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A stair stepping apparatus comprising: a plurality of stairs forming a treadmill or endless belt on which a user steps, wherein each stair comprises: a first link comprised of a major step portion joined to a minor riser portion by a rigid elbow, and a second link comprised of major riser portion jo

A stair stepping apparatus comprising: a plurality of stairs forming a treadmill or endless belt on which a user steps, wherein each stair comprises: a first link comprised of a major step portion joined to a minor riser portion by a rigid elbow, and a second link comprised of major riser portion joined to a minor step portion by a rigid elbow.

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1. A stair stepping apparatus comprising: a plurality of stairs mounted on a frame and pivotably interconnected to each other in succession to form a treadmill on which a user steps, the treadmill being rotatably mounted on the frame for rotation around a path of travel having a longitudinal axis,wh

1. A stair stepping apparatus comprising: a plurality of stairs mounted on a frame and pivotably interconnected to each other in succession to form a treadmill on which a user steps, the treadmill being rotatably mounted on the frame for rotation around a path of travel having a longitudinal axis,wherein each stair comprises:a first link comprised of a major step portion joined to a minor riser portion by a rigid elbow, and a second link comprised of major riser portion joined to a minor step portion by a rigid elbowthe major step portion of each first link having a rearwardmost edge pivotably interconnected to a forwardmost edge of the minor step portion of the second link of a successively interconnected stair,the major riser portion of each second link having a rearwardmost edge pivotably interconnected to a forwardmost edge of the minor riser portion of the first link of a successively interconnected stair. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: the major step portion of the first link has a generally planar upper surface for receiving a sole of the user's foot, the forwardmost edge of the minor riser portion extending above the generally planar surface of the major step portion,the minor step portion of the second link has a generally planar upper surface for receiving the sole of the user's foot, the rearwardmost edge of the major riser portion extending below the generally planar surface of the major step portion. 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein: the forwardmost edge of the minor riser portion extends a selected first normal distance away from a plane coincident with the generally planar surface of the major step portion,the rearwardmost edge of the major riser portion extends a selected second normal distance away from a plane coincident with the generally planar surface of the minor step portion. 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the selected first normal distance is between about 1 and about 5 inches. 5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the minor step portion has a minor effective front to back length of between about 1 and about 5 inches. 6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the selected first normal distance is between about 1 and about 5 inches and the minor step portion has a minor effective front to back length of between about 1 and about 5 inches. 7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the major step portion has a major effective front to back length, the sum of the major and minor effective front to back lengths being between about 9 and about 15 inches. 8. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the sum of the first normal distance and the second normal distance is between about 5 and 10 inches. 9. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the treadmill is mounted on the frame for rotation along a path of travel such that the generally planar surfaces of the major and minor step portions of successively interconnected stairs are disposed in a generally co-planar orientation along at least a portion of the path of travel of the treadmill. 10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the treadmill is mounted for rotation such that the stairs travel in a backwardly downwardly directed path of travel on rotation of the treadmill, the major and minor portions of successively interconnected stairs providing a step surface on which a user can step with a user's foot during at least some portion of the backwardly downwardly directed path of travel of the stairs. 11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the treadmill is interconnected to a resistance device that exerts a selected degree of resistance to rotation of the treadmill, the treadmill being rotatably driven against the resistance by force of the user's weight or by the user's exertion of downwardly directed force on a step surface of one or more of the stairs. 12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the longitudinal axis of the path of travel is disposed at an angle of between about 30 and about 36 degrees relative to horizontal. 13. A method of performing an exercise by a user using the apparatus of claim 1, the method comprising the user's stepping on a stair of the apparatus of claim 1 while the treadmill of the apparatus rotates in a backward and downward direction. 14. A stair stepping apparatus comprising: a plurality of stairs mounted on a frame and pivotably interconnected to each other in succession to form a treadmill, the treadmill being rotatably mounted on the frame for rotation around a path of travel,wherein each stair comprises:a first link comprised of a major step portion rigidly joined to a minor riser portion, anda second link comprised of major riser portion rigidly joined to a minor step portion,the major step portion of each first link having a rearwardmost edge pivotably interconnected to a forwardmost edge of the minor step portion of the second link of a successively interconnected stair,the major riser portion of each second link having a rearwardmost edge pivotably interconnected to a forwardmost edge of the minor riser portion of the first link of a successively interconnected stair,the major step portion of the first link having a generally planar upper surface for receiving a sole of the user's foot, the forwardmost edge of the minor riser portion extending normally away from the generally planar surface of the major step portion,the minor step portion of the second link having a generally planar upper surface for receiving the sole of the user's foot, the rearwardmost edge of the major riser portion extending normally away from the generally planar surface of the major step portion. 15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein: the forwardmost edge of the minor riser portion extends a selected first normal distance away from a plane coincident with the generally planar surface of the major step portion,the rearwardmost edge of the major riser portion extends a selected second normal distance away from a plane coincident with the generally planar surface of the minor step portion. 16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the selected first normal distance is between about 1 and about 5 inches. 