THE PULSE

There are plenty of ways to get in your cardio at the club—you could hit the treadmill, give the row machine a try, or take a cycle class. But there’s one cardio machine you probably haven’t tried: the Jacob’s Ladder. This piece of equipment has probably caught your eye. It’s a ladder tilted at an extreme angle so you can “climb” the never-ending rungs. It’s definitely unique, but is it worth your time? YEP. Here’s why.

1. It FEELS easier than other machines

Research from the School of Kinesiology at Louisiana State University showed that the Jacob’s Ladder allows you to work out harder with less effort compared to a treadmill. That means you’ll be burning more calories and building muscles faster without feeling like you’re putting in grueling work.

2. But it’s actually a killer workout

When you climb the Jacob’s Ladder, you’re moving your body in a way that is very similar to bear crawls—but don’t worry, it doesn’t feel like doing bear crawls. Crawling is a highly functional and beneficial movement pattern we often overlook in our workouts.

When you use the Jacob’s Ladder you’re not only getting in cardio, but also strengthening your core, challenging your coordination, and improving your grip strength and endurance. You can’t get all of that on a treadmill or a cycle bike.

3. It’s low impact, simple and fun

This high-energy workout is surprisingly low impact, which means you can get in a tough workout without pounding the pavement and putting pressure on your joints.

You don’t have to fuss with a ton of settings or controls, because the Jacob’s Ladder machine only goes as fast as you do, which it determines based on the tension of the belt you wear attached to the machine. It’s super easy to speed up or slow down.

Maybe most importantly, it’s a lot of fun! Because of the coordination challenge, you can’t “zone out” as easily as you can on a treadmill—and for many people, it’s the increased concentration that makes this cardio workout a favorite.

Try using the Jacob’s Ladder as a cardio warm-up or as part of a circuit the next time you’re at the club. You might find that this machine is just the challenge your routine needed.