As Seen On TV Lateral Thigh Trainer Review

Full View: I bought this product about three years ago and it is still being widely sold. I was looking for a traditional stepper because I hate treadmills and wanted to see if stepping would be less boring and evil. (I hate treadmills.)

Here I Go! For a Few Weeks Anyway.
There are no handles or other types of hand braces on this stepper. This could pose a problem for the terminally off balance but I am quite the klutz and didn’t fall off the stepper…much. There are optional stretchy cords with handles that can be purchased to give your workout more intensity and involve the upper body but I didn’t bother to invest in them. The Lateral Thigh Trainer is fairly compact with just two footrests and a stabilizing metal bottom. It takes up only about 18 - 20 inches of floor space. Behind the footrest the tension knob. You can move it to a higher or lower number by just pushing the knob one way or the other. You can set it so it so that stepping is nearly impossible and you need all your strength to make those footrests move or you can set it so that stepping is so easy, you barely feel the footrests under your feet.

Getting used to this trainer takes a few tries. It is definitely not like a traditional stepper. As you push your foot down on the footrest, your leg slides outwards to the side, each step gives your leg a lateral step (similar to ice skating or rollerblading), which can be felt in the thighs and butt. However, it isn’t a natural stepping motion and takes some practice. The first few times I used the trainer, I was thrown off balance and a bit frustrated, but after that, I knew what to expect and got into the groove. There is a video with the trainer that shows you how to use it and has a short workout to follow but it doesn't take much to step up and down (or side to side).

You can work up a sweat on the LTT and you can work your thigh and leg muscles well. The lateral movement is foreign to your body and it stresses muscles that usually don’t get much working out. You can easily get a cardio workout by keeping a good pace for about 30 minutes. If you desire muscle building, keeping the tension on hard will work those muscles and help you to build up the muscles in your thighs, legs and butt.

But, as with any stationary machine – or any workout – this can get boring. Just stepping for a half an hour can be tedious even with the diversion of watching a TV show or listening to music. I found myself quite bored with the LTT after a few uses. Time dragged. I wanted to just do something, anything else. But that is me. I was not made to do one thing for any length of time. Also, unlike steppers with handles, unless you get creative, your upper body just sits there, adding to the boredom. But the worst con for me was the knee pain. I had surgery on my knee several years ago and had been pain free until I got this device. I had throbbing pain after each use that reminded of before I had my surgery. I worried I was reinjuring my knee and the benefits didn't outweigh the negative aspects of using the LTT in a regular basis. Plus, to be honest, I was bored silly with the thing.