17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the treadmill is mounted on the frame for rotation along a path of travel such that the generally planar surfaces of the major and minor step portions of successively interconnected stairs are disposed in a generally co-planar orientation along at least a portion of the path of travel of the treadmill. 18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the treadmill is mounted for rotation such that the stairs travel in a backwardly downwardly directed path of travel on rotation of the treadmill, the major and minor portions of successively interconnected stairs providing a step surface on which a user can step with a user's foot during at least some portion of the backwardly downwardly directed path of travel of the stairs. 19. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the treadmill is interconnected to a resistance device that exerts a selected degree of resistance to rotation of the treadmill, the treadmill being rotatably driven against the resistance by force of the user's weight or by the user's exertion of downwardly directed force on a step surface of one or more of the stairs. 20. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the path of travel has longitudinal axis disposed at an angle of between about 30 and about 36 degrees relative to horizontal. 21. A method of performing an exercise by a user using the apparatus of claim 14, the method comprising the user's stepping on a stair of the apparatus of claim 14 while the treadmill of the apparatus rotates in a backward and downward direction. 22. A stair stepping apparatus comprising: a plurality of stairs mounted on a frame and hingedly interconnected to each other in succession to form a treadmill, the treadmill being rotatably mounted on the frame for rotation around a path of travel,wherein each stair comprises:a step having a generally planar upper step surface having a front to rear length extending from a front edge to a rear edge, and,a riser having a top to bottom vertical length extending from the rear edge of the upper step surface to a bottom edge of the riser,the riser comprising an upper riser and a lower riser hingedly joined to each other between the rear edge of the step surface and bottom edge of the riserwherein the upper riser is rigidly interconnected to the rear foot support at the rear edge of the upper step surface by an elbow that disposes the upper riser normally below the upper step surface, the lower riser being rigidly interconnected by an elbow to a front foot support of a successive step at the front edge of the upper step surface. 23. The stair stepping apparatus of claim 22 wherein the step comprises a front foot support and a rear foot support hingedly joined to each other between the front and rear edges of the upper step surface. 24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the treadmill is mounted for rotation such that the stairs travel in a backwardly downwardly directed path of travel on rotation of the treadmill, the front and rear foot supports of successively interconnected stairs providing a step surface on which a user can step with a user's foot during at least some portion of the backwardly downwardly directed path of travel of the stairs. 25. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pivotable interconnections comprise a male hinge disposed on one of the rearwardmost and forwardmost edges and a female hinge disposed on the other of the rearwardmost and forwardmost edges, the male hinge comprising a curved finger rotatably received within a complementary receiving aperture of the female hinge, the curved finger being adapted to rotate within and completely enclose the receiving aperture to form a continuous exterior surface between the female hinge and the male hinge at all angles of rotation of the male hinge within the receiving aperture. 26. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the pivotable interconnections comprise a male hinge disposed on one of the rearwardmost and forwardmost edges and a female hinge disposed on the other of the rearwardmost and forwardmost edges, the male hinge comprising a curved finger rotatably received within a complementary receiving aperture of the female hinge, the curved finger being adapted to rotate within and completely enclose the receiving aperture to form a continuous exterior surface between the female hinge and the male hinge at all angles of rotation of the male hinge within the receiving aperture. 27. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the front foot support and the rear foot support are hingedly joined by a male hinge disposed on one of the front and rear foot supports and a female hinge disposed on the other of the front and rear foot supports, the male hinge comprising a curved finger rotatably received within a complementary receiving aperture of the female hinge, the curved finger being adapted to rotate within and completely enclose the receiving aperture to form a continuous exterior surface between the female hinge and the male hinge at all angles of rotation of the male hinge within the receiving aperture. 28. A stair stepping apparatus comprising: a plurality of stairs mounted on a frame and hingedly interconnected to each other in succession to form a treadmill, the treadmill being rotatably mounted on the frame for rotation around a path of travel,wherein each stair comprises:a step having a generally planar upper step surface extending from a front edge to a rear edge and a riser having an outside surface having a front edge pivotably joined to the step by a hinge formed between the front edge of the riser and the rear edge of the step,the hinge comprising at least one male hinge member disposed on one of the rear edge of the step and the front edge of the riser and at least a pair of male hinge members disposed on the other of the rear edge of the step and the front edge of the riser, the pair of male hinge members being spaced apart to form an aperture that is complementary to and receives the at least one male hinge member,each of the male hinge members comprising a center arcuate member having an outside wall that extends continuously from the upper step surface of the step and the outside surface of the riser at least about degrees around the rear and front edges of the step and the riser respectively,each of the male hinge members further comprising a pair of lateral arcuate fingers disposed on opposing lateral sides of the center arcuate member the lateral arcuate fingers having an outside surface that extends continuously from the upper step surface of the step and from the outside surface of the riser about degrees around the rear and front edges of the step and the riser,the male hinge members each having a longitudinal aperture for receiving a pin or rod that extends through the longitudinal aperture and pivotably interconnects the step to the riser forming the hinge,the longitudinal apertures being adapted to arrange the outside wall of the center arcuate member and the outside surfaces of the lateral arcuate fingers such that a continuous surface is formed around the hinge when the step and the riser are pivoted relative to each other around at least 90 degrees.