If you’re new around here, you might be wondering what a vertical climber is and why everyone – from your next door neighbour and gym buddy, to all-star athletes and film stars – are using them.
Cast your mind back to the early 1980s – big hair, lycra and leg warmers were all the rage and vertical climbers, typically 7-to-8-foot-tall exercise machines that simulate the motion of rock climbing, were just witchcraft. The Versaclimber has been around since 1981, and was the first climbing exercise machine on the market, created in a mechanical engineer’s garage in California.
Although it took until the late ‘80s for the machine to become widely used in gyms across the United States, the Versaclimber remains a firm favourite of millions around the globe today – thanks, in part, to its vast celebrity endorsements.
But, vertical climbers like the Versaclimber aren’t just for the elite. These machines have been at the forefront of fitness for decades because of their accessibility, innovative nature and impact – helping people recover from injury and achieve optimal, full-body fitness.
In this blog, we’ll provide you with all you need to know about the Versaclimber and the different types of vertical climbers, for both beginners and fitness enthusiasts, so you can maximise your workouts.
Are Vertical Climbers A Good Workout?
A vertical climber workout replicates the movement of climbing a mountain, which provides an excellent full body workout.
Like other vertical climbers, the Versaclimber provides a full-body exercise, working the muscles in your arms, legs and chest, back, shoulders and more, all in one fluid motion – ideal for time poor users, in particular.
Unlike riding a bike or using a treadmill, a vertical climber combines both cardio and aerobic activity with strength training, helping to engage the entire body in the workout while burning plenty of calories. Vertical climbers also offer users a low-impact alternative, ideal for people training for competitive action, like running a marathon, or recovering from a previous injury to their knee.
The Versaclimber is a personal trainer’s dream, not only because of its low-impact and full-body capabilities, but also thanks to its variable resistance. Its hydraulic control knob gives users the opportunity to test their endurance, enabling them to control their climbing speed by slowing the step speed down or loosening it depending on their needs – a function ideal for both beginners or those wanting to solely focus on cardio.
How To Use A Vertical Climber
The Versaclimber is used across the world, in homes, health clubs and sports medicine facilities, right through to military, fire departments, corporate gyms and boutique gyms. No matter where it’s used, it’s crucial that the machine is used as intended, to ensure a safe and engaging workout.
As well as wearing appropriate footwear, warming up prior to your workout and ensuring the machine is placed level on the ground, there are a number of ways you can adjust the machine to your specifications. For more information, check out the user manual guides for each of our models.
Vertical Climber Workout For Beginners
Just like anything you’re trying for the first time, take it steady and ease yourself in to avoid injury or early fatigue.
Once you’ve thoroughly warmed up, it’s time to hit the machine. To climb, stand in a vertically erect position with both feet on the pedals, while grasping the two handgrips at about shoulder height. With both feet level on the pedals, initiate a climbing motion. For first-time climbers, we’d recommend a 15 – 20-minute climb, which includes a 5-minute warm-up and a 3-to-5 minute cool down. Start off by taking short (4 – 6 inch) slow-paced steps in order to maintain an easy-going climb rate.
Once you’ve got the hang of it, you can take your workouts up to 60-minute sessions and slowly increase the level of resistance.
Like with any workout, routine can make a significant difference to your overall performance and improvement, so consider hopping on the machine 3 – 4 times a week, switching up the level of intensity, as you grow more confident.
If it’s your first time on the machine, hop over to our FAQ page.
Vertical Climber HIIT Workout
HIIT or high-intensity interval training workouts are short bursts of high effort exercises, followed by low effort rest periods. This form of cardio is designed to stimulate your metabolism and burn calories at a higher rate, while also helping you to save time and keep your workouts fun.
Just 20-minutes a day is enough to see a difference in your performance, but it all comes down to how you design your HIIT workout.
One of the most popular techniques for a HIIT session is 10 reps of 30-second sprints, with 30-seconds of recovery time. Don’t forget though, play around with your resistance and make sure to balance out the intensity of your training with a shorter duration and allow yourself longer intervals between short bursts of intense action.
Tips To Maximise Your Vertical Climber Workout
No matter which workout regime you choose, it’s important to remember that consistency is key to long-term success. Irregular workouts, especially when not adequately warmed up, can hamper your performance and cause extreme fatigue.
Equally important to your progress is keeping your exercises fun and varied. If your workouts are consistently the same routine, you can easily become bored and unmotivated. Try out various HIIT routines, LISS (low-intensity steady-state), mix up your resistance and adjust your pace and duration each time, and why not change up your environment?
If you’ve got a Versaclimber Home, why not safely move the machine into another room for a different view or hit up your nearest group workout session for those mood-boosting endorphins you can only get from a group class? For something simple, and to get you in the mood for whatever type of workout, add some music into the mix and get your head in the game.
In Summary
Vertical climbers have been a fan favourite for over three decades; beloved by beginners, athletes and celebrities of all ages.
Today, the love affair continues as the Versaclimber takes centre stage at thousands of gyms, sports medical and health clubs, among others, across the world.
If you’re interested in joining the vertical climber revolution, like our other customers, get in touch with our team today for more information.
