Aerobic exercise is a popular form of exercise that improves one's cardiovascular health by reducing blood pressure and providing other benefits to the human body. Aerobic exercise generally involves low intensity physical exertion over a long duration of time. Generally, the human body can adequately supply enough oxygen to meet the body's demands at the intensity levels involved with aerobic exercise. Popular forms of aerobic exercise include running, jogging, swimming, and cycling among others activities. In contrast, anaerobic exercise often involves high intensity exercises over a short duration of time. Popular forms of anaerobic exercise include strength training and short distance running.
Many choose to perform aerobic exercises indoors, such as in a gym or their home. Often, a user will use an aerobic exercise machine to have an aerobic workout indoors. One such type of aerobic exercise machine is stepping machine, which often includes foot supports that move along generally vertical arcuate paths when moved by the feet of a user. Other popular exercise machines that allow a user to perform aerobic exercises indoors include treadmills, rowing machines, elliptical trainers, and stationary bikes to name a few.
One type of stepping machine is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014/0274575 issued to Rasmey Yim, et al., (hereinafter “the '575 Publication”). In this reference, embodiments of stationary exercise machines are described as having reciprocating foot and/or hand members, such as foot pedals that move in a closed loop path. The '575 Publication, abstract. Some embodiments can include reciprocating foot pedals that cause a user's feet to move along a closed loop path that is substantially inclined, such that the foot motion simulates a climbing motion more than a flat walking or running motion. Id. Some embodiments are described as including reciprocating handles that are configured to move in coordination with the foot via a linkage to a crank wheel also coupled to the foot pedals. Id. Variable resistance can be provided via a rotating air-resistance based mechanism, via a magnetism based mechanism, and/or via other mechanisms, one or more of which can be rapidly adjustable while the user is using the machine. Id. According to this reference, traditional stationary exercise machines include stair climber-type machines and elliptical running-type machines. The '575 Publication, para. [0003]. Each of these types of machines typically offers a different type of workout, with stair climber-type machines providing for a lower frequency vertical climbing simulation, and with elliptical machines providing for a higher frequency horizontal running simulation. Id. Other types of exercise machines are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,343 to Miller; U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,956 to Miller; U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,637 to Rodgers; U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,480 to Rodgers; U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,333 to Rodgers; U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,567 to Rodgers; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,086 to Maresh. These references are incorporated herein by reference for all that they disclose.