. 

It efficiently burns calories

Despite what some TikTokers claim, the 10-8-4 doesn’t “melt away belly fat”—fat does not work that way (fat storage is based on so many different factors, namely diet, hormones, stress, etc.). But it has been shown to burn more calories than walking. Based on the American Council on Exercise (ACE) physical activity calorie counter, a 190-pound person can burn about 344 calories in 30 minutes of stair climbing versus 142 calories in the same amount of time of walking at a moderate pace of 3 mph.

Does It Actually Work?

That depends. There’s no question doing the 10-8-4 StairMaster workout will make you break a sweat and elevate your heart rate, and the fact that it’s only 10 minutes of your day makes it easy to fit into busy schedules. When done regularly, the StairMaster will help strengthen your lower body muscles and increase your cardio capacity. But the 10-8-4 workout is not meant to be a standalone sweat session; that’s why TikTokers are rounding out their strength training regimens with the 10-minute routine. In other words, if you’re looking for a well-rounded workout program—strength, mobility, and cardio—the 10-8-4 by itself falls short (the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion’s Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity and a minimum of two days of muscle-strengthening activities every week). The takeaway: Pair the 10-8-4 StairMaster workout with strength training two to three times per week and keep your hot girl walks in rotation.

As for whether the 10-8-4 tightens the glutes and tones the core, glute and ab muscles are not (solely) made on the StairMaster. Your core will carry some of the weight to stabilize your body, and your glutes have to step in to work against the gravity as you climb, but the 10-8-4 StairMaster workout doesn’t specifically target the core, nor does it enhance your glutes on its own. The not-so-secret formula to a stronger derrière and stomach? Science says combining cardio with heavy resistance training. Even better, prioritize exercises that pull double duty, strengthening both crucial muscle groups at once, like weighted squats, lunges, hip thrusts, single-leg deadlifts, and planks (multi-tasking, FTW).

Feature graphic images credited to: Jasmine | Dupe, @anari.tyana | TikTok